New Britain herald., 1924-11-28

ed to scale that grim barrier, the Great Divide of east and west, and pluck the forbidden fruit that grew therein. The dragon that guarded the tree had many heads and the stout heart in his small frame quailed. not for himself, but for Miss -Heng.
 ! Suddenly a slim form crept to his side from the shadow of boat. His arm stole round her and she fell sobbing on his coat. The sweet spices of the mysterious orient rose to his nostris, intoxicating him; the rich silk of her jacket was pleasant to the touch.
 She looked up at him through her tears.
 T had to come to you, Donald" she murmured. My uncle is al- most well Tomorrow he will get up, and my prison doors will close on me forever"
 He felt her trembling In his arms like frightened bird.
 "Is there no way out?" he asked softly.
 She shook her head.
 ITO disobey--i sdeath!" she whis- pered.
 I'm not afraid of death, susie," he told her. using the pet name he had invented his dreams.
 She smiled proudly.
 Tt can never be-" she said T must go to my cage on the one side of the way. I shall know you are thereon the other side but l shall never see you. Will you mind very much, Donald?'
 He crushed her to him.
 "ItIi be he'll" he cried hoarsely and kissed her lips.
 A man with a bandaged head, who had just come up from the declt below, saw the two figures by the rail. His yellow face, as he turned to retrace his footsteps, was utterly devoid of expression.
 Come in, MT Lai-Ho."
 The stout Chinese rubber king handed his red umbrella to a servant and came slowly up the steps to where Corrigan was waiting Co:ri- gan huge, Clean-shaven, and genial, held out a welcoming hand. The oriental, clasplng his sun helmet to his chest sat down in the chair the Englishman had placed for him.
 Thanks" he murmured, with a peculiar guttural intonation. Corri- gan pushed forward an open tin of cigarettes.
 T am not blind" he said present. ly, tapping his temple with a fore finger.
 Corrigan raised his brows. ! "No," he agreed politely T should scarcely have thought so."
 The oriental licked the ash from his cigarette and sat back in the long krosi, his dark eyes regarding , Corrigan through diagonal slits. , When I have fiend." pursued , Iai-Ho, T do evelything that I can for him ;but"-a malevolent light flashed suddenly from his eyes-'1t : I have an enemy, MT. Colligan, il f would be better for him if he had never lived at all" , "A very admirable code" said Corrigan, his hands in his pockets; [ but l fail to understand" You are my fiend and that is why !, l come to you this afternoon. You will Remember, Mir. Colligan, the cir. cumstances of my malliage. Fol. s lowing the customs of my county. il was allanged for me by my palent: in my infancy. Thlee weeks ago { hlought my wife to her new home
 He shook his head slowly from side 10 side. "The world we live in i' too small, my fiend!" Corrigan fidgeted with stray enf of bamboo that had somehow , worked up from the arm of hi chair From the little he knew of this ori E en'al magnate, he felt convinced h.
 had not come there without a pur
 pose He knew too, that his neigh r hor was not prone to wasting words 6 but he couldn't for the life of hin discover to what end the converse q ton was leading. He had never SC s eyes on Mrs Lai-Ho, 10 his knowl . edge. He assumed an expression 0 g intense interest.