The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-04

half light admitted through the open
window gave unsatisfactory answer as
to time and place. 1t might be dawn,
midday or evening. might still be In
the same building into the basement
Of which had plunged after the So
called Peter Johnson, or might be
miles away. Yet of one fact was
assured. 1t was no longer night. Day
had come again and eight hours at
least must have passed since stood
killing time on the sidewalk In front
OF the restaurant In which was to
have met Yup Sing.
And, as my mind cleared, there
rushed In upon me recollection Of
Evelyn's apprehension and Of my
promise to reassure her not later than
eleven o'clock. Suffering as was,
physically, | know my mental distress
at thought Of how she must have
waited with growing solicitude hour
after hour for that expected ringing OF
the telephone bell; how, indeed. she
must, even now, be distraught, not by
uncertainty, but by the conviction that
some ill-some serious ill-had befal-
len me, was more poignant.
In my eagerness to relieve at once
this unrest which l knew to be hers
would have risen, but my strength
was not equal to the test. My muscles
refused to obey my will and lay Su-
pine, inert, powerless. would have
learned the time, but to seek my
watch, which / fondly fancied was
still In my pocket, seemed such an
enormous exertion that l reluctantly
gave over the idea. TO breathe, to
draw air into my lungs and expel 1t,
was prodigious labor, wearying me, 1t
appeared, to exhaustion; though with
every inhalation lucidity Of thought
nd, / suppose, physical force as well,
we're being imperceptibly augmented.
After time found myself listen
ing intently for sounds that might
prove informatory, while with head
slightly turned made scrupulous in
ventory Of the room in which l was
cribbed. 1t was cramped, confined
place, upholstered, and furnished with
four rough board hunks, one Of which
occupied. The other three were
empty; but In the scant passageway
between my resting place and that OPP
posite was STOOL, and upon the stool
the pipe and other paraphernalia Pc
culiar to opium smoking.
Then, very slowly, there came to me
a realization Of the vulpine cunning Of
these orientals into whose hands l had
fallen. was to be found here, dead,
not from inhalation of foul air In an
ill-ventilated cellar, which might ex-
cite suspicion and provoke inquiry,
but from over-indulgence In opium, to
which | had probably been addicted
for years, unknown even to my closest
friends. For the "hop fiend" there is
small sympathy, no matter what his
position, and my family would hesi-
tate, therefore, to prosecute, prefer
ring to avoid unpleasant publicity.
Yes; 1t was very clear they had
thought me dead, and so had left me
here unmatched and unattended with
the evidence Of my mode of passing
theatrically displayed beside me. It
only remained now for some employe
or visitor to discover me and give the
alarm.
had about reached this conclusion,
after long and desperately trying
effort at logical reasoning, when my
straining ears detected the sound Of
footsteps in the passage. The door
Of the den was slightly ajar and / lay
well in sight Of any passer.by who
should glance through the narrow
opening.
Whether to feign death, or boldly
make known my recovered conscious
ness, was for just moment a ques-
ton. But before my sluggish brain
could decide, choice was snatched
from me. The footsteps paused, and
simultaneously, 1t seemed, the door
swung farther inward, disclosing, not
the pig-talled, greasy-bloused Mongol-
ian had expected, but white wom-
an. tall and shapely, with hair Of iron
gray and the very kindliest eyes that
ever l looked into.
made as If to speak, but my swol-
len tongue refused to perform It's
office, and something that may best
be described as q gurgle was the re-
suit. With that she came to my side,
and for a little regarded me silently.
felt that seeing the pipe and the
little peanut-oil lamp, she must draw
the natural inference, and, though
there was no reproach in her look, I
wished, II possible, to correct that
false impression. | therefore made
effort to gesture denial, employing q
glance to indicate the objects and
very feeble side movement Of the
head to express reputation.
1t is possible that she understood.
but I question that she believed. |
have no recollection that she spoke
single word to me, and yet, when she
was gone, felt that she would sure
ly return to my rescue. And / was
not mlsled. l suppose this partial re-
lief to my anxiety resulted in slack
ening Of mental effort on my part, for
/ must confess that what followed 10
very vague In my memory. | know
only that she was accompanied by
two men, one white and one yellow,