The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-07-27

GEL N
n BYS PHILIP IN LEE Y lIiaHEI

@ ss
sRILL IIaHEI 3sls s VI Abb.
lsSs Fongg {. Il ~ IFong--1--s
seems Is ma II have heard that name
before. Why, Tommy, wasn't he
mixed up I'm d smug ling racket once. 4
when the stun turned out to belong sto !
Z ring, ana VII you fellows got aken
IN on q big consignment of ten?
He's the man the very same " he
said. ]S'3 IL n
81 told him at once the story I had
heard from the dead interpreter. /
was able to recall the dates and the
name Of the steamer, but the name Of
the chief conspira that pseudo
partner Of Fong's had escaped me
completely. HI u INF Il Is. sss n
My brain refused to conjure up
that name, and soon, in my daily rou.
tine. ! forgot the whole transaction.
1t was fully six months after the
highlander murder Of Fong, that both
Thomas and ! found ourselves at q
mining camp called Carbuoy. During
our leisure hours, left after duly In
speeding the famous mine, we wan-
dered about the camp. s@5
I'VE walked after dinner and
smoked up all the cigars old Tommy
had. Then we went for more to the
post Office. In q glass sort Of case at.
fair. used for displaying letters un.
called for, where their owners could
point them out and claim them when
ever they happened to come along.
were several envelopes. j leaned above
them listlessly, gazing, through the
smoke of my tobacco. II. sa
cone Of the letters was covered with
Chinese characters, and had the owners
name in English, done in, a weird and
wonderful chirography. I spelled II
out.
EVAN Hop Lee; Il s..
Suddenly light broke in upon me.
Tommy, Tommy l cried, look
here. Do you see that letter that
name-Wan Hop Lee? That's the name
Of the fellow who was partner once
with old All Fong-the name I've been
trying to think of ever since that
morning of the murder. And I've al.
ways thought he was at the bottom Of
that bloody deed!'
'Whew!' said Tommy. If Wan
Hop Lee is here, there is something
rotten afoot, I'll bet mint
Eve got out at once to talk and
think it over. The town offered no re-
treat we cared to occupy; and we
therefore took to the hills beyond.
Stopping abruptly, Tommy wh1rled
half around, and drew long. deep
breath through his nostrils.
"I-(snif) smell (sniff)-a fac.
tory said he. K
II asked him what he intended to
do. S
Track IT, he answered.
Rounding hillside we found our.
selves almost falling against rocky
dump, where the diggings from min.
Ing tunnel, trifle above, had been
heaped by the miners.
Whispering, Tommy turned to me:
Wait he said, and disappeared.
"1n half an hour Thomas came back
with the square jawed sheriff and six
OF the toughest-loo hair-trigger
experts I have ever had the honor to
meet.
Moving cautiously ahead we glided
noiselessly into the mouth Of the tun.
mel. The yapors that were vomited by
the whole belching corridor were near.
ly sitting. a. e.
AT turn the whole lurid picture
burst upon our view. Half q dozen
coolies, naked to the waist and glisten-
ing with perspiratioE, hurried about
with fuel or to stir the seething black
messes that boiled and dubbed over
four roasting fires.
"One huge Chinaman stood a little
apart, watching his companions, with
leering and direful eyes. Ferocity
was fairly embossed on his brutally
horrible visage. Mentally I marked
him for a dangerous beast, adept ii
murder. With sullen roar the
mountain men dashed precipitately
forward. b Dill ri
Alarmed at the wholly unexpected
suddenness Of this attack, the coolies
jumped to the rear, grasping iron pok.
ers and tools, and shading their blind.
ed eyes to peer In the gloom that en-
quilted u.s.. ~
Backward most Of them fell. ven.
ing in wild dismay, and most would
have fed at once. but the giant China
man hurled them forward with 4 mon
strous swing Of his powerful arm.
Reaching forward to one Sof the rash.
est Of the posse. he wrenched the n,ss
revolver from his hand and nearly.
batted his head from his shoulders
with his terrible fist. Over went tho ts
man and on came the flend, WITH murI.s
der and malice twitching and lining
every inch of his hideous countenance.
81 Once he fired the weapon Shes held. n
The bullet plowed along tie under sideS
Ct the YEls' arm Of one q us. making q iLtI'
deep ana burning desh wopnd enrals.
ii1ng to feel. The one who ssot ! hi H.
stsantl discharged sbra Is apasltterinx
|5chnnk Of meta, ~ ti,eI lde.s;
mon striking him sii ven
The eyeH laYfnR n Az lnsI, M,