The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-01-30
never again hn | he Same.

After hearing her sad story he men
tally registered Il vow that she should
never we'd the highbindcr.
Thcy must meet again. but how and
wher": 1t was the deaf and dumb All
Suey who spoke at this moment and
suggested the theater The theater--
ah. yes. ~ this was only the first
| night nf the New Year she would he
allowed her liberty for week \ week
nf bliss was before her if only she
could play we'll her cards. And he did
not remember until he had left her
that he did not think to tell her he was
| married.
She and her maid leisurely took their
departure from the place. with guilty
look at the joss as they passed. and
toddlcd along through the narrow,
| blossom lined streets to their home
She slept that night with her lips Oh
the dainty sandalwood fan he had
touched. and no prcmonition OF evil
disturbed her slumherS
Next day she was happy in the
thought that she was 10 see him again
Was ever day so long: The maid
dressed her hair more gorSrOuSly than
she had ever done before and covered
it with jeweled ornaments. The pretty
lips were dyed Il vivid red, the checks
We're tinted and the eyes bIarkencd.
The long finger nails were manicured
most carefully. and when at last she
was ready II more beautiful picture
cannot he ina Sncd
With loudly beating hearts the two
girls wended their way To the large
theator. Pushing through the mass OF
Celestials who were literally packed
into every available niche of the place,
they assembled with hundreds of other
women and children to the balcony
next the roof
They could look down on the stage.
The tomt0mS We're changing nuiSily
and the Shrill notes of the SIringPd i'll
strumentS rose high in unison with the
sharp falsPttns of the men who were
imperSonatinS women The air WIS
heavy with the ever present odor of
opium, but All Leen hardly knew what
was going on about her. She had told
him that she would remain only lon.
enough to he seen at the thcater. So
soon the two girls slipped nrIt unno-
ticcd in the crowd and met All Gong
in little dressing room back of the
stage. Passing on. down some narrow
steps. they found themselves winding
through tnrtuOus underground corri-
doris.
All Leen was completely myStifiod.
but she had no fear of anything except
separation from this wonderful hcing.
At last they slipped into one OF the
small compartments on either side Of
the opium scented paSsageway, ard
there, chareroncd by the little maid.
they enjoyed several hours of unintcr-
rupted bliss
Ere they had parted they had agreed
to meet again the next night at the
josshousr. When the young All Gong
stepped out into the pure air. he felt
something pushed forcihly into his
hand. y horrible fear stole upon him.
He glanced quickly in every direction.
but could see no one who looked a> il |
he had done this thing The CpleStalS |
tOddlcl along just the same. the almond !
blossoms still retained their fragrance !
and yct--ths man had just received his |
death warrant. On the little slip nf !
rcd paper in his trembling hand he |
read: You shall die like Il dog; the |
reason. All Leen."
Knowing well that the highbirdCrS |
always kept their vows, all hope died |
within him.
"ro die" he Sroancd. "when she
loves me. must see her! Perhaps we |
can escape if we hasten
All I.ccn had gone home another
way. He could not warn her
Il will see her tomorrow night. Per-
hapS we can escape,
Meanwhile All Lren was happy.
Again fell the night. All Iccu was
first at the rendezvous. and the dutifHl
All Suey was eagerly watching
through the chinks OF the carved
wood.
He comes. He comes. He is fairrr
than the sun! See! He kneelS before
the joss. lie burns the incense. He
Just then sudden darkness fcl! on
the place. They could not understand.
They were afraid.
1t lasted only moment. The tapcrs
were relighted, and before the trcln-
bling All Leen could realize what had
happened she felt her tender little
body seized in the rough grasp of some
one and felt his hot breath on her
pretty face. With Il scream OF horror
she looked into the yellow face. aud
then all hope died within her, for it
was Gum Ching, the highlander. Fore
ing her upon her tiny feet while All
Suey WAS made prisoner by one OF his
he Thought her out into
the temple. saying:
"You mine now. never let ynu 20.
You 20 no more ia meet All Gong.
And then she brhrld the brave and
handsome one. the one whose warm
lips had so lately chung To hers. lying
dead in the shadow of the joss.