Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-11

marked Ralph.
Il went to EaoIinC on the China
coast. you know" began Bea!e abrupt
ly. You remember was searching
for some stray pieces Of that rare old
Kaoling porcelain. and l bad been put
on that trail by Hudnuth of San Fran
cisco"
Ralph nodded.
Il was the only white man within
hundred miles in any direction OF the
little village, and their courtesy dis
armed me of any fears | may have en-
tertained as to their hospitality. The
steamers boat which landed me re-
turned to the big vessel, and she
steamed away into the horizon, leav-
ing me all alone on the yellow mud
shore surrounded by a chatterinS. tit
tering crowd of native Chinese as yell
low as the mud.
"Of course there was no inn TO speak
of, only an infested hole. into which
l poked my head only once. On the
outskirts of the village l found the de-
serted home of a prosperous merchant
and made a deal with his relatives
for its occupancy There l made my
headquarters. surrounded by thieving
servants and aware that If was ever
caught off my guard l was done for.
They were a crowd that would have
knitted me for twenty cash.
81 knew that a remote Chinese fish
ing village is a queer place in which
to look for KaOling porcelatns; but.
mark you, Ralph, that little village
was all that remained of a once great
and prosperous city whose ruins stray
gled back from the sea and covered
many leagues of fat country, broken
by 'jutting stones of half burned tenn
pies.
1T was here those treasures were IL
the earthquake which had destroyed
the city had spared the porcelains. So
made my strongest efforts TO bear on
the temple ruins, and in the end | met
a measure of success. l was sorry
that l had not persuaded you to ac-
! company me on that quest; but no:
perhaps it was best that you did not"
! Beale stared into the fire with
/ strangely lit eyes, and there was some
/ thing I'm the rigidity OF his attitude
that brought Ralph Hillman to a sit
| ting posture where he could watch his
friend closely.
go on, Francis he urged. 81 wish
had been with you, danger or not.
You know I'm not afraid OF that"
! 81 know" said the other, with long
| confident look at Ralph. We have
slept by campfres together, and you
saved my life once. That was why 1
wanted to see you once more"
"Once morer' repeated Ralph uneas-
fly. what do you mean, Francis2 You
are not going away againY
Never mind that now; you will I'M
derstand after you have heard my
story. AS l said. found the entrance
to an especially promising temple and
| planned to spend an entire day there,
hoping to reach the inner shrine, where
there might be n porcelain god, and
was almost sure TO discover some altar
vessels of the coveted ware. OF course
I l had had help in my work, gang OF
coolies had eXcavated for me day by
day, but now that free passage had
been discovered | preferred to be alone,
as | knew they would resent the re-
moval of one article from the place,
and was after all could get.
Before l started out that morning [
had received word that Barment and
his party would join me on the Stb,
that very day was the 9TH of Septem-
Der. | was eated to think | was going
to have white companions at last, men
1 interested in the same pursuit that L
was | sent the boatman. who had
) brought the message, away rejoicing
p,,I 20 md m
Their excited the cupidity OF my native
servants.
: II ordered my house set in order for
a dozen guests. and so l went on to
the buried city. | made my way down
into the stone passage OF the temple,
: found my way unchecked save by &C.
casional blocks of stone, which l pred
away, and at last | was within the
: inner shrine, where my widest hopes
were realized.
g such a collection Of Kaoling ware
you never saw, but Barment will res
cue it, and you may see it in the mu-
5 scum 1t was while l was bending
l above the porcelain that the blow
n came-stab wounds one after another
e in my back and sides from a dozen
- / tredCnelOUS KNIVES. uen WAS uunS
into a dark corner TO die, while the
murderers fed to loot my house.
s Il fingered until the evening Of the
9th. and just as Baruent and his party
reached me. before | could tell them
/ who the guilty ones were, died|
t You WHAT" screamed Ralph, spring.
r ing to his feet.
u Il died" said the other quietly. but
! came to say goodby.' All at once
Ralph was alone in the whispering for
d est. while Nip lifted his head in one
long drawn howl.
week later Ralph HiIlman struck
civilization again. His first search OF
photographic news eft him limp anC
, white The letters stared blackly al
him:
at has been learned that DR.. Fran
els Beale. who had been travelling n
s China. was murdered by natives or
e the coast and supposed to have died
u OH the 9Th inst"