The Sauk Centre herald., 1913-07-24


the maze of it's crooked streets and ale
leys escape would be easy. Even
numbered by a foreign woman NO
Asiatic hand would stop their flight.
Public sentiment was against the for
eign invasion.
Only a criminal. such as Wang Tao
had proved himself to be. would dare
to commit a second crime to conceai
the first.
The two men in the launch were 81.
lent as the little craft sped upstream.
Harry Ames' eyes were busy search
ing for a glimpse of the yellow sam
pan. His thoughts were chaotic. Only
the week before he had asked Rose to
marry him; she had consented, and
Mr.. Galbraith had refused to consider
the question. Ames' minor position
in the bank was not considered sufa-
cient to support the beautiful daughter
Of the rich Galbraiths.
But John Galbraith had evidently
forgotten that episode in his horror at
the abduction of his daughter. Con-
stantly he urged Harry Ames to make
greater speed as the sun went down
and left the river dismal yellow path
leading-whither?
"Im getting every inch out Of her,
sir" reiterated Harry patiently.
There, there! l believe it is beyond
there. at the third fight of steps! See,
they are half carrying some one wrap
ped in long cloakv'
He turned the Lark toward the stone
steps leading down from one Of the
water gates Of the native city. Even
as he did so there came shrill warn
ing cry from a nearby boatman.
"Ay. yah!'' he shrieked shrilly, and
the men about the yellow sampan
turned. saw and melted through the
adjacent gate.
Two minutes later Harry Ames and
his companion scrambled up the slimy
stone steps and plunged through the
gate just before 1t slammed in their
faces.
The crooked street was empty, but
: away to the left came the sound Of
muffed foot beats on cobblestones.
"FOllow me, SIR" cried Harry Ames,
| his fingers clutched about a weapon
and his elbows pressed close to his
sides.
He turned to the right, entering q
winding alley that sprang apart into
three branching alleys. At the end Of
the middle alley a confused group Of
people melted out Of sight.
"Herer' shouted Ames, dashing down
the thoroughfare.
The alleys and streets were strange
ly deserted It was as If all the deni-
zens OF the closely, shuttered houses
had withdrawn from the street to al
low free passage for the abduct0rs to
make their escape.
| John Galbraith soon fell behind In
the chase. He could only glimpse
Ames' flying white clad figure as it
darted around corners and up and
down deserted streets.
Twice they had doubled on their
tracks, and once Harry Ames had
heard a muff1ed scream for help. It
was growing dark now in the city,
and the occasional paper lantern hung
before doorway served to accentuate
the gloom of the badly paved. filthy
streets.
All at once, painting and breathless,
Ames stopped at corner. He was
baff1ed. He had lost track Of his
quarry. Where had they disappeared?
A moment before he had been almost
upon them, and now they had been
swallowed up by some forbidding
doorway.
He looked about for one large enough
to receive them in body and saw the
latttced gate of temple.
He waited an instant for Mr.. Gal
braith to join him, pointed at the tenn
pie, and together they assailed the
gate. 1t fell in at their first touch,
and they FASTENED up the wide stone
steps, where filthy mendicant priests
scurried away like scared rats at their
approach.
Inside the temple there was a muf-
fling darkness, with the suffocating
smell of incense.
There was great silence. Not q
sound broke the stiffness of the place.
'They are not here. 1t is too late"
moaned Mr.. Galbraith.
| wait" said Ames tersely. He pull
ed an electric torch from his pocket,
and it's needle-like light searched hith-
er and thither through the smoke
shrouded atmosphere. He heard sup
pressed whispers, shrill gatherings
nipped in their first utterance and
once the beginning of that weird Chi
nese cry of intense excitement:
"Ay, yahv But it was silenced, and
there followed an ugly gurgling sound
and girls faint, frightened cry.
Courage, Rose; coming" called Har-
ry Ames, and he dashed toward the
sounds.
Careful, my boy" cautioned Mr..
Galbraith's agonized voice from the
rear.
But Harry Ames had but one
thought. The torch flashed hither and
thither until it sought and found Wang
Taos scared yellow face near the vo-
| tive table. Beside him was another
smaller man. The third one of the alb
ductors lay dead across the floor. Rose
Galbraith was nowhere to be seen.
In three seconds the thieving COM