Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1910-02-26

to stretch its capacity of holding ten
| ants and increasing rents On the
other side of the wall, half way down
the dark stairway, the little fugitive
stood half paralyzed with fright, know
ing only too well what the sound of
that creaking plank might bring upon
| her. AS she waited in an agony OF
| suspense she crouched against the
wall. fearing the blood rushing
| through her veins and the loud thump-
ing OF her heart would arouse the
whole community. But as nothing un-
toward followed and the sound was
not repeated. Chuck Wah restored his
| pipe to his mouth and continued his
smoke. telling himself it was a rat,
| and the frightened little slave ven.
| tured another step.
When at last, by crawling and slid
ing, scarcely daring to move, yet real
izing haste was her only hope, she
reached the foot Of the stairway, she
stopped, and before emerging from its
| protecting shadow quickly took of
her little wooden-soled slippers and
tucked them under her arm.
Then suddenly Wah thought he saw
figure fit past his wicket. He
| Jumped up, and in his clumsiness
| overturned the table as he rushed for
| the door. Turning an instant to save
| the lamp, the next flash of the figure
was lost upon him, and when he
| reached the door the fugitive was
| swallowed by the friendly fog
Down the street she battered. I'M
noticed by the hurrying passers ex-
| cept TO be jostled out of their way.
Two turns to the right she had made
in safety. Already she began to feel
| free and secure. What would old Wah
think when he found she had es-
capped? she asked herself On the in
| slant sudden thought struck her,
making her catch her breath in
! quick. painful gasp. He would un-
| doubtedly suspect Lem, and what
would be the result?
She knew too well the work Of the
| Ratchet men" to be in doubt as to
what the end would probably be. The
| See Yups were the strongest tong on
| the coast and Chuck Wah one Of the
strongest See Yups in the tong.
Against his influence the efforts OF
the Chinatown Squad" would be fu-
tile. Lem would quietly disappear
| and no one be the wiser.
At the turn to the left she hesitated.
The glee in her heart had died out.
1t was not the prospect Of her safety
in the mission home she thought OF
now. What would rescue and safety
or anything else mean to her If LEM
Yet lost his life in accomplishing it?
The chill Of the night crept into her
heart as she realized that every step
she was taking toward her safety
might be also toward LENS undoiDg.
AS she waited, irresolute, tall
figure loomed up in the mist before
her. Instinctively she again fattened
herself against the wall as 1t ap-
preached The next instant with
smothered cry Of Joy she was about
to spring toward him. Lem Yet at
last! But the cry was strangled i'm
her throat. On he came, peering. list
ening, searching for her, as she knew.
Crouching in the angle Of the wall she
let him pass. She almost felt his
breath. he was SO near, yet the next
instant gone.
The fourth floor, her home of refuge.
now only a few steps away, cleaned
with a friendly light. Lem ran hur-
riedly up the steps to inquire wheth-
err the little fugitive had reached it.
The calm-eyed little mother Of the
fold shook her head as she explained
that no one had been there that even
ing.
Wing, motionless as a little Satsu-
ma idol, saw 1t all and shrank still
deeper into the shadow. Her life
was not Of much account, she told
herself with choking sob, one more
or less OF her kind was Of no conse-
Quence. The open doorway sent out
hint of hospitable warmth to- the
shivering little waif. Here within
half dozen steps was an escape for
ever from the horror and degradation
Of the life behind her. She clasped
her hands so tight over her breast
and dug her sharp pointed nails so
deep into her flesh the blood came
in tiny crescent-shaped gashes.
AS Lem, bafled and disappointed.
turned from the door aud made his
way back to the corner again. his gar
ments almost brushed against the
quivering little Wing. As his figure
disappeared into the dimness, with
heart and soul she strained after the
ono CLEAN of happiness that had come
into the horror Of her life. Lem, she
knew, now thought her heart was bad
and that she did not want to escape.
so he was lost to her.
When the mission door was closed
and Lem out of sight down the street.
the piteous little atom Strengthened
her limos from their cramped position
and turned to retrace her steps.
The streets were still quiet. Back