Charlevoix county herald., 1914-12-05
CHAPTER III.
First Steps.

Gailord came out Of his drugged
sleen with recollection of three
things; girl with brown hair and
blue eyes, who had smiled at him;
a something vaguely described as a
"bue bomb; ard the knowledge that
Irawaya Oshitu was in Nagasaki, in
some way mixed up in plots and
counter plots.
They were fit things to bring back
from the sleep of the poppy. He lay
for some time after he woke, trying
TO lccide whether he had really
heard the remembered conversation
and seen Oshitu's evil face bent to
scrutinize his own.
At least he was satisfied that the
man had failed to recognize him IN
the slatternly thing he had become.
Had a suspicion of his identity
walked i'm the engineers mind,
Gafford felt certain that he would not
have been permitted to live. So far
as Oshitu was concerned, therefore,
his secret was safe, and he might,
if he wished, hunt his man without
that mans knowing.
The pain in his foot finally brought
him quite awake and convinced him
of the reality of last nights expert
ence. He dragged up the injured
member and inspected it. 1t was
a nasty, bloodclOtted cash which
Oshitu had made. Gafford cursed
him as he looked at it, and wondered
if he could hobble the few doors to
White Kate's tea-house and find re-
lief of a SOFT.
He crawled off the couch and
limped toward the door.
Ills wounded foot made spotted
trail across the mating, but he
kept or, left the room and hobbled
up the .tajrs, and so finally from
behind the bamboo curtain and out
TO the street. There he turned and set
haltingly off for the House of Moon
Faces, cursing Oshitu as he went.
No one paid any attention to him.
Wounded brawlers are not uncom-
mon sight in the streets or shops. He
came, after a tedious progress, to the
place which he sought, and found its
portals closed. Undismayed, he made
his way back to the ally and found a
way of entrance. Presently he sat
on teakwood divan, with his foot
IN WnlCe hdJe lap.
While she washed and dressed aid
bound il, ne told her what was suffi-
cient-that a Japanese had slashed
it while he slept at Oku Kobe's and
vowed that he would be revenged.
Kate finished her ministrations and
advised against any violent reprisal
Then she sent a servant for food.
Fed, and with his wound dressed,
Gafford slept.
An il.congruous object in his dirty
rag, he lay upon richly tapestried
couch, with a cover Of brocaded silk
drawn across the foot of White Hates
bed. After time his fever came up
ant. ne dreamed. White Kate, near by,
| 81, ned to his muttered fragments Of
speech: with a blue bomb | could
own the world-own the world and
have a-have a---blue-eyed Girl--with
brown hair. And | could--break
Oshitu--break him-into bits"
With a rustic of soft silken things
Kate rose and approached the side Of
the sleeper He was hot and tossed IN
lis sleep. TIL woman put dow. a
ham, and laid it On his forehead. His
hand came up and his fingers closed
about hers.
That's good" ne murmured.
That's good" He pressed her palm
against his face. The eyes of the
woman who watched lost some of
their hardened glitter and grew al
most soft.
-Four days passed.
In the interval GaffOrd's foot mend
Ell apace. His blood was at least free
from taint, and it built back the brok-
en- tissues at q wonderful rate. His
habit may even have had something
to do with that. for it's fact that
opium users are rapid to heal of
their wounds.
On the afternoon of the fourth day
Gafford insisted on going out. Walk
ing was still painful, but the wound
did not bleed, and It seemed to CAT
ford that something drove him forth.
He badgercd Kate until she wound
fresh bandage about his foot, gave
him IN old pair of andals and laugh
ingly told him he was the worst pa
tient she ever had.
Gafford turned and caught her
hands. You're good, Kate You're
NOO pOti ~ a btiliN iiht me- oliu III
an ungratcful pig"
you're o man." said White Kate,
loo ing down as she spoke.
Z" wish to God J were" flashed
Gafford Honestly. Kate, Pm sick
of the whole game. | wish l could
be-a man."
Kate shook her head. "Oh, no, you
d,n't. Gafy" she told him slowly.
"If you did, you would be. you
know"
Gafrord regarded her for some time
out OF narrowed eyes. His head
dropped forVard 81 guess you're
right" h. said shortly, end turned
away.
He left the room and went out
through the tea-house. The geishas
lounging about the inner room paid
no heed to his passing. They knew
him for White Hates friend.
Tho few patrons in the outer room,
which fronted on the street, saw only
the familiar sight of a poorly clad
man in threadbare though now clean
garments, WHO passed by.
A brilliant sunshine lay over the
street of shops as he reached the
door md naneed In look nm and