The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-04-09
ORDER
IN STRICKEN CITY
Final Chapter of an Inmates Narrative
Giving his Experience as a Marine Dur
ing the San Francisco Earthquake
Fighting the Chinks in Chinatown.
THRILLING ENCOUNTER
By r.. III. E.-41gS

Rushing up to Major Phillips he
exclaimed. Cad Major! Pm glad te
see these men, mine are all in
Thirty hours without a moments
rest. We've had hell of a time
After the first quake these yellow
underground rats swarmed out like
hoard of sewer vermin. Now
they're trying by every kink in theil
trickey heads to get back to theil
dirty holes" Then to Cox'en Har.
vey: My orderly here will 60 with
you and show you where to posi-
your men. Relieve all my boys and
tell them to report to me here. AL
the general orders stand. Allow alb.
solutely no one in these buildings
Keep your eyes open and don't be
afraid to shoot. After you have
posted your men make the rounds
constantly, reporting to me hereaf-
ter every turn. Go ahead now."
The relief was quickly affected
the soldiers trailing wearily down
the street to obtain the much need
ed rest and refreshment.
The old Red Front" one of the
most disreputable resorts in old
Chinatown; house of Chinese girl
slavery, pill joint and gambling
den, and considered by the police as
the principal entrance to under
ground Chinatown, fell to the lot of
Emery, a seamangunner, and a
young landsman from the training
station by the name of Daley.
The building itself was an old
rambling, three story frame structure
divided into many small bedrooms,
all with heavily barred windows; and
ways. The yen" hunks and gam
bling layouts must have been under
ground for they were nowhere in
evidence.
Guarding the Portals
They arranged for one of them to
remain in the lower hall command
ing the front entrance. while the
other prowled about throughout the
house; changing watches from time
to time. Discarding their rifles as
useless in such close quarters, they
slowed them in a little cubby-hole
under one of the stairways.
For some time everything was
quite and peaceful. The hours
dragging monotonously by. The
boys were standing together at the
end of the hall commiserating with
each other wishing they could have
remained at the dock, where they
knew there was something doing
as Emery expressed it.
What the -" exclaimed EN-
cry, as with violent thrust he
sprang past his companion and leap
ed toward the front. But too late
A Chinaman had slipped in and
scurrying like frightened rat, dart.
ed through doorway a few feet
from the entrance. Almost at his
neels Emery burst into the room.
stopped short and gazed stupidity
about. At his back Daley capped
like a fish out of water. Not g
thing in sight. The Chinaman had
disappeared, vanished like an appari.
ton. In frantic haste they searched
under the bed, behind the draperies
in the small cupboard; in vain they
sounded the floor and walls, en-.
deav oring to find trap door OF
sliding panel. All seemed solid and
permanent.
WELL" observed Emery when
they were again in the corridor
I've seen and heard some funny
things about Chinatown, but this is
the limit. They'll not come that on us
again though" he continued, "I'll
stay here by the door and you lay
off there at the end of the hall and if
1 miss the next one, you'll sure get
him."
So they waited, Emery, quiet and
watchful scarcely taking his eyes off
the front entrance. and Daley in the
rear, taking few quick turns, now
and then, back and forth across the
hall.
Suddenly behind him, Emery
heard the soft. flop, flop of sandaled
feet and the swish of loose flowing
garments. Turning quickly, with a
startled exclamation, he paused, in
amazement! There moving swiftly
along the wall was another China
man heading for the same room into
which the first had disappeared
Where had he come from? All the