Short Story

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 November 1926, Page 8

Short Story

AN ORIENTAL EPISODE.

I made the acquaintance of the stranger aboard the Mishma Maru when only a few hours off Hong Kong. 1 had not seen much of him during the trip. He asked me for a match, and when on the point of lighting his pipe a very attractive-looking girl passed by on the arm of a middle-aged woman. “Who is that?” he asked .suddenly.

“Miss Ruthford.” “Miss Ruthford,” he said, thoughtfully. “I wonder if she is any relation to the scientist of the same name.” “Daughter, I believe.” He looked at me for a moment or two before replying. “I knew William Ruthford. but always thought him single. During one of his experiments he made a discovery the significance of which, at the time,’ he did not seem to realise. He always had a theory that thought was vibrant, mind in action, and that its course of materialism must have some effect on the ether, someth! no- after the principle of wireless waves. He reasoned that if sound could be extracted from space, why -not thought? He worked with this object in view, and eventually produced what he termed thought photography Through indiscreet use of the power of this phenomena during a tour of the East lie found himself in rather startling circumstances.” “Really?” I was intensely interested and wanted to hear more. ‘ “Yes.” he continued, “he was a welllearned man, and eccentric enough even to naming his yacht the Fortuna, meaning the Goddess of Chance. “It was appropriate- inasmuch as his tour was one- of chance, and he staked his all on the evidence of a small, intricate machine with which he shook,'to their verv foundations, the powers of the Orient.

“The show really began on starting down the Ynngtse-Kiang. “After some hours’ cruising in these waters an unusually large junk was observed anchored in an inlet known as Loo-Foo. There was much pompomming going on aboard the junk, which suddenly ceased when Ruthford had anchored within the inlet. He was on the deck when the chief engineer came up from lie-low and stood alongside of him. They both gazed across the water at the junk opposite.

“‘I suppose you know your own business, sir,” he said. ‘And it is not for me to give advice; but I’ve had experience m these parts before, and it would lie well to keep a weather-eye cocked towards those Chinks.’ “He lapsed into silence and -shortly afterwards started off down to his cabin. , „ . “it was a beautiful night, and Ruthford decided to sit on deck. The voices from Chinese kiddies floated across! the water from the shore, half a mile away. Gradually these voices ceased until at Vast there was absolute- silence. “He was dozing, when he suddenly sat upright and listened. He felt sure he heard something out there on the water. This time it came more distinctly. A rustle of water, us if coming in contact with some moving object. As it came closer there was a perceptible dtp. dip, until at Ja-st a black object slid out of the gloom and up alongside of the yacht. “He got up, walked cautiously to the side, and peered over. He- saw a sum l, boat with four ‘Chinks’ in it. One was standing up and looked straight at him as he glanced over the side. He understood the language, enough to know that- the nightly visitor wished to ■speak to him. When a rojie- was let down the newcomer boarded, the yacht. His appearance was of the typical O-rienta 1 type, and Ruthford could not' foe the life of him think what his mission could he. Anyway, lie accepted an invitation down to his cabin, but wa-s quite unaware of the fact that he was facing that ingenious little photographic machine. “•‘You get out of these waters,’ lie demanded in broken English. “ ‘Who are you?’ Ruthford asked. “ ‘I am a mandarin, and you are in private waters. You interrupted religious festivities.’ “ ‘Ruthford did not- believe this, but was wise enough to keep his own counsel. The Chinese showed a fear of something. Ruthford’s policy was to keep that .intensity of thought in the other’s mind. That fear which is the most powerful of all thought forms, which, bv the aid of such concentration and its vibrant quality, would register on the sensitive and semi-exposed negative. “He agreed to give full consideration to the demand, and told the mandarin that if he would call to-morrow he would receive his answer. “After the mandarin had left he began developing and printing the photographs. Tie learned that he was not in private waters, and that what the mandarin feared was that he was a spy, who might be on his tracks for holding captive a white woman aboard his junk. He was also worried about a certain .Tim Whang. “Ruthford -was of an adventurous spirit, and he knew that by dabbling in affairs of this sort he was risking a knife in the back or a shot in the dark. But be was not the least bit perturbed. He bad infinite faith in that uncanny contrivance of his, and was determined to see this little drama to its hitter end.

“Xext day the Chinese returned for his answer, and received a definite ‘No.’

