Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-12-18

She shook her head sadly.
81 do not think there is" she said,
"but it is some relief to find a friend.
I am an English girl, My name is
| Grace Arnold. My father is Johr
Arnold, merchant OF Hong Kong
NV schooldays were spent in England
nv mother died there. After he1
leath, not more than half year ago
T came to Hong Kong to my father.
There I met many of the most impor'
tant residents, native and European.
Among those that ! saw occasionally
vas Cha Fong. hated him and
feared him. He has very bad name.
He is regarded as the most cruel and
Leartless OF all the wealthy young
men of China, none of whom are free
! from crime. | had been in the habit
of going misunderstanding, accompan.
I led by two Chinese servants. Yester'
day, while riding in the suburbs, ]
was seized, bound aud thrown into .
carriage. l was taken to the coast
and put aboard that yacht. l was
shut up in stateroom alone, and re
NAMED alone there all night. In the
morning we set sail for this place.
i Wben was bound again and taken or
deck, what was my surprise to learn
that my captor was Cha FoEg ]
! knew then the fate that was in store
for me. tried to wrench myself
away from the men who carried me
aud throw myself into the sea. The
| ract that am safe aud unharmed this
minute is due to Cha FonGs discov'
cry that someone had been here. lie
was much enragod, and after a short
search, he sailed away to meet some
one-L judged from his talk-some'
! one who shared with Linn the secrets
| ,f the island, and whom he suspects
,f coming here without his permis'
sion, and leaving the island open,
He speaks English very well ltLink
recognize the place as the Island OF
;he Temple of Su Foo. 1t is spoken
,f in hushed whispers by the Euro.
pean residents of Hong Kong, but no
! aatiye ever admits that he knows any
.hing about it. There is an order
called Su FOO, the god of which is an
/ idol. This idol must receive, ut
stated intervals, sacrifice in the
shape OF a young woman, who IS put
o death in its arms, after becoming
She bride OF the priest OF the order,
Then this Cha Fong is, no doubt,
priest OF Su Foo, and you are an
Intended sacrifice fox that huge idol
in the telnple?'
81 fear So" ahe replied, soDbin%
again. Il would rather you would
Kill me now, before Cha FonS re-
! turns"
"No, [ said; TINT does not seem 10
be necessary. OF course, there IS nc
positive proof that Cha Fong is the
nurderous villain we think he is, cX-
cept the fact that he abducted You.
But that is plain enough fact,
she said.
VERY true. Grant, then, that the
worst is tlue. Your plight and the
temple here seem to indicate the truth
Of the rumors about Cha Fong and the
Su Foo. Now, putting the crimes oI
the one aud the exactiong OF the Other
together, we have combination that
is decidedly against us"
Miss Arnold turned very white and
leaned against the back Of her chair
Tor support.
Then" / continued, hastily, "ag
everything seems TO point to murder
Gus purposes on the part OF those who
have us in their power, our predics
ment provides ample warrant for any
act on our part toward the salvation OF
ourselves. What | am getting at, Mis-:
Arnold, is this: You want sne to Kill
YOU to prevent your falling again lntc
the hands of Cha Fong. My own way
to prevent that would be to kill Cha
| Fong."
My lovely felIow-prisoner gaspcd al
the auIacious suggestion.
"But he is armed--he has armed
men with him. What can we dove
two unfortunates?" She was very
pale.
81 wish there was some liquor OF
some kind here" l said. II am afraid
you will faint.
She smiled III rather deprecatory
way.
81 am not going to faint" she re
piled: "but if you want liquor, ! saw
Cha Fong drinking some that he go
in there" She pointed to the alcoyt
where stood the bel.
"In there" I exclaimed. why,
thoroughly searched that place, BIT
could find nothing i'll the way of Ii
quor.
Nevertheless, when Cha Fong ant
his two companions We're looking 10
YOU, or for whomsoever the intrudc
here might be, saw them with bot
ties and glasses. That was before tn
cords that bound me were cut, SO
could not get a good look at them"
"Now that is very strange" J. said
"yet it is quite possible that there !
part of tins Internal place that ! hay
not seen. Twill look again, and, pc:
hans. we may find something more t
our advantage. Even n good clu
would be Of service. could creep u
behind Cha Fong and knock him down
I suppose L might cut one in the gar
den with my pocket-knife--a piece o
palm m-tree would answer. But I'll loo
!, for that liquor first. ;"
+ went behind tho bronze scree
: and searched high and low for som
, kind of receptacle that looked az
, 1t might hold liquor. I saw nothing
Twas about to give up tho search