Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-12-01
Latham was soon to discover.

ucSOldlIOA 1lHOttu- "A Lew LACCS WCl6
crowded inside of a rough stockade
and shaded some miserable little huts,
plainly visible In the light of the full
moon.
The white lantern bobbed over the
hillocks until they reached a gate In
the stockade.
The masked man turned to Latham,
who was close at his heels.
would you enter and face death?"
he asked.
Eyes, said Latham. his curiosity
aroused to Its highest pitch
"FoolT' laughed the other and, slip
ping inside the gate, barred it securely.
IF you have no care for your life I
viii save 1t for you" He blew out the
white lantern, and the place was bath
ed only In the cold moonlight.
Speeches. with surprise, John La
than leaned against the stockade and
looked through at the trees, the little
dark huts and the form of the masked
man who was striding across the yard.
He paused on the threshold of the
largest hut, waved a pale hand and
vanished.
Utter silence reigned over the place.
There vas not the bark of a dog or
the stirring of fowl, and there are few
places In China where chickens are not
underfoot and disputing the right Of
way.
"Tn wait until morning II necessary,
but I'll pierce the mystery of the
white lantern" muttered Latham as
he withdrew to a nearby tree and sat
down with his back against 1t.
The night was warm, and he soon
slumbered.
Morning dawned family in the east.
A red ray of sunshine awoke John
Latham to a bewildered sense Of the
events of the night He rubbed his
eyes sleepily.
Within the stockade there was a
bly, to the shade of the nearest tree
and covered there. Others limped
woefully about In miserable silence,
while others gathered in groups and
ate ravenously, snarling like dogs
while they ate.
Gradually Latham got upon his feet,
a great dread In his face. Nearer,
nearer, he drew, step by step. to the
stockade, where a dreadful face peer
ed at him through the palings.
A face that was a mockery-a mis-
ery-an inhuman horror!
Latham laughed wildly, and the face
vanished.
He saw the tall form Of the lantern
bearer striding across the yard. He
was clothed In a long white linen coat
such as surgeons wear, and or his
hands were white gloves. He was
still wearing the mask of the night
before.
He came straight to the stockade
and, gripping his hands upon the pal
ings, he asked abruptly:
MY God. man, can't you stay
away?"
"You are an American" was La
tham's surprised reply.
yes" The other drew a deep
breath. And %you-what are you do
ing here in this place of pestilence and
death? Did you come across the world
to tempt me to revenge myself upon
you for stealing the woman l loved?"
he ended iercely.
Latham cried out sharply.
"Only one man in the world could
reproach me that way" he breathed
heavily.
II am that mani" declared the other.
Il am Clay Fosterr'
"Clay Foster-you? You are here
here In this leper colony?" painted La
than. "You-you the brilliant young
physician who had everything in life
Everything save the woman l low
ed" was the grave reply. 81 can bring
my skill and knowledge here among
these unfortunates. l can do good.
What more can l askT"
Latham's soul was wrung with re-
morse.
And 1t was In your power to visit
death upon me-" he said slowly. when
l saw you with your white lantern Of
warning that a leper was coming
through the streets-when l saw you
little did l guess your identity or the
significance of the white lantern.
Il was attracted by an element of
adventure, and l followed. l wanted
to follow you In ~here-among thesei
And you, whom l had wronged, you
prevented me! Clay Foster, you are a
great nan indeed"
He bowed his head against the pal
ings, and the man who had devoted
his life to the comforts of a leper colo
ny in the heart of China looked at him
pityingly, as looks one who has out
grown the insignificant things of life,
who knows only of the magnitude of
sin and suffering and offers up his life
to allay it
DIR. Foster spoke again: you had
better go now, Latham. Remember
me to old friends back in the world.
Say that I am well and happy, and,
hang it all, I'd like some newspapers
that are not a year old" He laughed