Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-11
I h G w~w.~.-s'.''''
| Social Bucaneer !
By Frederic s. Ishom ]
copyriaht 1s1o by the Robbs-MerriH Company
By Frederic s. Isham m
copyrioh. 1910, by the sobbs- Merrill Company.

gloom, all neWneSS seemed to nave
vanished: it held itself in portentous
fashion on the brow of the hill, like 6
feudal place that had history.
A moment Bruce looked attentively
around him, then glided silently into
the dim wood. He remained there fol
some time, lost to sight, during which
figure looked furtively out from g
black corner of the house in the di-
rection he himself had gone.
The moments went by. Did the per-
son, lurking, watching, become impa-
tient? Flat on the grass, he began to
draw himself forward, without sound;
every muscle seemed trained for the
sinuous movement. In the shadow OF
the platform he paused. Still he who
had vanished into the wood did not
reappear How long it took him for
what he had to do! The man on the
grass again continued his progress
forward, with singular swiftness over
the more open places, where the star
light showed him, a faint blotch on the
earth. At length, reaching a shaded
spot on the edge of the obscure fringe
he half-raised himself; another stood
suddenly at his side.
What are you doing here?" Bruce
asked harshly. DO you know the risk:
You did what you should" glancine
over his shoulder toward the shaded
park why overdo your task?"
Il came, illustrious one" answered
the man in Cantonese dialect, sitting
now on his heels. ito warn! Against
the English Elephant, here tonight; he
who is with him, the brown fox! AS
the illustrious one knows, foxes are
not good, and the Elephant is the ene-
my of the Nine -times-Nine; in my
country, and in India, the lands OF
great Buddha."
What have l to do with your Nine
times Nine" came in crisp tones from
the young man, "or any other of your
societies."
They have to do with the illustrious
one," bending humbly to the earth
They never forget"
1T seems, then" ironically, I have
vassals untold for ever?"
THE master can not escape graft
tude."
Any more than the illustrious
ghosts. the perpetual, eulogistic tab
let's"
1T is written!" phlegmatically
When the master, OH the river OF
mist, that night in the waning evil OF
the moon. stepped between the traitor
assassin and my father. the object OF
his vengeance"
Ali" Bruces eyes became on a
sudden very keen and bright; he
breathed deep, as if eXhilarated. Did
beard then so blind me?" he mur.
INJURED to himself. And a few years
That could not recognize, even though
had felt the teeth--once? Here!
Tell me, Ting's younger brother" he
said aloud, gaily, turning to the Orien-
tai, do foxes like rabbits?" The 9th.
er pondered, as seeking in vain the
answer to a parable. The young mar
did not wait for him to find a solu-
ton. but shifted with sudden swiftness
the talk. And it was the mere sight
of the Elephant" in accents, half.
scoffing. that caused you to forge
yourself and blunder like a child, a
the table, tonight. Never mind
| thought" with an odd laugh. Mis-
haps sometimes serve"
1T was seeing him suddenly, ovel
your shoulder! The enemy of our peo'
pie. Why should he have come, ant
his servant, the unknown fox? Unles!
they suspected; knew! did not thinl
the illustrious one would appear a
the wood tonight, according to th'
compact: although l obeyed. Aftel
leaving tonight as ne did! AfteI
what happened when the flame gods
were angry"
Hush" Bruce murmured a sound
his eyes had bent toward the house, t.
family lighted window where din
figure seemed standing. A woman
Yes. robed in white!
The witch-one; she who has stolei
the eyes of the sacred green!" A 81
bilant whisper came from the grass
| Bruce made q motion.
A spell of silence followed. Th
young man continued to gaze towar'
the structure. Those guardian ston
creatures, its gargoyles. seemed t
grin: to gibe. into the night. The clea
| intonation Of q tiny fountain sounded
mockingly; too crystalline, with it
high musical pitch! The man in tn
grass. squart. like one Of the frogs oil
the brim Of the waters marble basin
suddenly shifted; his eyes burned.
There is some one near. illustrion
one."
How do YOU know" without turn
ing his look from the house.
The insects yOndcr were singing
together"
Bah" immovahly. insects some
times stop singing"
| several great lllplIlS liz" up, All W
gether. from a small space of shadow.
An ideal night for moths to fly"
These saw. it may he. brown fox.
| Bruce's hand went swiftly down t
the shoulder of the crouching one
What does it" He suppressed a
exclamation: the fingers of his lef
hand bit into the hard flesh of tn
Oriental through the silky materia
that covered him. what
1T sounded like a woman"
You. too, heard. them" As h
spoke. a light cleaned in another win
| dow.
The witch-onc is no longer there
1t was she who called out"
| But why"
A strange. questioning look shon
from Brucc's gaze between him an
the house, a leaf nutgcrcd. like hlac
butterfly. to the earth.
Why" he repeated. Suddenly tn
muscles beneath his hand stiffencd
| the mans head had shot forward L