The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-16

could scarcely distinguish the land. IL
lay SO low. but at length II rose swiftly
| like dark exhalation from the bosom
OF the river. and felt a strange thrill
| play about my heart. This was the ISL
and OF Ching hi; this. for the nonce. was
the home OF Kung; here IL was / was TO
grapple face TO face with Destiny.
Al O word from Konn-Si tho sail was
lowered. and slowly We began to drift
down upon the land. The carpenter came
and leaned over the tilt and held hur-
ried conversation with the steersman. the
| result OF which was that we changed our
course somewhat making for what ap-
peared to be break In the island. This.
| thanks 10 the current which about here.
where the waters parted, ran with an in
creased velocity We soon approached
sufficiently for one to descry q little inlet
or bay. and into this we steered. The
| boatmen, IL not Koon-Si. appeared to
know the lay Of the land. and with that
| accuracy which men who live on ships
seem TO command we made our way
| without mishap. Once In still water, the
oars were again brought into requisition,
and presently ! felt the boats keel crate
| on the bottom. Then the carpenter
slipped overheard and held the boat while
Jim and leaped ashore. a feat we ac-
| complished for the mere wetting of our
boots. Koon-si Immediately Joined US.
AT last. exoellencies." he said. I'VE
are on the island OF Ching-hi He whom
We have come TO find Is here. The gods
have greatly favored our endeavors."
Indeed, IL seems So" replied Jim.
You are wonderful man. Koon-Si.
Thanks to you. we have accomplished
, what at one time seemed to be an impos-
sible journey. think we have not come
so far for nothing"
Believe me- excellenoy, you have not
come for nothing. nor have l. I have
waited long for this have suffered
much. endured much degradation. but the
gods are wise. and In their hands is ven
geance."
Good. And how7"
Now. excellsncy. with the aid of these
worthy boatmen, who know of the habi-
tation OF Kung and his manner OF living.
we Will make our way to his abode. What
shall follow we know not. but this we do
know; II is already written In the book
OF Destiny"
with that the boat was drawn up out
OF the current. and. looking cautiously
about. though could distinguish little in
the gloom. loosened my revolver. Then
began a whispered consultation between
the carpenter and his associates. during
which All Yon sidled UP to me and said
In low voice. "Makee pistol all H."
IAN H. Yon," / replied. "You know all
about this expedition"
'Sabbee plenty. Be welly calefuI
Plenty dangelous."
Here Koon- Isl. who seemed to have
eyes and ears for everything. interposed
and asked what Yon had been saying.
He merely mentioned the fact that II
was time TO keep our eyes open and
our pistols handy"
Indeed said the carpenter. "Ah Yon
is worthy servant. He shall be re-
warded"
That he shall be-" said Jim heartily.
"Ah Yon IL an excellent fellow"
But the subject OF these fattering re- |
marks had skunk away. his natural mod |
esty being no proof against such praise.
Learning from the carpenter that we |
had still some distance to walk before |
reaching Kung's house. we Immediately
set out with All Yon and one of the
boatmen at our head. Jim followed next
Then came Koon-Si, myself and the other
boatmen.
In this manner pursued our way in
silence. and II the journey down the river
had seemed TO charged with the horror
OF awful uncertainty this creeping over
unknown ground through the dark night
toward fate which no man might for
see contained for me all the elements of |
a hideous nightmare. / confess that ufy
nerves were strung TO an acute pitch,
that my imagination pictured many
strange and incongruous things. The
knowledge that one was entirely in the
hands OF this carpenter and his asso-
ciates was not conducive TO the tran !
guilty OF ones mind. To me IL seemed
as though L wanted to sec 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 a marvellous aux
liary and one without whom, IL would
have been quite impossible TO proceed up
on 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 danger |
ously abortive. Faithfully had he fulfilled
he hopes which we had centered in him, |
md felt that IL was ungra teful In the
extreme to withhold from him the praise
which was so Justly his due.
Presently the leaders OF our little party |
topped. There was a hurried whispering
mong Koon-Si and the boatmen, and
hen we went on again, but this time
more slowly and carefully. Instinctively
crept closer to Jim and felt that my |
evolver was ready, for danger seemed |
o Turk In the very air. and my nerves
we're strung to the highest pitch OF In
ensity. However. nothing came as yet.
nd still stealing onward we presently
ound ourselves facing a structure which,
cen through the gloom, resembled a
duat pillar or chimney. but which I'm
eality was the dilapidated pagoda we !
ad seen from the river
Toward this our guides led us. and as
ye emerged within It's shadow and while
ny eyes were fixed with ell intensity
pon II received violent blow on the
aok of the head, which drove me. face
oremost, TO the ground
OF what followed have but a vague
I saw, as II I'm fancy, the quick rush =
4 figures here and there; / heard con- :
used murmurs as of many voices: I felt
mans knees on my back ad strong
ngers about my throat. and then I re-
no more.
(To be Continued Tomorrow)