The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15

and fat pork. amid the fumes OF OdOr
ous smoke. was Bittee- No longer the
/ "Chinaman's baby she had now grown
TO be the "Chinaman's girl" Eighteen
years in the family OF a Monaghan.
with no other associates than those OF
the Chinese about her. had made
I China woman Of her That she did not
look like one had often been remarked
By the loggers who passed the shanty;
but that she was anything else had
never been suggested. She spoke the
language Of her adopted parents.
d-essed 10 the Dajama jeans and Happy
sandals OF the coolie woman. and lived
a lie almost Of solitude. Loong's wife
had grown old aud wrinkled. and worked
no more. The other children-there had
been but two boys born since Bittee's
coming ere at work elsewhere in the
I redwoods.
But one day there came into the log
ging came a new chopper. He had the
Saxon's powerful build and fair hair
His name was Ford He was set to
work in a canyon behind the eating
house, and in coming and going he had
to pass the door OF the Chinamans
shanty- The first day he saw the China
mans girl washing clothes In the creek.
and as he passed her on the rocks he
smiled and said 10 sun"
Bittee saw that he was a new man
and answered. Good morning. sir"
IN the nineteen years OF her strange
life Bittee had seldom exchanged
dozen words at one time with person
OF her own race. still she had heard
English spoken. such as it was. and
LOOng had been particular 70 have her
learn English words out OF book ne
bought for her Thus II was that, TO
some extent. she both spoke and under
stood her native tongue Ford, in his
desire 10 study her face. stopped 10 char
with her every day. and after weeks
time Bittee began 20 look for him and
10 await his coming with an expectancy
new 20 her
Possibly 10 was a month before the
chopper made vi his mind regarding
Bittee. He would have shot the man,
whoever IL might be. that dared to ac-
cuse him OF sooling with the China
mans girl. but n one had tainted him
with being in love with a China woman
he would have calmly denied the charge
on the ground that Bittee was not a
China woman.
The intimacy Of the two grew day by
day. Among the men OF the camp It
was looked upon with growing dispiens-
ure. and Ford was tabOOed from their
society-
II was net long before a party OF
choppers formally questioned Ford about
his frequent visits to Loong's shanty. He
informed them briefly that il was none
0
We're. but Re told one Of the choppers
more friendly TO him than the others.
that he intended 20 marry the girl The
announcement was as frebrand in the
camp. Feeling against Ford as well as
against Loong and his girl. ran high. and
desperate things were freely threatened
One morning Ford found a card pinned
20 the door of his cabin informing him
that his relations with the ChinawOman.
j however honorable. must cease-the
more honorable. the more need o. their
ceasing.
Ford was no coward That night he
went as usual To the shantT across the
! creek He found second card o. advice
couched in stronger terms on his door
the following morning Al the eating
/ house the men had long since refused
TO speak TO him. He laughed to himself
e At their averted faces; and when night
came he passed over the creek az un-
mindful OF threats as though they had
been the idle vaporings of boys rather
than the ultlmatum OF rough and des-
perate men-hating without reason: act
ing without Judgment
, The finding Of a third card on his door
, placed there by the blade 0f knife
, bearing crude drawing Of a skull and
. cross bones, made Ford defiant. and IL
said with an oath. DO they think 70
brighten me with their threats
But II such was the intent OF the mch
: their warnings failed. Loving Bittee o.
. he honestly did the threats impcIIed hin
to make assertion Of his belief in tho
y purity OF her blood. He could give no
stronger proof Of this than b. margins
, the girl: and this step he determined
: to take At once.
y As he went toward the creek thar
, night. two men followed him. He felt
. their presence rather than saw it. Bit
. tee was waiting for him at the crossing
a He told her OF hia intent and won her
10 consent TO the part she must Dla- in
>, carrying out his hasty determination
=. She trusted him she did the light
- Such had been Ford's influence over her
I and OF such value TO her his companion
s ship. that in the few short months oil
: their acqua intarce she had become Al
I most a new woman. Naturally bright
10 she had changed with such noticeable
:, rapidity that even had Ford doubted the
=, purity OF her birth, her mental growts
4 must have assured him OF her origin
D., He had tried once 10 get intorma Tor
= concerning the girl from LOOng; but tie
f.. Chinaman had given him such fendisi
, look that he never mentioned the sub
jet to him again
e It was with a feeling of wonder and
=. surprise that Ford opened the door d
Z mis- cabin the next morning TO find there
y on no suggestion or remembrance from