The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-02-21


Yeu can give his queue to the barber.
But you can't get down to the roots that
From The yellow base Of his yellow
And It's very true. There are those
here who pretend to adore me, who
would think nothing Of treating me
las they treated poor Ling Fo. II they
suspected l knew anything and gave
information"
81 don't want you to think I'm .
coward, Miss Grayson," she went on. .
turning to Evelyn. II think I've proved
to you that want to help you and
mean to, but I'm rather upset tonight,
and I'm so afraid we shall have to let
matters rest little longer There 10
one thing, though, that you can do
for me. IL you will"
The last sentence was addressed to
me, and made haste to assure her
that she had only to command me.
AS she had spoken she had been
fielding and refolding the paper in her
inch square.
Take this" she said. handing 1t
to me, her voice low murmur, and
after you have read it, destroy 1t.
shouldn't want It. found In my pos
session"
Il understand, Miss Clement" re-
turned and the folded square went
into my waistcoat pocket.
1T may mean more to you" she
added, in whisper. than anything
l could say" u
When once more in the brougham.
speeding northward. Evelyn, who had
been unusually taciturn throughout
the interview. asked me a question.
! did you mean what you said,
Philip"
what did say?" queried.
That you understood"
81 understood that It might not be
well for her to have this letter OF
Ling Fo's about
but the rest? Her refusal to talkf
Her uneasiness? Her fear Of possible
traitors?" she persisted.
Once moro she had gone straight to
the heart of the situation. had been
as puzzled as she by the missionary's
attitude of constraint. which i could
not attribute wholly to the tragedy she
had told. US Of; and admitted as
much to Evelyn.
'If she suspected eavesdroppers,"
the girl argued. "she said too much.
II she didn't fear being overheard, why
couldn't she tell us all she knew"
| For want OF better answer said:
Perhaps the letter will solve the
enigma" and plucking 1t from my
pocket with thumb and forehnger
began carefully to unfold It.
] The interior of the vehicle was bril-
liantly alight, and though we were
already far beyond the Chinatown
zone and the chance observation of
any lurking spies, nevertheless chose
discreetly to draw the shades prior
to outspreading the written page.
Before the sheet with its network Of
creases was quite fattened, Evelyn.
who was bending >attentively near. ex-
claimed in surprise. ut is her own
handwriting! See. 1t 10 written by
Miss Clement herself"
Already absorbed, made no re-
Spouse. Avidly my eyes were racing
over the lines; greedily. my brain was
digesting them.
"Tidings OF the cruel murder Of
Ling Fo have just reached me. When
you come, as know you will, shall
not dare to speak what have written,
and which is all that the poor boy
ever told me. Already there are spies
about me, and your visit is risk to
us both. would have prevented 1t. II
| could.
Three weeks ago, according to Ling
Fo. a white man was abducted by or
der of the Six Companies. and shipped
to China for punishment, aboard a
tramp steamer. Ling Fo would not
give me the white mans name or any
Of the particulars, save that sixteen
years ago he had committed a crime.
known to every Chinaman In America
as The Crime Of the Sable Lorcha,'
or black funeral ship, by which near
| ly one hundred Chinese coolies lost
their lives.
ut seems now that this man, who
they thought was on the ocean, sud
denly reappeared in New York. few
nights ago. He was recognized and
set upon by two Cinnamon. but he
escaped, and the Six Companies and
all the tongs are In ferment over the
mystery"
Evelyn's hand was on my arm as |
/ road her fana cIOaa IN nina raa dinO