Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-03-20


about, though could distinguish little
In the gloom, Y loosened my revolver.
Then began whispered consultation
between the carpenter and his assocI-
ates. during which All Yon sidled up to
me and said in a low voice. 'Afakee
pistol allii
"All II, Yon," replied. .'You know
nll about this expeditionT
..Sabbee plenty. Be weily caleful.
Plenty dangelous."
Here Koon-Si, who seemed to have
eyes and ears for everything, interpos-
ed and asked what Yon had been say
Ing.
"Hc merely mentioned the fact that
It was time to keep our eyes open and
our pistols handy"
Indeed" said the carpenter. "Ah
Yon is a worthy servant. He shall be
rewarded"
''That he shall be-" said Jim heartily.
"Ah Yon is an excellent fellow"
But the subject of these flatterlng re-
marks had skunk awny, his natural
desty being no proof against such
4. hise.
Learning from the carpenter that we
had still some distance to walk before
reaching Kung's house, we Immediate
ly set out with All Yon and one of the
boatmen Mt our head. Jim followed
next. Then came Koon-Si. myself and
the other boatmen.
In this manner we pursued our way
In silence, and II the Journey down
the river had seemed to DO charged
with the horror of awful uncertainty
this creeping over unknown ground
through the: dark night toward fate
which no man might foresee contained
for me all the elements of hideous
nightmare. i confess that my nerves
were strung to IN acute pitch, that
my Imagination pictured many strange
and homogeneous things The knowl-
edge that one was entirely in the hands
OF this carpenter and his associates
was not conducive to the tranquility
of ones mind. To me It seemed as
though / wanted to see something.
Hitherto we had been CROPPING In the
dark, and yearned for the light.
Yet could not do less than admit
that in Koon-Si we had marvellous
auxiliary and one without whom 1t
would have been quite impossible to
proceed upon this desperate adventure.
Indeed, but for the hint my father gave
of seeking out the carpenter ] now saw
that our visit TO China would have
been dangerously abortive. Faithfully
had he fulfilled the hopes which we
had conferred In him, and I felt that II
was ungrateful in the extreme to with
hold from him the praise which was 30
Justly his due.
Presently the lenders Of our little par
ty stopped. There was hurried whis-
pering among Koon-Si and the boat
men, and then we went ON again, but
this time more slowly and carefully.
Instinctiyely I crept closer to Jim and
felt that my revolver was ready, for
danger seemed to lurk in the very air,
and my nerves were strung to the high.
est pitch of intensity. However, moth
ing came us yet, and still stealing on
ward we presently found ourselves fac
ing q structure which, seen through
the gloom. resembled squat pillar or
chimney, but which, In reality was the
dilapidated pagoda we had seen from
the river.
Toward this our guides led us, and az
we emerged within It's shadow and
while my eyes were fixed with all In
tensity upon 1t l received violent
blow on the back of the head. which
drove me, face foremost, to the ground.
OF what followed have but vague
recollection.
saw, as II in fancy. the quick rush
of figures here and there; I heard con-
fused murmurs as Of many voices;
felt mans knees on my back and
strong fingers about my throat, and
then I remembered no more.