Charlevoix county herald., 1908-12-12
CHAPTER tI.-Continued.


became shreds to torment him, alert
by night and day, he traversed the
continent, and at last entered the
gateway Of the northwest, where so
many of his countrymen had resided
prior to the outbreak of hostilities, but
friends nor sympathizers. Here indeed
was a No Mans Land where none eX-
tended a welcome. From then on he
must depend entirely on his own re-
sources, and he understood perfectly
we'll that he was nearing a hard finish
OF long race. He lost no time in
making start.
Under the pretext Of going to Il
camp where he was to cook he in
duced a launch that was starting out
toward the mouth Of Puget sound to
take him aboard as a passenger and
land him at its journeys end short
distance from Port Townsend. He
was dropped off late in the evening
at tiny landing, and later saw the lit
tie boat speed back toward Seattle.
He was without food save such as had
been given him, and frightened the
belt beneath his Chinese garb in an
ticipation of hard trip. Unused to
the rougher life, he made painful
progress, and nothing save his des
peration enabled him to traverse the
primitive strip between him and the
city. Footsore and dependent, he
forged doggedly ahead, until at last
by sheer will power alone he gained
the outskirts Of the port. It's wooden
wharf was deserted, and many Of the
houses were closed and vacant, the
fear of Japanese shells and govern
ment weakness having driven the
more prosperous inhabitants away.
Thoroughly worn out, he waited I'M
til night fell, then crawled into coal
shed and slept as only the worn and
weary can sleep. He rose refreshed
and jubilant because he had gained
thus far without accident, hunger be-
ing his only immediate discomfort.
From his depleted store cloth he ex-
tracted the smallest coin, bent on
seeking food before the city was
awake. He made his way down the
hillside to the business section with
out attracting attention, and entered
the doorway of grocery store, where
sleepy-looking youth was sweeping
away the previous days waste. In
broken English he made known his
wants, and then, finding the salesman
apparently friendly and stupid, lost
some of his native caution and began
to ask questions regarding the watch
kept along the frontier. At his first
query the boy looked at him slyly; but
after moments hesitation fell in
and answered everything readily, as
surfing him, however, that it would be
difficult for any living thing to get
past the soldiers who kept watch and
ward over the boundary line.
Elated by the apparent ease with
which he had secured provisions, he
again retreated toward the edge of the
city, mentally formulating plans for
stealing a boat when night came, and
by this means to make his way to Van
couver, where he would be on British
soil Had he looked back he would
have seen that the boy, broom in
hand, watched him with an assump-
ton of mere idle interest for mo-
ment only, then hurriedly threw off
his apron, banged the door shut and
ran as fast as his legs would carry
him to a big building farther down
the street. 1t was where the officials
of the port held forth. The alarm
had been given!
Seigo rested in a thicket at the
edge of a forest and partook of
leisurely breakfast, laughing mean
while at the dullness Of the Ameri.
cans and the boy in particular. He
regretted the loss of his handkerchief,
which he feared must have been
dropped in the grocery store, but
smiled at the thought of being within
so few miles of refuge where others
might be bought and where he could
find ease and comfort.
From hack NJ hin, a daon baIi0wfn