The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-07-02
The Highlander
By VICTOR REDcLlFFE
Copyright, 1919. by Western Newspaper unton)

father was particularly attached 10
him. He was SO recently from his
native land that his sneech was OBJ
scure and imperfect but he was bright,
quick, eager to learn, and every week
in our service saw him with clearer
understanding and more and more ac-
customed &c cur ways.
We always, kept several servants, but
when Ly, as we familarly called him,
was given position under our chauf-
feur and duly domesticated in room
in the garage, the cook and housemaid
affected great dread Of "the heather"
who might at any time decide to muir
der us all in our beds! The mild,
smiling ways Of the new conner soon
dispelled any such fanciful forebod-
ings, however. He was tireless as to
his work, pleasant, accommodating and
neat as pin at all times. We had
reason to cherish and value Ly. But
for his vigilance, force and self-sacri-
fee, father might have never seen
home and family again. In a hotel fire
he had been penned in by flames on
the highest floor Of the blazing build
ing, had fallen, choked and insensi-
BILE, in a tortuously winding corridor
and Ly, who was an extra Waterman
of the caravansary at the time, had
lifted him on his stout shoulders and
had brought him to safety at the cost
OF numerous burns on face and hands.
We all stared when. few days later,
father returned home accompanied BY
the uncouth Ly. We were aroused to va
ried emotions when we learned of the
great deed which had saved to US a
kind and indulgent parent.
Ly never referred to his home and
friends in his native land, if he had
any. He would solemnly detail his
hard experiences in seeking work at
ter he had landed in this country. 1t
seemed quite strange that in no case
did these recitals show that he had
sought aid or compani ollsAip from
those of his own race. He never went
away from the place after coming with
us, and he had fixed up the garage
room assigned to him in unique and
elaborate fashion. Bit by bit Ly nc
cuInulated odd-shaped shells, crockery,
some miniature Chinese gods, bells,
cymbals and draperies, and every
morning he burned joss sticks before
a small-curtained shrine.
So far as Ly was concerned affairs
seemed to move on smoothly, and In a
few weeks he had become settled
feature Of the domestic economy
was quite curious for q spell Of about
a week when Ly's service seemed to
/ be in considerable demand by my ia.
ther. They were together, shut in the IL
brary, as IL In secret consultation.
During the same period ! knew that
my father was greatly troubled about
his business. Ny mother called me to
her one day with grave, anxious
face.
Cecilia" she said, II have something
serious to tell you"
ut is about father?' ] inquired with
intuitive dread.
"Yes, dear His business is In q
position where the lack Of ready cap
ital may lead to disaster. II it so cul-
inmates your marriage with Gerald,
must be postponed until we have re.
trieyed ourselves financially"
A month later my father began to
brighten up into his old self. It was
not until long after this that I knew
why. It was then that mystery sur
rounding Ly came to light. He had
fed from his native land with jewels
that had been in his family for cen
turtles. A member Of another branch
Of the family had sought to rob him.
Ly was satisfied that this man, Tao
Chin, would follow him to the ends Of
the world to despoil him. Tao Chin
was a member of the highbinders, who
had branches in every country. I.y
had learned that Tao Chin had come
to America hence his hermltlike
methods,
What Ly had done was to loan my
father his jewels to hypothecate I'M
til he could realize from his business.
Three months later my father redeem
ed and restored them, practically say
ed from bankruptcy by the humble, but
loyal Ly.
One day ragged skeleton Of a
Chinaman tainted away from sheer
hunger and weakness just outside our
place! He was carried into the garage,
but none too welcome by his fellow
countryman. Ly fed him and nursed
him for a day, but with the sullen sur
illness of suspicion. The next evening
he gave him some of his own apparel
and sent him on his way.
It was perhaps an hour later when
our chauffeur impaired to father that
a terrible tragedy had occurred half a
mile down the lane that ran behind
our place. Two Cinnamon had been
found gasping their last breath. They
had literally hacked each other to
death. 49, -.
! Later we knew who these victims
were. One was Tao Chin, the other
was the outcast Ly had befriended.
The former had doubtless discovered
Ly, had mistaken for him the other
Chinaman In his clothes, and attacked
him. Each had draw, knife. The