The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-18
A FIGHT IN
THE DARK
Ii Resulted In a Narrow
Escape
BY cLARIssA MAcKIE

by the efficient young manager, Phlllp
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
handsome Chinese junk that had
lain at anchor near the wharf at inter
walls that corresponded with the date
of the robberies.
So 1t was that one rainy night Philip
Newton made his way down 10 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 ietty overlooked Cor
don's wharf. and Philip had scarcely
seated himself in the launch when Pc
ter leaned cautiously toward him.
"The junk went up about half hour
ago, sir" he said.
Good. Wen go right along too
The Meteor sputtcred ont into the
river and pointed her nose mp stream.
After her engine was fairly started
and the specially patented muller had
been applied the noise died down un-
til at last she glided in utter silence
through the water.
The drilling rain had ceased, and
the harbor was iewcled with the radi-
ance of hundreds of lights from the
gathered shipping. Each tiny sampan
al ftu 1n m
ing paper lantern. and as the launch
threaded her way ont of the anchorage
she seemed TO glide over waves of
molten gold where the current broke
the reflection into q 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 10 a
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 imperceptible listing Of the lar
ger craft to starboard, and as she
righted herself the launch was tossed
gently away and again brought up
with a slight rub against the black
bulk.
There was dead silence In the launch.
but all about them i'm the fog were the
staccato murmur of Chinese voices
and the swish OF water as though
myriads of tiny boats might be darting
between the junk aud the shore, for
sometimes the sounds were near, as
il approaching them and then dimin-
ishing
Occasionally there was mutiied
thud as though some heavy object had
been transferred from one vessel 10
another, but the encompassing fog con
cealed the mysterious happenings from
the eyes of the Americans In the
launch
cit is the junk." said Philip in a
whisper
81 guess you're right, sir"
There should be a landing and some
stone steps along here. Perhaps we
can find what they are taking ashore.
Gently now!"
The swift flow Of the river drowned
the pant Of the engine, and I'm 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, CROPPED
with his foot and discovered what he
was looking fora flight of broken
Shiny stone steps leading from the riv-
er to the bank above.
Quite 10y accident Peter had brought
the launch TO a standstill at the foot
of this fight Of steps.
Philip was undetermined as 20 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 I'm the returns, he
knew 1t would be difficult matter to
bring the man to justice owing 10 the
corrupt practices In vogue at the
courts, especially where high official
was concerned.
And San Yuen was not an ordinary
mandarin ruler Of small province.
He was rich and powerful, n 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. vet he
preferred his position as potentate OF a
prosperous province, which he ruled
with a cruel hand that could wiring the
last copper cash from poor farmer
or extract silver ingots from n mer-
chants treasure chest
San Yuen was a gentleman bandit,
n pirate. a 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.