The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-21
A Thrilling Story of The Chinatown
longs
Bv DOUGLAS PIERCE

between a Chinaman and q young man
VINO hstd been occupying table TO OUT
right all evening.
AT any rate, I caught a glimpse OF
them struggling and saw a blow PASSED
puL before / really understood " hat
was happening "A whistle sounded, and
Mr.. Bates started to his feet, crying
something about getting out and thai
warning Of the sort.
Filled with instant alarm, and not
knowing what TO expect, L would have
rushed after him but just then the
lights went of and / heard something
crash ahead of me in the darkness. So
/ covered back. and darted under one
OF the tables by the wall, deeming that
the safest place / could find
And "A lucky thing you did" COM
menJeJ the detecuvei since Otherwise
you wound undoubtedly have met the
fate of Mr. Bates, or else have been
carried of as was Miss Carson"
Milllcent, however, unheeding his in
tcrTuptiou. proceeded with her story.
4 had hardly had time 10 squeeze
into my retreat, though" she said "be-
fore the room was suddenly Illuminated
with glare Of light, and I saw a man
holding I'D d handful Of lighted matches
IN one nand and graphing Florence with
tile ether.
At The sight Of her peril I forgot
my own danger, and my first impulse
was 20 rush 10 her assistance; but be-
fore I CUuld eXtriCate myself nom under
the table the blaze OF the matches was
exttnguIshed, and when another flare
lit up the room I saw that IL was Flor
ence who had effected it this time. and
her assailant was nowhere to be seen.
As I peered quickly about the ROOM
for him, though, 1 saw what I have al
ready told you, and which I still can
not convince myself was q delusion-tha
Wlde-Open aperture under the piano
with men climbing up over its edge
w ny, how could IL have been an
Hlusion?' she questioned perplexedly. II
this very minute"
NO" the detective demurred. you
forget TO take into account the condI-
tons which existed. For one thing, I
suppose that You will not deny that YOU
were highly excited and OverwrOught
at the mOment?"
"Of course. I was excited and over
wrought" impatiently: but what has
that to DO with IT. All the excitement In
the world could not"
wait. just a second, please" he en-
treated You also admit, do you not
that the glimpse YOU received Of this
phenomenon lasted but an instant?"
Yes, she granted, my attention
was Immediately diverted by" she
threw up her arm before her eyes as
though TO shut out the recollection
"by the awful spectacle Of Mr.. Bates
assassination
-AtAt4 " A44At enAi sac y tlE IlAGteU
upon that, the light, as I think YOU
said, was once more extinguished,
eh2"
"Ah. yes" she breathed. Never
shall I forget those moments of terri
Tying darkness, the dread full horror
which held me speubOund, unable even
to scream I was 50 weak and faint
from 1t that even after the lights
flashed on again, and he police arriv-
ed, il was quite a little time before
could drag myself out Of my hiding
place"
"Then." the detective summed up.
zone brief glance, almost instantly d.
verted, was all that you had at this
alleged trap doOr?'
She had to concede that such was
And that" he proceeded, was in
the glare thrown by box OF burning
matches"
Leaning forward he touched or a
similar box, which stood upon the
nearest table. 1t blazed up almost
to the ceiling in a great burst OF
flame.
See" he cried, cit is almost as vivid
as a calcium. Look at the shadows IL
throws even in the full radiance Of the
electricity. Now, do you understand
how your vision was cheated, Miss
Ward2"
She shook her head. mo, I can't
exactly say that ! do"