Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-01-30

She shook her head sadly.
IT do not think there is" she said,
"but it is some relief to find a friend.
am an English girl. Ny name is
Grace Arnold. My father is Johr
Arnold, a merchant of Hong Kong.
My schooldays were spent in England
my mother died there. After hel
leath, not more than half year ago,
L came to Hong Kong to my father.
There I met many of the most impor.
tant residents, native and European.
Among those that I saw occasionally
was Cha Fong. I hated him and
feared him. He has very bad name.
He is regarded as the most cruel and
heartless of all the wealthy young
men Of China, none of whom are free
from crime. I had been in the habit
of going horseback riding, accompan.
led by two Chinese servants. Yester.
day, while riding in the suburbs, ]
was seized, bound and thrown into a
carriage. was taken to the coast
and put aboard that yacht. I was
shut up in stateroom alone, and re.
NAMED alone there all night. In the
morning we set sail for this place,
When I was bound again and taken on
deck, what was my surprise to learn
that my captor was Cha Fong. ]
knew then the fate that was in store
for me. I tried to wrench myself
away from the men who carried me
and throw myself into the sea. The
fact that am safe and unframed this
minute is due to Cha Fong's discov.
cry that someone had been here. He
was much enraged, and after short
search, he sailed away to meet some
one-I judged from his talk-some'
one who shared with him the secrets
Of the island, and whom he suspects
IF coming here without his permits
sion, and leaving the island open.
He speaks English very we'll. I think
recognize the place as the Island or
;he Temple of Su Foo. 1t is spoken
If in hushed whispers by the Euro
pean residents of Hong Kong, but no
native ever admits that he knows any
thing about it. There is an order
called Su Foo, the god of which is an
IDOL. This idol must receive, at
stated intervals, a sacrifice in the
shape Of a young woman, who is put
10 death in its arms, after becoming
The bride of the priest of the order"
"Then this Cha Fong is, no doubt,
priest of Su Foo. and you are an
Intended sacrifice for that huge idol
in the temple?"
CT fear So" she replied, sobbing
again. 81 would rather you would
kill me now, before Cha Fong re-
turns"
"No,"I said; that does not seem to
be necessary. OF course, there is no
positive proof that Cha Fong is the
murderous villain we think he is, ex-
cept the fact that lie abducted you"
"But that is a plain enough fact"
she said.
every true. Grant, then, that the
worst is true. 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 OF
the one and the exactions of the other
we have a combination that
is decidedly against u.s."
Miss Arnold turned very white and
leaned against the back of her chair
for support.
'Then," I continued, hastily, Gas
everything seems to point to murder.
ous purposes on the part Of those who
have us in their power, our predica.
nent provides ample warrant for any
act on our part toward the salvation OF
ourselves. What I am getting at, Miss
is this: You want me to kill
7ou to prevent your falling again into
he hands of Cha Fong. My own way
20 prevent that would be to kill Cha
Fong."
Ny lovely fellow-prisoner gasped at
he audacious suggestion.
"But he is armed-he has armed
men with him. What can we dove
wo unfortunates?" She was very
,ale.
81 wish there was some liquor OF
ONE kind here" I said. II am afraid
'ou will faint"
She smiled in rather deprecatory
vay.
''I am not going to faint" she re.
lied; ''but if you want liquor, saw
)ha Fong drinking some that lie got
! there" She pointed to the alcove
1here stood the bed.
SIN there" exclaimed. "Why, I
searched that place, but
Guild find nothing in the way of IL
uor."
Nevertheless, when Cha Fong and
is two companions were looking for
on, or for whomsoever the intruder
ere might be, I saw them with bot.
es and glasses. That was before the
,rds that bound me were cut, so / r
ould not get good look ct them" {
CHOW that is very strange" 7 said; {
yet it is quite possible that there is |
part of this Internal place that I have
OF seen. Twill look again, and, per- r
apps, we may find something more to :
lr advantage. Even good club {
Guild be of service. could creep up
ehind Cha Fong and knock him down.
suppose 1 might cut one in the gar {
en- with my pocket-knife-a piece of
alm-tree would answer. But I'll look 1,
r that liquor first"
I went behind the bronze screen
i'd searched high and low for somo