“The expression that overcame the features of the Chink fully manifested the murderous thought he entertained. “ ‘T’ll hunt you from the inlet, you finerleesh dog,’ he said, brokenly, as he shook his fist in Ruthford’s face. “ ‘Xr>* if -Tim Whang knows what T know,’ Ruthford flung back. ‘‘The Chink’s face went yellower, if that were possible. He was about to descend the 'adder, and was so unnerved that .he almost tumbled backwards. into the muddy depths. He left without another word. On hifc way hack to his junk he seemed to be treated with respect and courtesy by the occupants of the numerous small crafts that were doing trade with the shore. “ What did I tell you P’ cried Bill, the chief engineer, who had witnessed all. ‘You have let yourself in for something now. These Chinks never forget.’ “Ruthford laughed; T have started the ball rolling. Bill, and T am going to see it through.’ “ ‘You’ll get enough fun out ol the affair before it’s finished.’ he grumbled as he made off to the engine-room. Later in the day the first mate and three of the crew went ashore for provisions. While there he was to make inquiries and find out all no could about Jim Whang. He learnt that he was a. well-to-do merchant. On receiving this information Ruthford had no difficulty in getting him aboard the racht on a pretence of business. He was half-white, spoke good English, and was altogether different from his previous visitor. Ruthford gradually 'ed the conversation up to the man darin.

“ ‘Have vou a daughter?’ lie asked. “Whang looked steadily at him tor a few -seconds. “ T have a stepdaughter. Why? “ ‘ls she living with you?’ lie demanded. , , , 11 li ‘What <lo you know? he denianueci. 4 ‘ ‘Nothing. You know Tu-Sin-Foo? “ ‘Wluit of it?’ he demanded. “ ‘Friend of yours?’ “A sicklv -smile came over his face, but he did not answer. Shortly after this he left with the promise to call again a« soon as convenient. “The development of the negative showed the discreet Jim Whang as sworn enemy of Tu-Sin-Foo, <vnd at the same time jealous of that worthy s position among the people. The result or the latter part of the conversation was evident, inasmuch as he suspected lu-Sin-Foo as being connected with the disappearance of his stepdaughter, iwo nights later Ruthford was sitting dreamingAv in a deck-chair thinking. He was always- thinking, and the_ particular thought he had in his nirad wae the photographing of thought from renter distances than that at ay men he was now doing. He was deep in reverie when a report rang out trom across the water. A bullet whizzed dose to his head. At first he did no know whether it was accident or design He crouched ou to the deck and crawled to the side. Hooking through a hole, he made out. in the dim light, four boats, loaded with men. coming direct for the vacht. . <rr , _ “Bill’s words came back to him 1 hey never forget.’ As to what would have happened that night he will never know because a sudden commotion started in the junk opposite, and the four boats turned and made in that direction. Rifle an oisto! reports rang out every--1 where Wild cries echoed through the I night, and there were many splashes in the muddv inlet, as if caused through fjfTTen bodies. All Chinatown was out with torches, and lined the shores. The din was terrific. Constant fijWg nas kept up all night.. It was the first mate who reported to Ruthford that the entrance to the inlet was guarded and that strict orders were given that no boats be allowed to leave for the open river Bv dawn the fighting had gone inland and it was rumoured that forces met in combat among the mountains which formed flic- background to the oifcv of Nanking. , . v “The cause was on everyone « Uns. lim Whan" and his men had hoarded Tu-Sin-Foo’s junk, and recaptured the white girl who had mvsteriouslv disappeared. These sW-thinking Orientals could not credit her being helo captive under their very noses And now the two mightiest in the land wete “As a means of precaution Ruthford thought it advisable to get a large stock of provisions aboard, because at the first opportunitv he intended making a holt for it. Consequently the first mate again made a trip to the shore, and it was he who understood I>est how to deal with Chinese. He was worried over a sudden lull m the fio-hting that had occurred the day previous ' To him it did not seem natural, and be had a feeling . of impending trouble. He had onlv mst reached the shore when a loud report sounded amoss the inlet. Looking -quickly out from whence it came, he was in time to see an explosion in the vicimtv ot the jportuna, and a gaping hole appear m her side She began to ruik fast. Another Audi shattered her life-boat.” ITe paused a moment. “T made a dive for the motor-boat with the intention of rendering help, hut 1 was seized suddenly from behind, arid tied up.” “You 2 ” T asked in surprise. “Yee.”

“Then you are ” “I was ” he corrected, “first mate of the Fortuna, hut am now just a gentleman at leisure.” “But what happened then? “Ruthford and his crew were drowned Strange to say. I was left in the bottom of'the boat. T managed to trriggle free of the knots, and—— “Well, here I am back again into the land of nwstery.” g J. Linehan in the Australasian.