The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-09-19

his satin covered breast, and his huge
fat hands were clumsily clasped about
his capacious waist. On his big head
there was perched a black velvet skull
cap.
The Americans were CARRIED as they
had been seized, and their stormcoats
covered them from neck to heel Now
their coats were stripped off. and I'M
der the direction Of the leader the
prisoners were searched thoroughly.
Yellow claws relieved them of watch
es, money and jewels and gingerly APP
propriated their weapons. After that
they crowded about the three and en-
deavored to make them understand
something they were trying to explain
Ellis, who was In a Shanghai bank
ing house. knew some scraps of the
language, and, although this southern
dialect was strange to him. he man
aged to convey the meaning to his
companions that the leader Of the
chance for life.
Hes got necklace there. See that
string Of ivory beads? Well. it's all
white save one. and that's a ball OF
pink coral He says the one that can
get it off the chain without disturbing
the other beads may go free. The 9TH
ers get-you know!"
Let's see the chain" said Arson,
and Ellis made known the request,
which was Immediately granted. The
leader took from his neck a large
chain Of polished ivory beads the size
OF small pea. The chain was a rich
creamy yellow save for the one bead
of an exquisite rose tinted coral. 1t
was strung on fine woven copper wire.
and the joining of the wire was not
discernible
"How about the gunsT' whispered
Lyman excitedly. II believe l can
split 1t OF first popT
'gFhen it's. your chance" said the
others generously. 'for you know we
wouldn't stand a show anyway"
"If it's my chance" said Lyman
coolly, then I'll figure to get the lot
of us off. Ask him If l can have a
try with my revolver at solving his
problem"
The leader nodded with an amused
smile, and Arson and Ellis held the
necklace suspended between them. In
the excitement Of the moment they
did not notice that they were in line
with the leader Of the pirates. and It
was not until Lyman's shot rang echo
ing through the rocky eaverns, fol-
lowed by the Asiatic's hideous yell as
he Topped from his chair, that they
realized Lyman's bullet had taken eff
feet in the leaders body. For brief
instant there was intense silence; then
Lyman flashed around on the cowardly
crew with uplifted weapon, and it only
needed one or two deadly shots to send
them scattering out of the chamber.
ITS our only chance; let's be on
muttered Ellis, grabbing his own
weapon from the floor and rescuing
their fallen watches where they had
been dropped.
They painted down a long and mar
row passageway that at its greatest
width would not have admitted the
corpulence Of the pirate leader All
at once a rush Of cold air smOte their
heated faces. They rounded shoulder
of jutting rock and came out upon a
small natural stone jetty that put forth
into the Yellow river. They were quite
out Of sight of the creek and the junk
it concealed.
There a welcome sight met their
eyes Steaming up the stream came
the Linda. line of fresh white and
red faces against the rail. A sup
pressed cheer went up as the three men
were sighted and boat was lowered.
1t was not until the Linda had put
down the river and was emerging into
the China sea once more that Arson
realized that he wore about his neck
the white chain with the single coral
bead. He removed the chain and flung
1t around Lyman's neck. The latter
looked down at the rosy bead with
meditative eyes.
"Tm wondering what would have
! happened if / had not CHANGED to hit
that old chap" he murmured.
| The eyes Of Arson and Ellis met
across his bent head with strange sig
nifcance in the glance. and Ellis re-
piled to the younger mans remark.
"You wouldn't be here talking about
It," he said grimly.