The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-10-22

Of 10y Shan, my betrothed There, too Magnif
: cent and Holy One, shall erect shrine unto III
worship and glory. Flowers and incense shalt Be
deck IT, and the fair hands of 10y Shan shalt tend
day by day
Again bowed and struck my forehead upon tils
hoor My senses grew faint and / lay there, my
brow against the polished planks. Was it then that
the goddess spoke again. that demons came 10
twt me- For surely there came to me once more
that mysterious sound in the stark stiffness of the
place, waling and then voice Unto my feverisl
fancy It was like the sweet voice of my beloved
10y Shan.
20 Chang Kuang" it said, 20 Chang Kuang.
cannot forget you It is now as il | hear your
voice SIT in darkness alone and dream of YOU
smell the flowers Of the garden at my fathers
house at Using Hin. I hear his sobbing who Is
berett OF me- / know the pain in the heart of
Chang Kuang, who loves me-"
Thus, as in dream, | heard the voice OF Low
Shan the far-of music OF her sobbing and waiIing.
as ! lay like one dead upon the floor before the altar
OF huan Yin. Perchance weakness overcame me-
and despair, for it must have been that ! slept
awhile or dozed my face buried in my hands For
when ! woke | heard other voices and footsteps
Two were the voices OF women, but surely one was
the voice Of Wing Tai.
See said one Of the female voices, "yonder lies
man before the altar"
Some pennies yagabond" said Wing Tai, "who
makes use Of the temple for bed-chamber He
will not disturb us"
] lay still as one dead. | heard the rattle of KEYS
and door opened al the side of the altar under
the throne of the goddess.
Even this place is no Logger safe" heard Wing
lai say When there is reward offered for the
maid 1t IS not well to trust even the priests"
Then the door closed softly upon Wing Tai and
his two women Yet heard their voices underfoot.
the voice Of Wing Tai harsh and stern and the
s1.~.iI l.
shriil voice OF his vile and daugher-yea, and the
frantic tones OF my own lost 10y Shanl
It was not fever, it was not fancy it was not the
voice OF the goddess in pity upon mel 10y Shan
was living underfoot in some cell beneath the altar
before which ! ayl sprang to my feet and
rushed to the side of the shrine bur saw nothing
but smooth panels Of lacquer wood and gilt. drew
forth my sword again and watched in the dmness
beside the altar Then slowly one Of the panels
swung open, partly hiding as stood against the
wall The wife OF Wing Tai stepped forth. then
his dangher-lean she-foxes were they-and cruel
and evil was their look even as Wing Tai's. Then
y least OF beauty and delight TO my starved eyesi
came 10y Shan, her face pale as the moon her
eyes dark with sorrow and vide with fear l could
have casped her she passed; / could scarce for
bear crying her name, yet forbore Last appeared
Wing Tai, the keys in his hand. He turned and
shut the door, then he behed me as stood there
with naked sword. He uttered cry thinking me
shreked as advanced, 10y Shan was likewise
hlled with fear; perchance She too thought me 4
ghost until smiled upon her and spoke her name
with tenderness and held out my hand. Then she
tore loose from the two and herself into
my arms, crying upon TO save her. crying upon
the ove-goddess to whom she had prayed as I had
prayed
Wing Tai smothered with fury tore down an an,
cient sword from the wall and ran toward me I
oosened myself from 10y Shan's embrace and faced
lim Furously he struck al me with the old rusty
blade, but with my keen one countered the stroke
and wounded him III the forearm. Scholar though
was, had | not been taught workmanship By i
master Of the craft; Was not armed in my wrath,
'purred on by revenge and the presence Of 10y
Shan2
The two women shreked and ran screaming
oward The door, filling the air with piercing cries.
Back and forth circled, Wing Tai and ], hewing
nightly at each other Once his blade glanced
dewise against my arm The pain went woefully
through my frame and ! cried aloud Then he
itted his sword with both hands if to cleaye
rom head TO foot, but again met his blade with
wilt blow from my and the old weapon sprang
rom its rotten handle and fell TO the floor. The
lext moment ! had cut Wing Tai across the shout
Ter, and. cursng, the wretch,fell PROSTATE. | set
NY foot upon him, even as the curtains were torn
aside and throng OF people burst into the room
and there sudden light
The wild-eyed priests Of the temple about
all drawn hither by the cries OF the women Then
came officers OF the law, and the Consul also.
Wing Tai lifted himself groaning and invoked the
help of the priests.
The maid belongs to me Take her hence
"Ihe dog lies" said |, "for it he that stole
her from her fathers house in Using Hin. Our
families have decreed 10y Shan to Sc my wife, and
have to take her home with me
"She IS mine" cried Wing Tai. twisting upon the
loor. Il bought her from her father
Let the women tell what has befallen,' said the
Consul, wise and venerable man with great gold
,pectacles
Then 10y Shan told how night she had been
-et from home and brought to this city to be sold
into slavery. And the Consul nodded and wbsperedi
to the white officers. Then stepping up to Wing
Tai he eazcd down upon HIM sterny and said.
Another murder has been done tonight. Wing
Tai Fong How, the tea-merchant. member OF
your tong was assassnated in his shop
1T is the work OF the Ming III tong said the
slave-dealer. "our base enemies
Nay your Worship said l. ~the deed was donei
by Kim Loo, Of the Quong iio Sings. With mine
own ears | heard Wing Tai give orders for his