The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-10
The Woman ehind
the Funnel.
BY Frank Hurburt o'Hara.

| perhaps, but now she was quite
awake. She thought she heard a
voice very close at hand. 1t sounded
familiar, and she lay back in her
chair, listening.
81 first met Mason on the Bund at
Shanghai" said the voice.
The woman trembled as she lis
tened. The voice came from the 9th
er side OF the funnel. Her back was
! to the huge stack. which prevented
the possessor OF the voice from see
ing her. She did not move, only tuck
ing the blankets more closely about
her.
On the other side OF the liner
three men sat. He who was speak
ing was perhaps 40 years of age, or
trile Younger His voice was low
and clear. The others smoked and
| listened.
"He was handsome chap, this
Mason--an athletic sort OF fellow,
and not over 90 when l knew him.
But, as I was saying, 1t was for him
that very peculiar sacrifice was
madc-the only sacrifice that ever
came exactly under my own observa-
ton"
TELL us about It," vcnturcd one.
For a time thee first speaker was
silent. gazing out over the moonlIt
Caribbean.
Well" he said, at last, 81 was in
| Shanghai when Mason came ont
from the States. His sister was with
him; or, perhaps. should say he
was with her. for she was the back
bone OF the two-and she was a
dream. Oh. we'll. as said. It was a
long time ago. Miss Mason was as
rich as any one might well wish to
be, and perhaps richer They were
orphans, and mighty fond Of each
other. GraCc-that was her name
idOlized her brother, and he GER
tainly thought lot Of her. Al the
money, ut scems, had been left to
Gracc-maybc because the father
had known Of his sons weakness for
gambling.
81 didn't learn about this love Of
game until ii long time after met
Mason; but. of course, it cropped
out in time Otherwise, he was an
ideal man. think; hut once he got
TO gambling there was no stopping
him. And yet. strange as it may
seem, Grace never had discovered
this. He had wasted a pile Of money,
I suppose. and hers, too. But she
mover knew, nor even accused him Of
being a spcndthrift.
There was another American in
Shanghai at this time whom | hap
pened to know extremely we'll. AZ
terwnfd he told me all that am go
ing to tell you."
The man relightcd his cigar and
for long moment said no word.
And he?" his companions
prompted.
"Oh he fell In love with Grace. of
course. There wouldn't be anything
worth telling il somebody didn't. lie
wasn't a very wealthy fcIIOw-in
fact, all he had was a little income.
Beside the Mason fortune it was in
finilCsimal. But, mind, il was not the
money he wanted. 1t was Grace.
Grace liked Shanghai and lin
Ecrcd there. Sc wGs just over in the
Orient for pleasurc--had come TO
see the cherry blossoms Of Japan,
as she said. and then had come on
down the coast. Perhaps 1t wasn't
Shanghai alone that kept hcr-fOr
after all, hcireSscS are mortal and
have hearts. In short. she fell in
love with the man
Meanwhile Mason had become
fond OF the lover and had found
him good companion But he new
or let the man know about hiH weak
spot--oh. no! So things went on.
until at last Grace had promised TO
become a wife. They told the brother
anil he was willing. But, alas!
things tarricd. You sec, tho fellow
felt he wasn't quite ready financially
to do all that he would want to do
for his wife. So they waited 4 bit
waited hit ton long"
lie paused. tossing his cigar over
the rail. The woman behind the fun
mel was listening iNtcntly. Shn
shivcret trine us the man resumed.
Zone day Grace took her be-
trothcd into her confidence and told
him of a vast sum of money that was
coming 10 her from firm whics.
was sending an agent to Shanghai TO
settle the matter. | won't tell YOU
how much of a sum it was, bccaWse
You might not believe me. At any
rate, the sum was coming, and the
woman told her nance and the
brother.
There is no need to dwell upon
the following events. What, hap
pened Is Obvious. The agcnI came
and the brother somehow manage!
10 step in ahead of the sister and get
the money. Don't ask me how on
earth he managed it, for | don't
know. The gambling fever was up
on hlm--and the money went,
"Thc next day--that Is, the day
after Mason had los. the money he
took his sisters fsncs into his con
Rdence and told him about the
whole affair. What was said during