The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-01-24

side, all announcing "Chinese Thea
ter" and one giving the current at
traction In Chinese characters, with
the added notice, Seats reserved for
Americans" To the left OF this was
quick lunch restaurant. with white
painted bulk window, beneath which
pair Of cellar doors spread lnvitingly,
one Of them resting against a conven.
tional American milk can. On the
theater's right was laundry. dim and
evil-looking, two pipe-smoking celes-
tials decorating its low step. And be.
yond this was the wide opening to
basement, above which, in white
Roman lettering on a black ground.
read the legend: Hip Sing Tong"
Again and again my gaze persisted
In returning to this sign and the dim
ly lighted cavern beneath 1t. The
place held for me the inexpressible,
unfathomable charm Of the mysterl-
Gus, beside which the heathenish
racket Of the theater across the way
the sinister aspect of the dismal laun-
dry and it's pair Of pipe-smoking guar
dams, even the constantly changing
|
and on sidewalks. exerted but meager
allure.
From time to time dark, silent fig
ures glided vaguely into view only to
disappear within this nav of mystery.
Once, while | watched, l had seen a
| figure issue forth to be lost again in
stantly in the distant gloom Of the
curving street. Now, reverting once
more to this magnet. after a moments
truancy, my eyes were rewarded by
sight of another slowly emerging
form, silhouetted nebulously against
the dusk.
At the head of the steps 1t paused,
uncertainty, and then, instead of Gid
! ing swiftly away in the direction OF
| Pell street as did the other, 1t turned
in my direction, passing almost at
once into the comparatively glowing
radius Of the street lamp opposite.
l saw then that 1t was a man, thin
to cancellation, round-shouldered. and
crooked limbed. Whether some one
jostled him. or voice from the road
way startled him, l don't know. But
for some reason ~he turned his head
suddenly, and the light from the lamp
fell full upon a face, stubble-bearded,
deep-lined, and repellent, the face not
OF Chinaman but of a white man;
a face into which ] had looked but
twice, and then but for a brief mo-
ment; yet face as indelibly fixed in
my memory as were the grim fronts
OF the buildings now behind 1.-THE
face Of Peter Johnson, the pretended
castaway.
think I must have had 1t in mind
TO pick him up bodily and carry him
away with me that might by inquisi-
torial torture wiring from him a con-
fession. Otherwise should have
adopted less eager and more subtle
method Of bringing the miscreant TO
book than that which rashly at.
tempted. Before / considered the sit
uation l was across the street and at
his heels. Ny finger tips. indeed,
were at his shoulder. In the fraction
Of a second l should have had him
gripped and have been hustling him
through the crowd as my prisoner.
But at the instant Of seeming success.
he eluded me. In some strange way
he caught alarm and, shrinking be-
meath my hanS, jarted sinuously off.
between this pedestrian and that, with
the flashing speed of lizard,
But, though he escaped my clutch,
my eyes were more nimble. With
them l followed him until saw him
drop between the cellar doors which
gaped beneath the white bulk window
of the quick lunSh room. And where
1my eyes went, l went after. Another
brief moment and. without thought o.
heed, was plunging in pursuit down
that short, steep flight Of steps-plung-
ing from lightc l. peopled, noisy pub
lie street into the collied gloom and
grim silence Of low underground
basement.
And, as misfortune would have 1t,
must needs catch my heel on the edge
of one Of the treads, and go sprawllng
on my hands and knees; while a
poignant pain shooting cruelty
through my ankle told me that a
sprain was added to my mishap.
For a minute l lay as l had fallen,
prone and motionless; and in that
space l realized the foolhardiness of
my whole course Of action. My very
intrepidity had contributed to disaster.
Instead Of accomplishing a capture l
had cast myself. disabled. into the
mesh of the enemy.
The inky darkness and profound 81.
lence Of the place augmented. OF
course, my apprehension. In vain
strained my eyes to distinguish an OBJ.