Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-10-31
A FIGHT IN
THEDARK
1t Resulted In a Narrow
Escape
By CLARISSA MACKIE


The continuous thieving of merchan-
disc from the Shanghai warehouse OF
Gordon Sc Co had finally resulted in
an active Investigation of the matter
by the efficient young manager, Philip
Newton.
He had worked on the matter for
several weeks before he decided that
Lennon his foreman on the wharf,
was In conspiracy with the captain of
a handsome Chinese junk that had
lain at anchor near the wharf at inter-
walls that correspondent with the date
of the robberies.
So 1t was that one rainy night Philip
Newton made his way down to Pun
derson's jetty. where he found Peter
Cook, his trusted young assistant,
waiting for him in the trim little
launch which belonged to the com
pany.
Pundersons jetty overlooked Cor
don's wharf, and Philip had scarcely
seated himself in the launch when Pc
ter leaned cautiously toward him.
Ing Jullh WcHI up hDOuL u huiL hOuh
ago, sir" he said.
"Good! Wen go right along too"
The Meteor sputtered out into the
river and pointed her nose up stream.
After her engine was fairly started
and the specially patented muller had
been applied the noise died down ufl-
til at last she glded in utter silence
through the water.
The drizzling rain had ceased, and
the harbor was jeweled with the radi-
ance Of hundreds of lights from the
gathered shipping. Each tiny sampan
and fishing boat bore its softly gleam-
ing paper lantern, and as the launch
threaded her way out of the anchorage
she seemed to glide over waves of
molten gold where the current broke
the reflection into thousand SHIN
mering lights.
The boat was going very slowly, feel
ing her way, now and then avoiding
n rapidly moving sampan, and but for
the occasional meeting Of one of these
small craft their journey was without
incident until suddenly, without warn
ing, Peter brought the launch to
standstill and Philip realized that the
fender chafed the side of some huge
craft which was moored in the middle
OF the river.
There was a slight jar Of impact, an
almost imperceptlble listing of the lar
ger craft TO starboard, and as she
righted herself the launch was tossed
gently away and again brought up
with slight rub against tho black
bulk
There was dead silence in the launch,
but NIL about them in the fog were the
staccatO murmur OF Chinese voices
and the swish Of water MS though
myriads Of tiny boats might be darting
between the junk and the shore, for
sometimes the sounds were near, as
II approaching them and then dimin-
ishing
Occasionally there was a muffied
thud MS though some heavy object had
been transferred from one vessel to
another, but the encompassing fog con-
cealed the mysterious happenings from
the eyes of the Americans in the
launch
at is the junk" said Philip in a
whisper
~ guess you're right, SIR"
"Put her under shore now, Peter.
There should be landing and some
stone steps along here. Perhaps we
can find what they are taking ashore.
Gently nowr'
The swift flow Of the river drowned
the pant Of the engine, and in n few
minutes they had drawn up under the
high, muddy bank, just beneath the
black wall Of masonry.
From his seat in the bow Philip
thrust one leg over the rail, groped
with his foot and discovered what he
was looking fora flight OF broken
Shiny stone steps leading from the riv-
err to the bank above
Quite by accident Peter hud brought
the launch to standstill at the foot
of this flight Of steps
Philip was undetermined MS to what
he would do next His object had
been TO gain the next landing beyond
them, where he suspected the cargo
boats were unloading the stolen mer-
chandise from the Junk
Although he did not doubt that the
mandarin, San Yuen, chief magistrate
Of the province Of Szechuan, was the
instigator Of the plot and likewise the
chief benefactor in the returns, he
knew It would be difficult matter to
bring the man to justice owing to the
corrupt practices in vogue at the
courts. especially where n high official
was concerned
And San Yuen was not an ordinary
mandarin-ruer Of small province.
He was rich and powerful, a man
DARN OF the coral button Of high rank,
and much I'm favor near the throne.
He could command the richest offices
within the gift Of the rulers, yet he
preferred his position as potentate Of a
prosperous province, which he ruled
with cruel hand that could wiring the
last copper cash from n poor farmer
or extract silver ingots from n mer-
chants treasure chest.
San Yuen was n gentleman bandit,
a pirate. terror to his enemies or
those he preyed upon To the polite
Chinese world he was n splendid gen.
tleman. with the instincts OF a true
sportsman
DR.. J. q. CLIFFORD,