The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-06

booking ofnce and bought my ticket.
No sign was there OF Jim on the station.
but this did not alarm me much. I. how
ever. looked closer for the appearance of
some one else. but nothing suspicious was
encountered until made my way 20 the
barrfcads. Then a man with heavy
fair mustache passed close TO me and
looked at me In a way that savored some
what OF scrutiny, but I passed on APP
parently obliyious of his presence, and
soon the barrier with its ticket punching
dragon. was between us.
For moment l had an inward fear
that the society was after US. Then tho
knowledge that the departure. as tho
arrival. OF all foreign trains is watched
by the plain clothes police somewhat re-
assured me. tried to hopo that my
gentleman was from Scotland Yard. IL
so. Wooching and his confederates would
have greater reason than TO be afraid
OF him.
I walked slowly up the platform. peer
ing into every carriage as / went along,
but discovered no trace OF my uncle.
However. on my return, snugly ensconced
In the far corner OF a first-class smoker
reading a paper, cap pulled well down
over his eyes. was my estimable relative
A warning glance from him was all I
received. though there was no one else
In the carriage. understood and sat
myself in the corner farthest from him.
the approach TO the train.
AS the time Of departure drew very
near hoped fcrvently that no one else
would attempt TO enter our carriage, but
almost at the last minute an old gentle
man with a superabundance Of beard and
hair came to the door and peered in. As.
however, my esteemed relative erseted
him with cloud of smoke he stopped
back quickly. muttered something about
smoking carriage" and passed farther
up the platform. Almost Immediately
after we slid out OF the station
Well. We duly arrived In Paris without
mishap, from whence my uncle wrote 10
his lawyer and also to his bankers. the
latter of whom In course OF time freely
supplied us with the requisite funds. from
which we purchased an outfit and then
set of toward Italy, for we had decided,
now that we wero launched upon this ex-
pedition, 10 go right through with IL and
trust Providence 10 bring Kung to book.
How IL was going TO happen heaven alone
could tell. Sometimes felt that we were
like blind leaders OF the blind and that
we should stumble grossly, perhaps fa-
tally. But something had TO be done,
and after ell the thought of the uncer-
tainty Of the fate which awaited us out
in China was not 30 intolerable as that
certainty which awaited US at home.
We decided to enter China by the
that end In view hastened on to Naples.
intending 20 Join the ship there. or the
wisdom of this course have no apology
TO offer since we undertook It. but truth
10 tell I don't think either OF US was In
a dreadful hurry 10 encounter the re-
doubtable Kung. And then We had an
idea that he would hardly look for us by
the longest route. even II wooching in
formed him Of our flight, and II was still
more probable that he would credit us
with too much common sense and too
wholesome a fear OF the society TO be
guilty OF such an apparent piece OF mad
ness. AT least. so we argued from our
hopes. There was absolutely no other
foundation 10 go upon. i frankly admit
that the thought OF the enterprise did
not stir me with any great enthusiasm. /
had not a 1.-THE OF my uncle's deep-rooted
hatred. However. IL was TO come later,
but from different cause.
From an English newspaper purchased
In Paris we learned the date OF the de-
parture from London OF the steamer
Omeo and accordingly so arranged mat
ters that we arrived in Naples the day
before her arrival at that port. We had
now assumed fictitious names and trav-
eled as friends. / was Mr.. Frederick
Gray. and my uncle was Mr.. George Car
ter we thinking II better to take ordinary
common names than any which were
high sounding or unfamiliar Moreover,
my father had accustomed me somewhat
10 this mode OF procedure, so that
dashed off my signature In the hotel
register without the slightest compunc-
ton.
An hour or so before noon OF the fol-
lowing morning the ship duly arrived.
and early in the afternoon we went of
10 her. At that time most OF the passen-
gers were ashore sightseeing, a few
children and several old ladies being the
only people about the decks. We accord
ingly sought out our cabin, a small one
which. by paying a trihe more than the
ordinary fare, we secured to ourselves
Here ensconced we unpacked and gener-
ally made things shipshape Then we
went UP on deck TO smoke
Watching the people arrive. many of
whom were loaded with worthless pur-
chases which were destined TO adorn the
walls OF some far off antipodean home AS
a memento OF "our visit to Naples" sud
denly IT became IL anything more inter-
esting. for from one OF the boats n giri
mounted the gangway. and her beauty.
which her dark costume accentuated.
seemed OF that pensive melancholy type
which In the opinion of some men adds
an ineffable charm TO woman.
She, too. was laden with many pur-
chaxes. and / saw that they impeded
her progress somewhat. but she never