The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-02-03

DuuTlS sometimes gave II llNtl', dH II
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 paraly2ed with fright, know
ing only too well what the sound OF
that creakng plank might bring upon
her. As she waited in an agony OF
suspense she crouchcd 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 IL was rat,
and the frightened little slave ven
turcd another step.
When at last, by crawling and slid.
ing, scarcely daring to move. yet real,
l2ing haste was her only hope, she
reached the foot of the stairway, she
stopped, and before emerging from its
protecting shadow quickly took on
her little woodon.soled slippers and
tucked them under her arm.
Then suddenly Wah thought he saw
a 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
tho lamp the next flash of the figure
was lost upon him, and when no
| reached the door the fugitive was
| swallowed by the friendly fog
Down the street she battered, I'm.
/ capt 10 be iostled 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 Wan
| think when he found she had es.
! capped? she asked herself On the In.
slant n sudden thought struck her
| making her catch her breath In n
! quick. painful gasp He would un.
doubtedly suspect Lem. and what
would be the result?
She knew too well the work OF the
"hatchet 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 tu'
tile Lem would quietly disappear
and no one be the wiser.
Al the turn to the left she hesitated
The Glee in her heart had died out
II 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 II 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 undoing,
As she waited, irresolute, tall
figure doomed up in the mist before
her. InstinctIvely she again flattened
herself against the wall as II ap.
preached The next instant with q
smothered cry of JOY she was about
to spring toward him. Lem Yet at
|
her throat On he came, peerng, list
ening. searching for her, as she knew,
CrouchinE 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 few steps away, cleaned
with friendly light Lem ran hur'
rIedly up the steps to inquire wheth'
or the little fugitive had reached It.
The calm.eycd little mother of the
fold shook her head as she explained
that no one had been there that even
ing
Wing, motionless as little Satsu
ma idol. saw IT all and shrank still
deeper into the shadow. Her life
was not of much account, she told
herself with n choking sob, one more
quence. Tho 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 claspet
, her hands so tight over her breast
! and dug her sharp pointed nails sc
, deep into her flesh the blood came
, in tiny crescent.shaped gashes.
As Lem. baflled and disappointed
, turned from the door and made biz
way back to the corner again, his gar
n ments almost brushed against tbs
auivering little Wing. As his figure
! disappeared into the dimness. will
heart and soul she strained after thu
. one CLEAN of happiness that had come
, into the horror of her life. Lem, sht
: knew, now thought her heart was bat
. and that she did not want to escape
). 80 he was lost to her
p When the mission door was closed
. and Lem out of sight down the street
2 the piteous little atom Strengthened
her limbs from their cramped position
and turned to retrace her steps.
!, The streets were still quiet. Bacl
. to the corner, ono turn to the right
q two to the left. she turned. The fol
seemed denser. the darkness NOR