The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20

she questioned in gentle surprise
''The wolf has many times paid hom-
age to the fawn in her bower. from his
home on the river. he made answer,
his untamed eyes on her averted face.
That was when the fawn was small
and the wolf but cub. Then for many
floods the bower was empty. and the
wolf steered his junk near the opposite
shore; but now he will again cast his
eyes worshipfully at the great house
on the bank toward the rising sun"
Tall had sighed. and the youth had
drawn so close that she shrank away
in sudden terror.
"Dost know Cha Tung. the great silk
merchant of the river?" she asked tim
idly.
The youth recoiled, raising himself on
one elbow to search her face. now
turned upward in the moonlight. He
nodded an assent
He is my betrothed," she whispered
sadly.
An angry frown crept over his face.
why does the fawn mate with the
python?' he cried. Thou art too
young and fair for such fate
Tall sighed once more, while the
youth boldly seized her frail fingers
and carried them to his forehead.
Then a shrill call hovered on the
night air. The man at the helm spun
his wheel quickly around The strain
ing of ropes and creaking of blocks
sounded in the maidens ear. She
would have clung TO the youth for pro-
lection. but he had melted into the
surrounding gloom. She rose on her
knees and gazed. terrified. about her.
She saw a great hull ahead bearing
down swiftly upon them. Her blood
froze within her as her eyes followed
the form of a man. prone on the deck,
crawling closer, ever closer to the
helmsman. using every exertion to
avoid the impending danger Her heart
beat wildly while she stifed a cry in
her throat as the figure, now within
arms length of the man at the wheel,
stood out in bold ostline against the
moonlight 1t was hel She saw him
raise his arm, and then binding flash
Of fire cut the darkness, while the deaf
ening report of a discharge stunned
her.
Then had come the terrible crash as
the two vessels came together. the
thunder of cannon and the screech of
she'll the cries of fear mingling with
the shouts of triumph.
When the junk of the victorious pi-
rates had been swallowed up by the
night. carrying with them rich treas
ure of silver. the proceeds from the
sale of many cargoes of old Cha Tung's
silk. the wolf had gone with the rest
of his pack.
Tails heart yearned during many
moons for the young sea wolf. and her
eyes searched the water craft as they
moved incessantly on the river, but,
alas. he had never come. His 1.-THE,
well knit frame and bronzed face she
ever compared with the wizened form
of old Cha Tung. Her soul revolted at
the coming nuptials. She would be the
richest woman on the river, but the
the senile rake brought scalding tears
of shame and anguish to her eyes.
Why had the wolf not come? There
were doubtless other fawns on the
river! And tonight she would be ir
revocably tied to old Cha Tung and his
gods of silk and silver.
From behind Tall a high pitched
scolding voice broke the peaceful 81
lence of her dreams. She sighed and
turned appealing eyes toward her
stepmother, then shrank back over
whelmed by the torrent OF abuse
hurled at her defenseless head.
'Ungrateful hussy! Deceiver of thy
parentgi Why sittest thou idle, while
thy fathers wife slaves to make ready
against the coming of thy lord and
masterg
The shriveled hag stood in the low
archway, casting loathing eyes on the
romantic little Tall. Then the venom
of the woman's tongue was again un-
Ioosed upon the abashed girl, who had
risen trembIingly to her tiny feet amid
the flowers, a trace of tears still IN
her startled eyes, her head bent in elo-
ouent sign of submission to her step
mothers will.
"Cha Tung, the richest SILK merchant
on the West river has debased him
self to offer to make thee his wife, and
this is the way the low born whelp
of a good mother repays the debt Have
not we slaved that the wedding feast
may be worthy of the high position
of the bridegroom? Have we not de-
MED ourselves to clothe thee in en-
broidered 500 Chow silks?"