The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-11

peror has used his influence"
At this hour-it was now about 5
o'clock in the afternoon-the confia-
grafton was at its hight, and the scenes
to be witnessed in the southerly dis
trict of Pekin were such as no power
of the mind can conceive.
The cart moved on slowly, by fits and
starts, while Sam Wong led the mules
and Chang kept guard at the rear.
Stoppages were a frequent cause of
alarm to the three who nestled under
the bales, but they might have spared
themselves the least anxiety on that
score. The delay was due to the con-
gested traffic, and none gave thought
to the vehicle or its load.
A wide avenue was crossed by dint
of perseverance and hard struggling,
and from a narrow crevice on his side
Alec saw, under a widespread canopy
OF lurid smoke, the seething mass of
pedestrians jumbled together with
mules, horses and ponies. Then came
confusing turns and narrower streets,
where frantic crowds of people were
emerging with their household goods
from doors and passages, Fastening to
join the vast exodus that had already
begun from the native city. And over
all hung the sullen roar of the flames
and the horse yelling from thousands
of Threats.
The pressure was not so great now,
and the smoke and sparks were less in
evidence. The cart swung round a cor
ner and crept up a familiar thorough
fare. 1t came to q sudden halt, and
for an anxious moment the voices of
Sam Wong and his servant were raised
in angry alteration. Then the inter-
rupted progress was resumed, and the
fugitives breathed freely again.
How are we getting on?" Dan whis-
pered.
"Famously, old fellow" Alec replied,
with his eyes to the crevice. II recog-
nize the neighborhood. We are close
to the Hata Men gate-we are rolling
through 1t, and the people are making
way for us. Hurra. we are inside the
Tartar city now The worst is over"
And Legation street is near by?'
Yes; little head, on the left"
Good old Sam Wong-he has earned
his money" muttered Dan. Wont my
people be glad to see us?' he added,
with a lump in his throat.
And just then, from some cause or
other, the mules suddenly took fright
and bolted Away they tore at a gall
op, the vehicle jolting and swaying be-
hind them. Alec, watching from the
crevice. saw Sam Wong pick himself
up from the stones and run alongside.
He saw also the eastern end of Lega-
ton street whizz by in a cloud of dust
and vanish, and a moment later he
was knocked roughly against little Loo
Lao.
The iron-shod hoofs began to beat a
confused tattoo. The cart swerved to
one side and stopped with jerk as the
runaway mules yielded to control.
Above the din and shouting rose two
wholesome hoarse and accusing, the
other shrilly triumphant.
Whats wrong?" asked Dan.
81 can see soldiers-they wear the i'm
perial uniform" Alec replied, choking
ly. by heavens, that scoundrel Chang
has betrayed u.s."
He had hardly spoken when the
mules were cut loose, and a dozen
hands turned the cart over on one
wheel, tipping the contents lightly out.
1t was all done so quickly that Loo
Lao and her companions were sent
sprawling on top of the bales almost
before they could realize what had hap
pened. A ferocious outcry greeted their
discovery, and the next instant they
were in the grasp of the seven or eight
imperial soldiers who surrounded the
spot and who were responsible for the
sudden checking of the vehicle. Dan
had kept hold of his ride, but it was
snatched away from him at once, and
he and Alec, in spite of desperate strug-
Cling, were brutally overpowered by
four of their enemies. Another seized
the girl, who screamed piteously for
help as she was thrown over the ruff
fiian's shoulder.
Chang, the traitor, was to blame for
the calamity. Either through fear of
detection and punishment, or. because
of the tempting opportunity that the
stoppage of the cart offered, he had
promptly made up his mind to denounce
the fugitives and earn the reward The
deed was probably unprecedented, but
none the less he gloried in it.
Which of US was lying?" he cried,
pointing to the master he had be-
trayed. Judge for yourselves. Did
not declare the truth"
Sam Wong could not deny his guilt.
Speeches. and tremulous, his face
gray and twitching, he looked the pic
ture of terror. He turned to run, but
two of the soldiers intercepted him and
plunged their swords through his body.
The unfortunate man fell, and his life
blood ebbed on the stones.
"He deserved DEATH" said Chang con-
temptuously. "for he would have taken
daughter of Prince Ian to the lega-
tons. 1 have given them into your
hands, and the reward is mine. You
will bear witness to that"
But the informer was not to taste
the fruits of his blood-bought triumph.
His hearers Knocked him insolently and
ridiculed his claim.
"Begonel" they cried. 1.-THE reward is
ours. Did we not seize the cart? Off
with you, lest we send you to join your
master"
AS the threat seemed likely to be
carried out, the baffied and 1ustly-pun-
ished Chang took to his heels, follow
ed by derisive laughter.
This grim piece of testing done with,
the fate of the prisoners now came up
for discussion. The Princess Loo-Lao
had swooned in her captor's arms and
Dan and Alec found a ray of comfort
in the thought that her life was not in
danger. For themselves, they expect
ed to be put Immediately to the sword,
yet at this terrible moment their cour-
age did not desert them, and save for
the ashen hue of their cheeks, they
showed no signs of fear. But II was
hard to die, doubly hard when help and
friends were so near; for the disaster
had befallen just off the righthand
side of the Hata Men street, close to
the left of which lay the legation
quarter
"Sha! Shav (Kill! Kill) the soldiers
clamored fiercely, and the man in
charge OF them, a petty officer, whose
face was hideous from smallpox, as
sented readily enough to the blood
thirsty demands.
yves, let the two foreign devils be