The San Francisco call., 1906-08-05

said the doubling Hagar. However
the jade idol is exposed in the sshop
window, and we will see what will
come of f."
Greatly to her surprise, trouble came
of her folly, and that speedily. At
noon the next day she was eating her
simple dinner in the back parlor, with
the door leading into the shop open,
so that she might hear the approach
Of possible customers. Most of the
inhabitants of the crescent were with
in doors, at the midday meal, and the
little square was quite deserted. Sud-
denly Hagar heard the crash of glass,
and sat paralyzed for the moment in
sheer establishment at the unusual
sound When she recovered her wits
and the use OF her limbs she ran rap
idly into the shop and beheld the warn
ing OF Nat Prime verified to the letter.
The middle pane of the shop window
was broken and the Jade idol was gone
With an ejaculation OF surprise, Hagar
sprang to the door and saw a blue
bloused figure racing down the narrow
street which led to the thoroughfare.
The Ghinaman! The Chinamani"
cried Hagar, giving chase. Thief
Stop Stop thief Yu-ying! Yu-yingP'
Followed by a crowd which had COL
lected like magic in answer to her
cries, Hagar sped as lightly as a deer
down the alley. But She was no match
for the nimble Chinaman. When she
reached the crowded street Varying
as IL doubtless was-couid not be seen.
he~appealed to the bystanders,s to
sto1id policeman, to the cab driv =
but all to no purpose. Certainly they
had seen the Chinese thief flying out
Of the CARLY Crescent cul de sac, but
no one had taken particular notice
of him. Hagar ran this way, that
way; looked. questioned, consIdered;
all in vain. Yu-ying had vanished as
though the earth had swallowed him
up. and with him the Jade idol of Nat
Prime. Blaming herself for her credu-
lity and headstrong folly in putting
Kwan-tai into the window, Hagar re-
turned crestfallen TO the pawnshop.
Having placed a temporary barricade
before the broken pane and having
sent for the glazier to mend it, Hagar
sat down to consider what was to be
done relative to the theft
Assuredly Prime would return at the
4 end OF the week to redeem the Jade
god. and Hagar did not know what
excuse TO make for it's loss. Without
doubt Yu-ying had followed Nat to the
shop on the previous day, and had as
certained the fact OF the pawning. He
| had watched his opportunity to steal
1 the god, as he evidently preferred this
ilegitimate way to buying 1t in a
proper manner. Probably Yu-ying, with
/ the astuteness Of the Chinese character
guessed that Hagar could not. and
would not sell it; hence his raid on
the shop window. However, the idol
was gone, and Hagar judged it wise to
advise Nat Prime Immediately of the
/ loss. 1t might be that he knew the
whereabouts of-Yu-ying, and could tax
him with the theft. Thinking this the
best course TO adopt under the circum-
stances, Hagar wrote to Prime at the
address he had given her Then she
prepared to receive him and to make
the best of a bad business. In her let
ter she made no mention OF the theft
II was two days before Prime ap-
peared in person to answer her note;
and he explained his negligence by
stating that he had been down to
Brighton to interview a friend. Then
! he asked to see the jade idol, to assure
himself that It was safe. When Hagar
told him of its loss and Of Yu-ying's IS
exploit his rage was frightfuL He
swore volubly for ten minutes; and
such was his command of bad lam
guage that he scarcely repeated him.
self in delivering a string Of oaths.
In his subsequent conversation Il may
be as well to omit these flowers OF
speech.
'T knew that blamed Chinaman had
followed meT he said. when somewhat
look IL the coast wor clear. He must
ha' sneaked round the corner. L guess
Cuss all Celestials, say IT,
Il am sorry the idol is gone, Mr.,
| Prime"
Now. miss. don't zee say another
word. How was young gal like you
to best a chfnky? Why Yu-ying d
have the teeth out of yer cad afore
ye cud say knifew
still, 1 am to blame" persisted Ha-
gar. 81 should not have put the jade
god in the window"
"winder or no yinder, It 'ud have
been jest the same" returned Nat
gloomily; "if Yu-ying hadn't got the
god so easily he'd have burgled the
shop to get 1t. Aye, miss, and have
cut your throat into the bargainm
why does he want this idol so par
ticularly?"
Fur the same reason as do Fifty
thousand pounds is the reason"f
Fifty thousand poundsi" echoed Ha-
gar. drawing back. The idol ism,
worth that"
Not in itself, miss: but 1t kin gi;
that cash. / reckoned to have 1t my
self, and chuck deep sea sailing; but
now opines that blamed John China
mans scooped the pool"
why don't you look up Yu-ying and
tax him with the theft7"
He'd on'y lie. miss; and as fur look
ing him up. guess he's made himself
mighty scarce by this time. But I'll
go on the trail, anyhow. Good day t
ye, miss, and don't you put trust in
them Chinese devils"
After which speech Nat rolled away
with a PHILOSOPHICAL air. leaving Ha-