Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-02
BY George BNrtoN

landed them In low. one-story wooden
building, which served as dining
room of the Chinese artists. The MEM
bers Of the troupe were already seated
around n long, wooden table drinking
tea and ohattering away like magpies.
Barnes, intent ON his secret quest, no.
ticed that Lew Pang, the stage villain
Woo Tong, the colorless hero, and his
beloved, the heroine of the drama. sat
at the head of the board intent upon
one another and oblivious of their sur
roundings. Ten other Cinnamon We're
there, five on either side of the table
All had smooth, yellow faces, triangular
eyes, glistening white teeth, express
sionless countenanoes and a gravity Of
demeanor that was terribly depressing
| The face an manner of each one Of
them. the blue cotton blouses. the white
drawers, the heavy wooden shoes with
their brocaded uppers, and the long
shining, plated pigtais were so pre-
cisely alike that bibulous spectator
| might have been pardoned for believing
he was seeing the same men ten times
over.
! When Barnes identity became known
/ the gathering conversation ceased with
| nerve racking suddenness The Mon
| eolians were all very reverent In the
| presence OF the representative of the
| Unitd States government The interpret
| err who gloated over his work. insisted
upon presenting the chief to the actors.
He began with the fond parent in the
| drama, who bowed low to Barnes and
| gave vent to n series of shrll ejacua-
| tions lasting for half a minute
| He say" remarked the interpreter,
| blandly, she velly glad to see you"
| IT'S fortunate" whispered Clancy TO
| Barnes he didn't wish We the compll-
ments Of the season. He'd be talking
| yet"
Barnes noticed that the girl at the
| head of the table was in high spirits.
| but saw that the men on either side of
| her, the villain and the hero. We're al
| ternately raised to the highest heights
OF hopes or plunged into the deepest
| depths of despair, The sight of her
! childish face, framed in a mass Of coal
| black hair, melted the antagonistic
| heart of CLANCY, and he muttered some
| familiar quotation about rose be-
| tween two thorns But 10 Barnes she
| looked more like doll, play toy, than
| q flower. The pinkish cheeks against
| the tawnY skin, the tiny dots of eyes
| peerlng out of the heavy lids, under the
| arched brows: the waXen ears, like the
| most delicate OF shells; the fiat nose. the
| small, straight mouth with the blood
| red lips, all helped the Illusion A pearl
! comb was thrust carelessly into glist-
ening coil of her jet black hair. She
wore the costume that had done SER
| vice in the play, a richly trimmed gar
| ment with gracefully draped train.
| The light blue waist was ldmono shaped
| and the large flowing sleeves contrast
ed oddly with her small hands, which
seemed altogether too dainty and trans
| parent to be real
! She held rose coquettlshly in the
| doll-likc fingers. and the two men
| struggled for II with a pretence at
| boyishness which was belied by the
| glitter in their usually dull, flmy eyes
| Lew Pang whispered very earnestly
| to her. but she answered with an in
! different shrug and a laugh. His face
| hardened, and jumping UP with an
| angry gesture, he strobe from the
| room After that tho coal black head
| of Ching Moy and the shaven crown
| of Woo Tong got very close together,
| Presently there was a fiutter in the
| room. One of the stolid faced China
| men on the side of the table made a
| discovery. The little god of love, hoy
| ering above them-or was II Woo
on the table. 1t was exquisitely sim
| pie. A paper dragon was before the
man and paper phoenix in front of
the woman. They We're sewed togeth-
or with two pieces OF red silk. Every
| one in the room-eXcept Barnes and
| Clancy--recognized the meaning of
the ancient symbols. Woo Tong and
| ching Moy We're betrothed, All were
| happer over this beautiful bit OF mag
cry, and no one gave any thought to
the absent Lew Pang. thus worsted by
| MS rival In real life, as he had re-
| peatedly been on the mimic stage.
Nothing would do but that Barnes
should stay for the evening perform
ance and then participate in a genuine
Chinese dinner to celebrate the real
engagement of the hero and heroine
contamination which had been Gag
crly looked for by the members of the
company, who had participated in the
stage analr so many hundreds of
Tunes. Clancy threw out a hint about
going home. but the positveness with
which Barnes said We're going to
stay convinced the young man that
the veteran had something up his
sleeve, and that he, too. would be
compelled to remain and see the game
to the end.
Barnes conversed with the China
men and gradually led up to the dis
appearance of the idol. and showed
inc newspaper clipping to the inter-
prefer That person became interest
cd at once, and amid n wealth of de-
tail told what he knew of the occur
renee which had mystifed the colony
SO much. He said the idol had dis
appeared not once. but several times
5arhes asked where 1t had come from
IN the first place. Lew Pang, who had
originally procured the joss for the
company in China. was not present so
the query could not be answered.
MiIlc inc interpreter was talking.
chlng Moy watched the Americans in
iehtly from the depths of her beadv
hltle eyes, After All Sin finished his
story, Barnes fell into one of his char
dcterlstc rcveries, from which he was
aroused by plucking at his coat
sieeVes He looked around and saw
ming Moy reckoning to him with n
mar mocking smile. She walked ont
OF tne room and he followed her. once
outside size pursed up her ruby Inns
ana genufiecting reverently spread
ner moving sleeves until they looked
tiful bird.
do custom house man want 10 ind
our about Chinese Joss ?" she said.
sharply "'"
ie nodded eagerly.
Sne pointed to the temple n few
yhrus away and began to walk In that
direction. Barnes halted.
Thing Moy.' he said 'Ive seen Won
She looked up exultant and bobboa
her head In assent. '"
on the wharf on the day YOU ar
rlVeh IN this country"
she laughed with glee nj his Won
derful memory W."
.fou were trying TO tell me some
ming mat day. what WAS lt?'
hor moment the tiny face was a
pIank-the next moment she hurst