The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-22


| left to darkness and solitude, except
| for the terrified old woman, who did
| not dare to stir. Down in the dry bed
| of the ditch waited seven or eight Box
| ers, including several who had beer.
| picked up during the rapid march
marc hacross the city. Their torches
threw wavering patches of light on the
weather. beaten surface of the towering
wall, and dimly revealed on the oppo-
site side, where the line of houses be-
| gan, group of timid people whom Gu
riosity had drawn to the spot. They
| withdrew in sudden alarm as Ii Sheng
and his companions, bringing the two
| prisoners, descended the sloping bank
and Joined the rest of the party.
| Dan! Dan!" an eager voice ex-
| claimed.
name, looked closely at the SLIM figure
guarded by Boxers, and saw who it was
that had spoken.
"Alec, you here!" he cried.
| Loo-Lao also recognized the third
| prisoner, and for brief interval both
she and Dan were dumb with surprise.
They could scarcely grasp the truth,
could with difficulty realize that 1t was
indeed their old comrade who stood be-
| fore them; for they had never doubted
his death.
I'm not a ghost, old chap" declared
Alec, though you seem to think So"
II was sure the Boxers had killed
you-that night you left" Dan STAN
mered.
mo; I've been shut up in the lega-
tons. couldn't get out" Alec replied.
And my parents?"
"They are both well. l say, Dan,
you don't believe it. was 1 who"
"Who betrayed us?" Dan interrupted.
"Of course not; 1 know better than
that. One of the Tigers spies discov-
cred our hiding place"
Lii Sheng and Now Chang were talk
ing in low tones, and the others were
watching them expectantly; so for the
moment nobody interfered with the
conversation between the prisoners.
Were done for this time, you and ], !"
Dan went on, in voice that shook a
little. And it wont be long. The
Tiger is too keen on wiping out old
| scores" ~ 81
Eyes, we've got to face the worst"
Alec assented bitterly. 'Of course,
there isn't a scrap of hope for us to
cling to. But, tell me, where are Ping
| Tang and his mother?"
do these fellows understand Eng
lish?" Dan asked cautiously.
Il don't believe it,"
That's all right, then. Nan Ho is
safe, and Ping Tang slipped off more
than an hour ago. He went to fetch
help"
Help? From where?"
The question was not answered, for
just then Ii Sheng turned and APP
preached the group.
ut is settled he announced loudly.
1--WE take the foreign devils to yonder
temple, the same from which they es-
capped before. And there we will sacri-
flee them on the altar of the Joyful
Buddha. AS for the girl, l have en-
trusted her to the care of Now Chang,
who will be responsible for her safe
keeping"
There was murmur of delighted ap.
prevail from the Boxers, followed by
cry of horror from Loo-Lao.
BE merciful," she begged. Spare
their lives"
You ask what is impossible" replied
the Tiger, with a develish laugh. They
must both die by torture. Rather than
lose my vengeance l would suffer my
right arm to be cut off. We will start
directly" he added to the torch-b bear
ers, ''but first drive away yonder rab-
BILE We want no meddlers to dog our
footsteps"
With that two of the Boxers drew
their swords and ran toward the little
group of on-lookers, who wasted not a
second in taking to flight. A tremor
of fear, which he could not repress,
made Dan reluctant to glance at his
chum Instead he looked down the
length of the ditch, and as he detected
a faint noise in the distance his heart
seemed to leap into his throat.
us there still a chance for us?" he
wondered; and prayer rose involun-
tarily to his lips.
Twenty yards off. in the direction of
the palace, a bastion jutted from the
wall of the imperial city. And of a sud-
den, from behind this, appeared dark
moving mass. Armed men they were,
by the CLINT of steel, and they were
advancing at a quick trot along the
bottom of the ditch.
who are these?" Ii Sheng exclaim-
ed, suspiciously.
The Princess clapped her hands with
| JOY and smiled through her tears.
They are the dragon soldiers" she
cried. The Son of Heaven has not for
gotten"
Dan uttered a fervent thank God"
The Boxers in charge of him tried to
force him toward the bank, but he re-
sisted strenuously. Cheer up, Alec"
he shouted; II believe we are saved
and just i'm the nick of time"
Ii Sheng's features were convulsed
with rage. with fear and disappoint-
ment But it was too late to evade by
flight what promised to be an awk-
ward predicament and, taking his
stand IN. front Of his band of ruffians,
he waited. Loo-Lao was right Out of
the semi darkness and into the glow
of the torches doomed a dozen men
uniformed imperial soldiers armed with
Mauser rifles, and all wearing the
badge of the white dragon on their
sleeves. Foremost was a stalwart, long
mustached officer with a drawn sword,
and in the rear lurked Ping Tang, a
grin of satisfaction on his yellow
face
The officer who evidently knew Lii
Sheng, CURLY addressed him by name.
1T is we'll that l find you here" he
said: otherwise had I failed in my
errand your head assuredly would not
have long remained between your
shoulders"
what do you wish of me" the Tiger
demanded sullenly.
The person Of Prince Lan's daugh-
ter"
BY whose authority"
"By the command Of the Emperor
himself whom ] serve"
And the Empress Dowager? Does
she sanction this2'
THAT is no concern OF mice" the Of
fcer declared. You see" and he