The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-11-30

Yale had given an A. B., Heidelbers
had made him a Phi. D., The World,
the flesh and the devil had done the
rest.
In the course of many wanderings
and as many diverse experiences he
had come to the province of Fan
Chau with legend of a deserted gold
mine of wonderful richness ringing in
yellow and apparently of great age in
the inside pocket of his khaki coat
But just outside Fu-Csang he epcount.
cred one of the many hands IF high
waymen that infest the region. Be-
ing averse to trouble in any form, his
two coolies had left him to face the
music alone; and while they fed howl
ing with terror he put up a single
handed but unavailing resistance,
which, while it lasted, was joy to his
wild, reckless soul.
When darkness had fallen and there
were only the great, silent stars to see,
the two coolies came creeping back.
They found him lying in the mud, his
clothing torn, his face a mass Of
blood, and one arm broken where he
had shielded his head from the blow
of cudgel. Near him lay two limp.
silent figures, their yellow features
livid and distorted.
The coolies held whispered consul.
tatiOn. Then they lifted him between
them and bore him down the slough,
which was called road, toward the
distant lights of Fu-Chang. But first
they rifled his clothes, and in an inner
pocket they came across map and a
gold coin that the highwaymen had
overlooked. The map, having no In
trinsic value, they replaced.
They LETT him at the mission in Fu-
Chang, and went their way, for the po
tentialities Of that golden coin were
strong upon them.
Another man would have died; but
Robert Barlow had grip on life that
was almost uncanny. After weeks Of
Inconsistencies, during which it
seemed that each hour must be his
last, he opened his eyes; slowly, pain
fully collected his wandering senses;
then fell to roundly cursing the high
waymen for misbegotten vandals, and
his coolies for equally misbegotten
towards. After which he sank back
on the cool pillows utterly exhausted.
and fell into deep, refreshing sleep.
The old missionary smiled knowing.
ly. "He will live," he said grimly, and
he went to the kitchen to get some
Strengthening broth for his patient.
When Barlow awoke 1t was early
evening. He could hear sandals clat-
tering by on the uneven pavements
of The street. The odor of some
strange, sweet flower fioated in
through the open window. He stirred
uneasily and sat up. He was quite
alone in the room.
II say, somebody" he called Justify
There was sound of light foot
falls, the soft rustic of skirts. In the
doorway was a CLEAN of white. He
looked up to see a young woman
standing there-such a woman as Bar
low had not beheld for many months I;
the kind of a woman he had we'll
nigh forgotten existed in this world
of Disappointment and trouble. He
felt his heart jump to his throat. The
color crept into his sunburned face.
He stared at her, scarce daring to
credit his senses.
"You have been very ILL.," she was
saying in low voice that set the
blood tingling in his veins. But you
are getting on famously now"
"Don't 60" he said again.
Sh- turned to pull bell. A servant
came tripping in noiselessly with a
steaming bowl.
Don't 60" he said again.
She sat down in bamboo chair by
he window. She was smiling as one
smiles at wilful child.
"Where am II" Barlow asked.
''This is the Fu-Chang Mission"
said she.
"And your he inquired.
81 am the daughter of Father Ray.
| mond, as they call him here"
How long have I been here?"
-Four weeks nearly" she said.
Two coolies bought you at night.
They said you had been beaten by
highwaymen On the Sheng-ti road. You
mustn't talk yet she went on as ae
was about to speak. "Shan't ] read
to you?"
Barlow nodded and closed his eyes.
while she read him news from a Lon.