Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-09
" Now let II work MSceief thou art afoot.
Take thou what course thou wilt l"-Shakespeare

took the gun and set II out Of sight
against tree, but within easy reach.
Where | sat | could see the entrance
in the ledge. whence they must
emerge, yet without danger of being
seen by them. hastily gave Anan in
structions, which, | believed, with his
wit and tact, would carry us safely
through this unlucky accident. | did
not fear Whaley; it was MacLean, /
believed, would give us turn,-it was
his plan and theft we had thwarted:
remembered with pleasure that VIVA
ley had opposed his dishonesty from
the start.
Anan at once gathered whatever
dirty linen there was and seated him.
self at the edge of the little brook, just
below; there he was soon running Il
miniature laundry, with two blocks of
lava and a half.bar of yellow soap. Be-
fore he went had retouched his dis
guise at my easel, by adding twenty
years to his face. The antithesis
made me smile. as he sat with hat
pulled well over his eyes, washing my
Undertaking with lazy, oriental indif.
ference, and singing a Chinese ditty,
internationally, in variable falsetto;
but the stake was high, and Anan
knew it. As for me, | felt no quavcr,
although | expected row: 1t -
strange how a circumstance will brace
a man to action, and prick his cour.
age into trim!
Before | knew It, MacLean had
emerged and was crossing the open to-
wards Anan, who did not see him, or,
II he did. gave no sign. MacLean
stopped ten metres away and stood a
spell looking at him. Suddenly saw
his eyes flash and an evil look come
into his face; he had made up his
mind, and walked rapidly to the brook
which he overleaped. Then Anan
looked up; but he Immediately contin.
ued work, breaking the silence abrupt.
ly, with a bar or two OF earsplitting
falsetto.
Get up. you id Chinaman!
yelled MacLean in a tall rage. Get
up! d you! and show me where
you've hid that stuff!-If you don't,
and ID quick, by Cd! I'll slit
your yellow throat and hang you on
that cocoanut tree by the queue, as a
warning to pipe.hitting thleves!"
MacLean was flOurishing a bright,
sharp dirk in dangerous proximity to
Anan, who slowly retreated upon me;
he was evidently well frightened, and
| knew 1t was time to interfere, before
MacLean's rage carried him away. In
an instant covered him with my gun
where | sat at my easel, and called
sternly:
stop that!-What the devil d'you
mean, my little fellow! by offering to
carve my Chinese servant before my
face? Turn this way, and up with both
hands This guns loaded for ducks
or fools!" concluded with sneer
He turned with a start, and, as he
looked into the barrels Of my Parker
he raised his hands, holding the dirk
In his right; his face remained as eX'
pressionless as a Greek mask-such a
master In roguery was he! The only
change | noticed was that his face
went from pale to red. then pale again.
After looking me over coolly, he said
in a voice calm enough, but not devoid
of a vicious lurch:
ITO HI with you both" Then he
looked at the knife in his hand, and
again at me.
"Ah Ping!" called to Anan, take
that knife and bring 1t to mel"
Anan looked at me quickly, and
saw his eyes flash; then he went slow
ly towards MacLean, but stopped q
foot short and said, in broken English
me fiaid! He too much damfool!-
You speak him dlop knife; me pick
him up!"
Drop that dirk" called over my
gun.
An ugly look came into MacLean's
eyes, as he turned his glance for mo
ment on Anan-then back to me.-he
looked me steadily in the eyes for thir
~ seconds, but hesitated no longer:
the knife rang sharply, as 1t struck
the hard lava, and MacLean took q
step forward, but | cried:
stop there!-This is a choke.bore
and would make an ugly corpse OF
your prettiness, were | too shoot you
at closer range"
Damn you!" he said in low tone
thrusting vicious glance at me.
Anan picked up the dirk, but, as he
raised his head, he cried: Look out
One man comet"
Come here, All Ping!" called tc
him; when he reached my side | con
tinued in whisper, without taking
my eyes from MacLean: go as quick
ly as possible to the house and tel
Male to send me the Mauser rifle
but tell her want 1t only for protec
tion, and that there's no danger-ol
you won't get it,"
In an instant he was gone, but be
fore he reached the grass house, VIVA
ley came suddenly upon the scene Just
behind MacLean. could see then