The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-06-17

Gate
A Story of the Chinese
Forbidden City.
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

owen Ryder left the train at the ter
minus several miles outside the walls
OF Picking and covered the remaining
distance toward the city gate ON the
back Of a donkey.
AS he approached the seventh gate
he paused for an instant. He had
come on journey of thousands of
miles to accomplish mission, and now
that the object of his search was al
most within his grasp he hesitated.
Fear had no part in his hesitation.
He was comparatively safe i'll the dis
guise afforded by his Chinese dress
wished to gain admission to the For
hidden City.
Then. with quick indra wn breath, he
moved into the deeper shadow Of the
gate. AS his hands touched the bronze
doors they swung softly inward and
engulfed him.
A dark shadow doomed at his side
and. without sound, guided him close
against the inner wall In curving
line. They came to an abrupt stop in
a grove of trees whose tops rustled
were the dim outline and bulky mass
Of some huge building.
At last a door closed softly behind
them, the hands were removed from
Ryder's lips and arm, and presently
light twinkled out Of the gloom.
The American turned to look at his
companion. who had withdrawn the
cover from small bronze lantern and
stood revealed in it's dim light.
Ryder stared and stared again at the
tall. spare figure that confronted him.
This was no Chinese-this man with
deep sunken blue eyes and wisps Of
fair hair sticking out from under the
cue bound about his forehead. Owen
Ryder's wondering gaze travelled over
the yellowed skin drawn tightly over
the protruding cheek bones. down to
the handsome nose and bitter. curling
lips. down to the common blue cotton
Chinese dress and then up again with
puzzled eyes to study the face with
something lacking-something- what?
The man laughed silently as he lift
ed his bony hands to each side Of his
head. You miss these appendages.
my friend. have been cropped. you
see." His voice was low and vibrant
with some suppressed emotion.
Ryder gasped. your ears-my Godr'
He felt within his blouse for the COM
Portable reinsurance Of his revolver,
and his fingers curled about the butt
lovingly.
| "Your ears next, my friend. and the
ears of all who pass through the sew
enth gate inward" said the stranger.
with assumed lightness. He turned
and pointed to the wall behind him.
and Ryder gasped again to see line
Of dark figures stretched along the
floor.
"Earless Freaks said the tall stran-
ger, with sudden dreariness in his
mocking tone. "Sit down on the floor.
man. and tell your story-nay, let me
preface 1t for you and for me and the
rest Of us-white men,"
go ahead" said Ryder.
"YOu are an artist of some sort. You
have learned that these people have
recovered their lost art of producing
Kiastin porcelain. that rare painting
of invisible flowers, fishes or other
symbols on the outside Of porcelain
vessels, paintings that are only reveal
ed when the vessel is filed with liquor
Of some sort. The discoverer Of this
lost and precious art is confined to his
workshop in the palace here. The re-
tention Of the secret means the addi-
ton Of large sums Of money to this
country; hence they guard 1t carefully.
You were put on to the secret, you
have come to spy 1t out. you have
reached as far as
II had a model began Ryder eager
". when the other mans low laugh
cut him short.
"What Is your nameY'
II am Edward Stone. an Englishman
had a model, too, and so did each
Of these FIVE other poor earless devils
It was the same model. One by one
she sent US here as she sent you. II
could have been no one else but Lena
Shultx."
1T was Lena Shultz." returned Ry
der duly.
II knew 1t. The man who discov
| cred the lost art is not a native. Tt
what country he belongs l do MOI
know. I do know that he made the
discovery and was captured with his
belongings and is confined within three
feet Of where we now are. All day ht
works in the underground cell perfect
ing his discovery, for In spite Of thu
most violent threats he will not i'm
part the secret to another soul or worl
in another mans presence"
. but why did that woman send u
here-on a wild goose chaser" NUT
tered Ryder after silence.
"Yonder poor devil is her husband
She hopes with the aid of other whit
men to helr him escape from here.
was the first to come. ] arrived at
in the evening. Now it is my duty t
open the gate at 8 every evening II
the hope of catching other would b.