Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-08

into the rude semblance of throne.
sat a large and very fat Chinese. His
little black eyes seemed TO sink into
the flesh OF his face and become mere
points of black Jet. Hfs chin rolled on
his satin covered breast, and his huge
fat hands were clumsily clasped about
his capacious waist. On his big head
there was perched black velvet SkullS
cap.
The Americans were CARRIED as they
had been seized, and their stormcoats
covered them from neck to heel. Now
their coats were stripped of, and IN
der the direction OF the leader the
prisoners were searched thoroughly.
yellow claws relieved them of watch
es, money and jewels and gingerly ap-
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
band was prepared to offer them
chance for life.
Hes got necklace there. See that
string Of ivory beads? Well, it's all
white save one, and that's ball Of
pink coral He says the one that can
get it of the chain without disturbing
the other beads may go free. The 9TH
ers get-you KNOW
LET'S see the chatn,' 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 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
discernibie.
How about the gunsT" whispered
fLyman excitedly. IT believe can
split it of first popr"
'Then it's your chance" said the
others generously, ''for you know we
wouldn't stand show anyway"
'If it's my chance" said Lyman
cooIly. then I'll figure to get the lot
of us off. Ask him If can have a
fry 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 IL
| was not until Lyman's shot rang echo
ing through the rocky caverns, 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 a brleI
| instant there was intense silence; then
! LYMAN dashed around on the cowardly
crew with uplifted weapon, and it only
| needed one or two deadly shots to se4d
them scattering out of the chamber
cts our only chance; let's be off, ="
muttered Ellis. grabbing his Own
weapon from the floor and rescuiDg
! their fallen watches where they hao
been dropped.
They painted down a long and mar
row passageway that at its greatest
! width would not have admitted the
| corpnlence of the pirate leader. All
! at once q rush OF COlQ air SIIOlG IlCI
| 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, a line OF fresh white and
red faces against the rail. A sup
pressed cheer went up as the three men
were sighted and q 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
it around Lymau's neck. The latter
looked down at the rosy bead with
meditative eyes.
'I'm 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.