Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-01-17
= CHAPTER, XVIII.
woOCHlNG.

been removed to q separate cell. and L
= knew nor how our captors were treat
ing him. The monotcny of my exist
Sence was broken only9by the daily visit
OF my TALLER, who brought me food
AID water with Imfailing regularity,
but who never uttered q word In
deed, even If l could have spoken Chi
nese, 1 should have beer just as Unhap
PLY circumstanced. for the man who
waited upon me, unfortunate wRetch,
was tongueless.
1t being quite impossible for me, sit
uated as was, to tell might from day,
! I reckoned. having nos other way of
cfeckoning, that my Jaiter paid me a
morning visit, and In this way 1 kept
count OF the time for some three or
-four weeks. Then my figures got mud
died, and Inc the end abandoned my
rendeavors. With the spirit low, the
physical fraUe exhausted and hope
gone, what was there for me but 10
sink into nothingness and, pass awaya
And feeling thus 1 gradually fell into
such comatOse state that even KunG
and his intentions no longer plagued
me. II mattered nothing what came.
Only If he di6t not move soon l knew
that he would come too late.
Then, after long waiting another
scene was enacted in the drama.
One day, long, long after the punish
ment of All Yon, the lights flashed
,once more in my cell, men ran to and
fro, land to my joy and amazement
Jim WAS presently led in. He was still
upright and carried his head as a man
who is ready to face any fate, but he
was very thin and haggSrd,s and in
spite 'of his bcasing there was the
WEAKNESS Of death in his face.
He stood stock still as he saw me
and then took a step forward, peering
closely.
tits Dayie?" he gssped.
Eyes"
Thank sGodr'
He Said no more. .And really ;there
was nothing more TO be said. Know
ang him as I did and the occasional
cynic frame of his mind, was sure
the thought would obtrude itself, Was
there Sc much 10 thaaS God for2 The
condemned criminal, as ne stands upon
the fatal trapdoor, as he,feels the moose
nesting round his throat, might have
as much cause to thank God that he Is
not already dead. Thereals not always
hope while there is life.
He was triceG up as before, while my
chain was shortened, thus compelling
me to stand upright, and for some min
utes ] was filled with conjecture as to
what would happen next. Kung's
chair was vacant, but ready to receive
him, and presently he appeared in COM
psny with KoonSsi and another. He
greeted me with a smile, which have
dim recollection of returning with a
stolid stare signif6ng nothing. Koon-
81 grinneS as usual. The other China
man, who wore a rich silk robe kept
an impassige face.
From Ksng and tie carpenter my
glance went to this individual and
there rested For there was something
horribly familiar about his face, and
cudgeled my brains as { had not done
for weeks. But whether my sight had
grown dim or my intelligence duh
know not; this 1 know, a mist seemed
to rise between me and this man
through which vainly strove to see.
Behold our visitors" said Kung
~As l have said, / know not their
names, but perhaps my brother has
met them before?"
The stranger came close to me and
peered into my face. and drew back
with a shudder. 1t was the yellow
man with the strange eyes, Wooching.
''You see," said he, turning to Kung
and speaking in English, "he recog
Mics me. Well met, Mr.. Kingston"
his feet.
AYE, Mr.. Davie Kingston, son of
Captain Kingston, who sailed away
with the writing of Kung. This other
is his uncle, Mr.. DaVie. This is an I'M
expected pleasure, gentlemen. Be-
lieve me, after the adroit manner in
which you outwitted me in London
had no hopes of meeting you on the Is
land of Ching-hi At a later period, if
you have time, should like you 10 tell
me how you did it, for, believe me,
your getting away was a severe blow
to our prestige. We believed that we
need only play with you until we wish
ed to strike. In your England one has
to be extremely circumspect Here it
is different. 1t was good of you to
come Tor Ii relieves me of great anX-
iety, as | shall now be able to devote
myself to the pursuit of peace. Gen
temen, give you welcome to China
could only look at him with burn
ing, wondering eyes, my brain with a
confused motion hurriedly retracing
the past, but Jim spoke, and despite
the treatment TO which he had been
subjected his voice was clear and firm.
why do you talk?' he said. 1--WE
recognize that the game is up. We
played the fool and must pay for our
folly. We were not afraid to come
hither. We are not afraid to go hence. -
'Bravely spoken" answered Woo
ching. 1T is inexpressibly pleasing to
know that our guests are men of such
undaunted courage. would had met
you earlier"
ut is not my fault" said Jim. 81