The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1905-09-15
CHAPTER XXVIII.-tContinued.)

A little before IL l arrived at my des
tination. My vehicle had stopped before
q house Of modest appearance. 1t was
on the first floor that the young Rou
manian lived, and where, having learned
her trade as a milliner In Paris, she was
engaged in it at Pekin. I read the name
of Nine. Zinca Klork on q door, knock
The door is opened.
am in the presence of a young lady
who is perfectly charming, as Kinko
said. She is blonde, of from twenty-five
to twenty-three years old, with the black
eyes of the ROumanian type, an agree
able figure, a pleasant, smiling face. In
fact, has she not been informed that the
Grand Transasiatic train has been in the
station ever since last evening, in spite
of the circumstances Of the journey, and
Is she not awaiting her betrothed from
one moment to another?
Mademoiselle Klork is evidently much
surprised at seeing a stranger in her
doorway. AS she has lived several years
in France, she does not hesitate to rec
ognize me as Frenchman, and asks to
what she is indebted for my visit.
"Mademoiselle Zinca," 1 say, II arriv,
ed yesterday by the Grand Transasiatic.' -
The girl turned pale; her eyes became
troubled. 1t was evident that she feared
something. Had Kinko been found in
his box? Had the fraud been discov-
cred? Was he arrested? Was he in
prison?
"Mademoiselle Zinca-certain circum-
stances have brought to my knowledge
the journey of young Koumanian-''
"kinko-my poor Kinko-they have
found himY' she asks in trembling
voice.
"No-no," say I, hesitating. "No one
knows, except myself. 1 often visited
him in the luggage van at night. We
were companions, friends. l took him
a few provisions"
"Oh, thank you,. sirv' says the lady,
taking me by the hand. with a French
man kinko was sure of not being be-
trayed, and even Of receiving help.
Thank you! Thank you! He loves me
so much, and l love him. We met each
other In Paris. He was so kind to ME.
Then when he went back to Tifis 1 ask
ed him to come to me in that box. Is
the poor fellow ILL.,"
mo, Mademoiselle Zinca-no."
He asked you to come and tell me
he had arrived?'
"Yes-but-you understand is
very tired after so long Journey"
us he i'll p
"Yes-rather-rather ILL.,"
The truth, monsieur, the truth! Hide
nothing from me-Kinko-'
"Yes-1 have sad news-to give you"
She is fainting. Her lips tremble. She
can hardly speak.
I'VE have had accidents on the road
The train was nearly annihilated-a
frightful catastrophe"
He is dead! Kinko is deadv'
The unhappy Zinca falls on to a chair
and to employ the imaginative phrase
ology Of the Chinese, her tears roll down
like rain on an autumn night. Never
have l seen anything 80 lamentable. But
it will not do to leave her in this state
poor girl! She is becoming unconscious
/ do not know where l am. l take her
hands. repeat:
"Mademoiselle Zinca! Mademoiselle
Zincav
Suddenly there Is great noise in front
of the house. Shouts are heard. There
Is a tremendous to do, and amid the
tumult 1 hear a voice.
l cannot be mistaken. That is Kinko's
voice! l recognize it. Am 1 in my right
senses? Zinca jumps up, springs to the
window, opens it, and we look out.
There is cart at the door. There is
the case, with all it's inscriptions: This
side up, this side down, fragile, glass,
beware of damp, etc. 1t is there-half
smashed. There has been q collision. The
cart has been run into by carriage,
as the case was being got down. The
case has slipped on to the ground. 1t
has been knocked in. And Kinko has
jumped out like a jack-in-the box-but
alive very much alive!
| can hardly believe my eyes! What,
my young Roumanian did not perish in
the explosion? No! AS shall soon hear
from his own mouth, he was thrown on
to the line when the boiler went up, re-
manned there inert for a time, found him
self uninjured- raculously-kept away
till he could slip into the van unperceiv-
ed. l had just left the van after looking
for him in vain, and supposing that he
had been the first victim of the catastro-
phe.
Then-oh. the irony of fate!-after ac-
complishing a journey of six thousand
kilometers on the Grand Transasatic.
shut up in box among the baggage
after escaping SO many dangers, attacked
by bandits, explosion of engine, he was
here, by the mere coliding of cart
and carriage in Pekin street, depriv-
ell of all the good of his journey.
The carter gave a yell at the sight of
a human being who had just appeared
In an instant crowd had gathered, the
fraud was discovered, the police had run
up. And what could this young Rou-
manian do, who did not know a word of
Chinese, but explain matters in the sign
language? Zinca and l ran down to
him.
MY Zinca-my dear Zincaw he ex-
claims, pressing the girl to his heart.
MY Kinko-my dear Kinko." she re-
plies, while her tears mingle with his.
Monsieur Bombarnac" says the poor
fellow, appealing to my intervention.
'kinko,' l reply, take it coolly, and
depend on me. You are alive, and we
thought you were dead"
But l am not much better off" he
murmurs.
Mistake. Anything is better than be-
ing dead-even when one is menaced by
prison, be 1t a Chinese prison. Kinko is