West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-11-07
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II A BELLE BYrr BYi; n,1rs II
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It CANADA CITY, II


tcoTfiHNef fye0 last ,acek.)
outside the back door. There aln't no
inventory taken or sealin up OF any
thing done Just yet. though I have. to
see there amt anything disturbed. But
kalkilate 10 walk out on that vcranda
for spell and look Mt the landscape"
He paused again and said with sigh
OF satisfaction: ITS n mighty pooty
view out thar. IL Just takes me evmy
time"
AS he turned and walked out through
the French window Cissy did not for a
moment comprehend him; then. strange
ly enough. his act OF rude courtesy for
she first time awakened her to the full
sense OF the situation. This house.
her fathers house-was no longer hers!
Ii her father should never return, she
wanted nothing from it-nothingl She
gripped her beating heart with the lit
tie hand she had clinched So valiantly
moment ago. Suddenly her hand
dropped. Some one had glided Noise
lessly into the back room, n figure In a
blue blouse-a Chinaman, their house
servant. All Fc. He cast n furtiye
glance at the stranger on the veranda
and then beckoned 10 her stealthiiy.
She came toward him wonderingly,
when he suddenly whipped note from
bis sleeve and with n dexterous move
ment slipped 1t into her fingers. She
tore II Open 4 single glance showed
her small key lnclosed In n line OF
her fathers handwriting. Drawing
quickly back into the corner, she read
as follows: 'If this reaches you In
time, take from the second drawer OF
my desk an envelope marked Private
Contracts and give II to the bearer"
There was neither signature nor ad-
dress.
Putting her finger to her lip, she cast
quick glance at the absorbed figure
on the vcranda and stepped before the
desk. She fitted the key 10 the drawer
and opened II rapidly. but noiselessly.
There lay the envelope and. among 9th
er ticketcd papers, small roll OF green
backs, such as her father often kept
there. 1t was his money. She did not
scruple to take II with the envelope.
Handing the latter to the Chinaman,
who made It Instantly disappear up his
sleeve like n conjurer's net, she signed
him to follow her into the hall.
"Who gave you that note, All FeY'
she whispered breathlessly.
"Chlnaman."
"Who gave 1t to himf"
"Chinaman."
"And to him?"
"Nollee Chinaman."
Another ChlnamanY
"Yes. heap Chinaman. Alice same az
gang"
"You mean 1t passed from one China.
mans hand to anotherT
"Allee same"
"Why didn't the first Chlnaman who
got II bring 1t hcreY'
"S'pose Melikan man want to catchee
lettel. lie spotty Chinaman. He follee
Chlnaman. Chinaman passee iettel next
Chinaman. He no get. Mellkan man
no hab got. Sabe?"
Then this package Will go back the
same way?"
"Allee same"
"And who will you give 1t to nowY
Alice same man blingee me lettcl.
Hop ii. who makee washee."
An idea here struck Clssy which
made her heart jump and her cheeks
flame. All Fe gazed Mt her with an In
fantile smile OF admiration.
How far did that letter comeY' she
asked with eager. questioning eyes.
''Lettee me see him." said All Fe.
Cissy handed him the mlssive. He
examined closely some half n dozen
Chinese characters that were scrawled
along the length OF the outer fold and
which she bad ipnoccnuy supposed
were part OF the markings of the rice
paper ON which the note was written.
Heap Cblnaman velly much walkee
-longee way! S'pose you look" He
pointed through tho open front door to
the prospect beyond. II was a famlI-
lar one TO Cissy-the long canada. the
crest on crest OF serried pines and be-
yord the dim snow line. Ab Fe's
brown finger seemed 10 linger there.
"ln the snow" she whispered. her
cheek wh.ea!ng like that dim line. but
her eyes sparkling like the sunshine
over H.
Alice snme. John" said All Fe plain
lively.
''Ah re-" whispered Clssy. take me
with you TO Hop H."
mo good" snid Ab Fe stolidly. Hop
II. De givee tbis"-he indicated the en-
velopc I'm his slccve-'to next China.
man. He no 60 S'pose you 90 with
me. Hop II You no makee nothing.
Alice same heap fooieer
u know. but you just take me there.
Dor
The young girl was Irresistible. An
Fe's face relaxed "All liteei he said,
With resigned smile.
You wait here n moment" said Cis-
sy. Frightening. she few Up the stair
case. In few minutes she was back
Igain. She had exchanged her smart
iose spriggcd chlntz for a pathetic lit
tie blue check frock Of her school days.
The fateful hat bad given way to =
brown straw "1at," bent like frame
around her charming face. All the
glrlishnoss. and. indeed n certain hon
est boyisliucss Of her nature, seemed
to have come ont in her glowing. free
kled check. brilliant audacious eyes
and the quick stride which brought
her 10 Ah Fc's side.
"Now. lets go" she said, "out the
back way and down the side streets"
She paused. cast n glance through the
drawing room at the contemplauve
figure Of the shcrlT's deputy on the
veranda and then passed out OF the
house forever.
CHAPTER II.
IT HE excitement over The failure