Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-12-01
The White
Lantern
How the Mystery
Was Solved
By CLARISSA MACKIE

left the squalor of the best inn that
the place afforded and made his lei
surely way down the crooked streets,
quite oblivious to the malodorous at
mosphere as well as the u~nfriendly
glances that met him In his walk.
Latham was agent for q large firm of
tea importers, and this was to be his
last trip to China. Hereafter he would
be stationed In the New York office of
the company, and he was glad of the
change.
This evening as he strolled the streets
looking for that led down to the
rivers edge. where there might be a
Whit of fresh air to fill his lungs, he
scarcely noticed the crowds that grad
ually filed the streets. Then the
sound of drums and the shrek Of Chi
nese fiddles announced that some festi-
val was In progress.
Lighted paper lanterns appeared ev-
erywhere, and Latham was jostled to
and fro In the crowd
AS he went he became aware Of a
curious fact.
In the narrow street there appeared
among the gayly tinted lanterns one
Of pure white paper. 1t was swinging
at the top of a slender bamboo pole,
and the man who carried it was
masked
As oon as the white lantern appear
ed a babel of staccato yells arose from
the crowd, and they broke away to let
the white lantern have free passage.
Then silence fell upon the street, and
the masked man had the right Of way
until he turned the corner and disap-
peared.
Latham asked himself the question:
What about the white lantern? p
and the spirit of adventure which was
ever with him answered, "Follow It"
So he fastened to the corner as best
he might, turned it and In the far dis
lance saw the white lantern making a
path for itself through this less crowd
ed thoroughfare.
He kept a hundred feet behind the
pale bobbing transparency until it left
the windings of the city streets and
turned into a path hat led into the
country.
AS he passed through the city gate
Latham felt a hand on his arm. The
gatekeeper-a fat, friendly looking
Chinese-pointed after the white Ian
tern bobbing steadily away.
1.-THE American lord must not fol
low the white lantern" he said in the
dialect of the province.
Latham understood his words and
paused.
why not?" he asked curiously.
at Is not well to follow the white
lantern" persisted the other guarded
ly. 1T leads to DEATH"
"Why can't you tell me where it is
going and all about itT" Latham Jug
gled a dollar 10 his hand.
The g~atekeeper's eyes looked covet-
ously at the money, but he shook his
head.
II cannot speak the name or 1t will
come upon me and my family for three
generations" he muttered. "But l
have warned you"
81 shall follow It," said Latham OBJ
stinately. And here's something for
your warning, man of impeccable con
science" and he dropped the money
into the eager palm.
The white lantern was disappearing
down the farther slope of a little hill,
and he had to run to keep it in sight.
The masked man was evidently in a
hurry now, for he was Fastening up
and down the little hills, lodging
around farm buildings, following the
meandering path along the rivers
edge and finally vanishing in the gloom
Of a pine grove.
Latham ran breathlessly among the
pines until the moonlike face of the
white lantern appeared close at hand
Now it stopped, as If its bearer was
aware of pursuit and was waiting for
the pursuer.
Latham painted to a standstin be-
fore the masked figure.
The white lantern was lowered un
til 1t became a barrier between the
two men.
"Stand backI' said the lantern bear
er in English.
Latham. startled by the unexpected
order. obeyed.
The glow of the white lantern shone
on the implacable black mask with its
holes. through which sparkled glitter
ing eyes.
"Stand backr repeated the lantern
bearer.
"Why?" retcrted Latham.
because to follow me is to go to a
horrible DEATH"
81 would chance it." said Latham
recklessly, for he had witnessed many
strange happenings in China, and his
curiosity was aroused by the incident
of the evening. LET M follow you.
stranger, and 1 will hold no man re-
sponsible for what happens"
The masked man laughed shortly.
"Come, foolr' he cried and lifted his
white lantern on high.
Latham followed, q strange depres-