Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-24


out. He seemed little absent-mind
ed.
Seventy-five thousand dollars. Tha
was good deal of money to raise In
few days. OF course he could not re.
pudiate a promise. Did he regret fol
the moment his own generosity? The
charity was an excellent one. nc
doubt
But seventy-five thousand dollars
why did he hesitate? He had not hes.
itated in the past when called upon
He experienced an unusual restless
ness. Whittier should he wend his
way now?
To his friend, Ting Lees? Ting
the philosopher! He, Bruce, wanted
to. must consider matter Of moment;
the little shop offered an excellent
place for quiet and meditation. But
it would be hest to wait until dark
before going there.
"Seventy-five thousand dollars!"
Does gaiety ever really reign along
the Great White Way?" Sometimes
it seems to. 1t bore the semblance
this night as on other nights. Mil
lionaire phantoms mingled with beg
gar phantoms. Self-satisfied ghosts
rubbed elbows with less contented
wraiths. The theatres belched forth
ephemeral hosts: the restaurants
swallowed many Of them; others van
ished somewhere. Mr.. Bruce smiled
slightly: these abstract fancies oc-
Cured to him at times.
They mingled with practical consid-
erations; the abrupt need Of eliminat-
ing the possible effect of another's
star, momentarily in juXtaposition
with his own, and evincing strong
symptoms Of being Influenced by some
law of specific gravity or mutual at
traction. The elusive taxicab, a Teu-
tonic restaurant with two entrances
and the subway combined to assist to
the contamination wished for. The
superfiuous influence, masculine
skulker from officialdom, police spy,
was alone shortly after he had as
cended from the subterranean tube; he
had dispensed with this fidus Achates
of the force" who showed a predi-
lection to cling closer than brother.
The stars, FURNISHED to their brightest
now. called his solitary attention to
the heavens great white way.
1t is long stretch from Rector's to
Ting Lees; from the place Of pande-
monium to the palace Of tranquility.
Once in the latter abode, the metrop-
oils and its fevered activities faded
from the young mans mind.
Ting knew his occasional callers
mood. When the latter had seated
himself. the other did not disturb him;
nor did Mrs. Ting. She moved as Sc
rene in her own household as the
mists across the heavens; one was
dreamily aware of, without resenting
her presence. Bruce slipped his tea; a
beautiful piece Of milk-w Jade,
suspended by a scarlet thread, stirred
in the air.
Good pearls, Ting!" The young
man. looking at a case near by. OBJ
served. Where FROM"
The branch of the Hwang- no, near
the sea of stars" answered In dialect.
the host
You planted them?"
Yes; Ting's garden"
And the matrices?"
Take out: fill with white wax No
see?"
Bruce looked down; his lip curved; !;
perhaps he recalled a questionable
traffic of the unsophisticated children
of the plains. But any expression on
his face passed as a breath from glass.
Alice. same weight other pearls"
said Ting softly.
But the skim"
"Allee same"
The caller was silent. Ting waited
patiently. Why not? He had a son
who would finish any business left
undone. Mrs. Ting sank placidly down
somewhere; shimmered to rest. Bruce
continued to surround the citadel Of
his purpose-if he had definite one
with that multiple circumlocution his
host could understand and appreciate.
The young man observed formalities;
lapsed into Chinese and began:
Ting. there is a favor I am here to
ask. l want you to procure for me"
SSH" The soft sound from Mrs.
Ting's lips was like the whirring Of
the night beetles wings. 1t was fol-
lowed by ruder noises; voices, laugh
ter without.
Those within looked at one another;
understood; party was doing Chi
natown" The young man stepped
quickly into a back room. Almost i'm
mediately afterward a gay gathering
Of both sexes under the chaperonage
of lnud-voiced guide, invaded with
no ceremony Ting's place.
They did not, for the most part, lin
ger long, however. Here was not much
suggestive of mystery, or novelty:
only an orderly little shop and an or
derly little shopkeeper and his wife.
Really, 1t doesn't seem as If we
have a right to break in quite like
this" a girls voice said.
One doesn't break into an Orien-
tails house, Miss Wood" O mans
buoyant voice returned. The speaker
was large, florid looking, handsome.
His tones betrayed amusement. "One
just enters; If he objects, one elects
him, and takes possession"
She answered; Bruce could not hear
what. Sir Archibald Bamford Is
quite right, Miss Wood" said a mans
softer voice. Sir Archibald has had a
large experience in the Far East and
knows"
"Oh, you, Senor Caglioni, are his
secretary and have to say that" gally.
Really. Miss Wood, you are wrong"
The voice was again Sir Archibald's.
THE only way we English ever get on
with the beggars is to make them fear