Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-12-06


the arrival, OF all foreign trains
Watched by the plain clothes polio
somewhat reassured me- | tried
hope that my gentleman was fro.
Scotland Yard. IL SO, Wocch.ng c.
his eonfederates would have create
reason than to be afraid of him.
1 walked slowly up the platform
peering into every carriage as l wcn,
along, but discovered no trace of N:
uncle. However. on my return. snuSl-
ensconced in the far corner of a first
class smoker reading a paper, a cap
pulled well down over his eyes, Wa,
my estimable relative. a warmth
glance from him was all 1 received.
though there was no one else in the
carriage / understood and sat myself
In the corner farthest from him. a 10
siion which commanded a view of The
approach TO the train
AS the time Of departure drew very
near hoped fervently that no one else
would attempt to enter our carriage.
but almost at the last minute an old
gentleman with a superabundance of
beard and hair came to the door aud
peered In. AS, however, my esteemed
relative greeted him with a cloud Of
smoke he stepped back quickly. NUT
tered something about smoking car.
rage" and passed farther up the plat.
form. Almost Immediately after we
slid out OF the station
Well we duly arrived in Paris with
out mishap, from whence my uncle
wrote to 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 pur.
chased an outfit and then set of to.
ward Italy, for we had decided. now
That we we've launched upon this ex-
petition, 10 go right through with il
and trust Providence 60 bring Kung 10
book. How It 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 fatally But some
thing had to be done, and after all the
thought Of the uncertainty Of the fate
which awaited US out In China was not
90 intolerable as that certainty which
awaited Us as homo.
We decldfd TO enter China bv the
roundabout way Of Australia, and with
that end in view FASTENED on to Ma
pies. intending TO Join the ship there.
or the wisdom OF this course 1 have no
apology to offer, since we undertook II
but truth to tell dop't think either OF
rs was In dreadful hurry to encoun-
ter the redoubtable Kung. And then
we had an idea that he would hardly
look for us by the longest route. even
IL Wooching informed him Of our flight.
and 1t was still more probable that he
would credit US with too much com.
mon sense and too wholesome a fear of
the society to be guilty of such an APP
parent piece Of madness. At least, so
we argued from our hopes. There was
absolutely no other foundation 60 90
upon. l frankly admit that the thought
OF the enterprise did not stir me with
| any great enthusiasm. 1 had not q
1.-THE OF my uncle's deep rooted hatred.
However, Il was to come later, but
from a different cause.
From an English newspaper pur-
chased In Paris we learned the date OF
the departure from London of the
steamer Omeo and accordingly so ar.
ranged matters that we arrived In Ma
pies the day before her arrival at that
port. We had now assumed fictitious
names and travc,c6 os friends. I was
Mr.. Frederick Cray, and my uncle was
Mr.. George Carter, we thinking 4 bet
ter to take ordinary common names
than any which were high sounding or
unfamiliar. Moreover, my father had
accustomed me somewhat to this mode
OF procedure, so that l dashed of my
| signature IN the hotel register without
the slightest compunctlon.
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 ia. time most OF the pas
sengers Were ashore sightseeing, q few
children anu several old ladies being
the only people about the decks. We
accordingly sought out our cabin, a
small one. which; by paying a uife
more than the ordinary fare, we Sc
cured To ourselves. Here ensconced we
unpacked and generally made things
shipshape. Then we went I'D on deck
| to smoke
Watching the people arrive, many of
whom Were loaded with worthless
| purchases which were destined to
adorn the walls OF some far off antipo-
dean home as memento Of "our visit
to Naples" suddenly IT became If any
thing more interesting. for from one of
the boats girl mounted the gangway,
and her beauty, which her dark cos
tune accumulated, seemed OF that pen
| sive melancholy type which In the
opinion OF some men adds an ineffable
| charm to woman
She, too, was laden with many pur
ehases, and l saw that they impeded