SHORT STORY.

Thames Star, Volume LX, Issue 16960, 6 December 1926, Page 3

SHORT STORY.

AN ORIENTAL EPISODE,

T made the acquaintance of the stranger aboard the Mishina, Maru when only a few hours off Hong-Kong, T 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 middleaged woman. “Who is that?” he asked suddenly. “Miss Ruth ford.” “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 lor 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 materialisation must have some effect on the ether, something after th© 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 th© East he found himself in rather startling circumstances.” “Really?” I was intensely interested and wanted to hear more. 1

“Yes,” he continued, “he was it 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 very foundations the powers of the Orient.

“Tlie show really began on starting down the Yangtse-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 pom-pom-ming going on board the junk, which suddenly ceased when Ruthford had anchored within the inlet. He was on deck when tlie chief engineer came up from below and stood alongside of him. They both gazed across the water at tlie junk opposite. “ ‘I suppose you know you own business best, sir/ he said, ‘and it is not for me to give advice, but I’ve had experience in these parts before, and it would -be 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 last there was absolute silence.

“He was dozing, when he suddenly sat upright and listened. He felt sure h© heard something out there on the water. This time it came more distinctly. A rustle of water, as if coming in contact with some moving object. As it cam© closer there was a perceptible dip, dip, until at last a black object slid out of the gloom and up alongside the yacht.

“He got up and walked cautiously to the side, and peered over. He saw a small boat and 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 rope was let down the newcomer hoarded the yacht. His appearance was of the typical Oriental type, and Ruthford could not for the life of him thinlc what his mission could he. Anyway, he acepted an invitation down to his cabin, but was quite unaware of the fact that he was facing that ingenious little photographic machine.

“ ‘You get out of the waters/ he demanded in broken English. “ ‘Who are you/ Ruthford asked. “ ‘I am a mandarin, and you are ill private waters. You interrupted religions festivities/ “Ruthford did not believe this, but w-as 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 by the aid of such concentration and its vibrant quality would’ (register on the sensitive and semi-expqsed negative.

“He agreed to give full consideration to the demand, and told the mandarin that if he would call to-morrow lie would receive his answer. “After the mandarin had left lie began developing and printing the photographs. He learned that he was not in private waters, and that what the mandarin feared was that he was a spy, who might be on hri tracks for holding captive a white woman aboard his junk. He was also worried about a certain Jim Whang. “Ruthford was of an adventurous spirit, and he knew that by dab' bling in affairs of this sort he was risking a knife in the back or a shot in the dark. But he was not the least bit perturbed. He had infinite faith in that uncanny contrivance of his, and was determined to see this little drama to its bitter end.

“Next day he Chinese returned for his answer, and received definite ‘No.’

“The expression that overcame the features of the Chink fully manifested the murderous thought entertained. “ ‘l’ll hunt you from the inlet, you Engleesh dog/ he said, brokenly, as he shook his fist in Ruthford’s face. “ ‘Not if Jim Wrang knows what I know/ Rutliford flung back. “The Chink’s face went yellower, if that were possible. He was about to descend the ladder, and was so unnerved that he almost tumbled bade wards into the muddy depths. He left without another word. On his way back to his junk he seemed to be treated with respect and courtesy by the occupants of numerous small crafts that were doing trade with the shore. “ ‘What did I tell you?” cried Bill, the chief engineer, who had witnessed all. ‘You have let yourself in for something now. These Chinks never forget.’ “lluthford laughed; ‘I have started the ball rolling, Bill, and I am going to see it through.’ “ ‘You’ll get enough fun out of 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 he could about Jim Whang. He learnt that lie was a well-to-do merchant. On receiving this information Rutliford had no difficulty in getting him aboard the yacht on a pretence of business. He was halfwhite, spoke good English and was altogether different from the previous visitor. Rutliford gradually led the' conversation up to the mandarin. “ ‘Have yoiL..h daughter?’ he asked.. “ ‘I have a stepdaughter. Why?’ ‘ ‘ls she living with you?’ , “ ‘What do yon know?’ he demand-1

“ ‘Nothing. You know Tu-Sin-Foo?’ “ ‘What of it?’’ lie demanded. “ ‘Friend of yours ?’. v •“A sickly smile came over his face, but lie did not answer. Shortly after this lie left with the promise to call again as soon as convenient. “The development of the negative showed the discreet Jim Whang as sworn enemy of Tu-Sin-Foo, and at the same time jealous of that worthy’s position among the people. The result of the latter part of the conversation was evident, inasmuch as he suspected Tu-Sin-Foo as being connected with the disappearance of hi.s stepdaughter. Two nights later Ruthford was sitting dreamingly in a deck-chair thinking. He was always thinking and the particular thought he had in his mind was the photographing of thought from greater distances than that at which he was now doing. He was deep in reverie when a report rang out from across the water. A bullet whizzed close to his head. At first he did not know whether it was accident or de- j sign. He crouched on to the deck and 1 crawled to the side. Looking through a hole, he made out, in the dim light, i four boats, loaded with men, coming j direct for the yacht. “Bill’s words came back to him. ‘They never forget.’ As to what would have happened that night he will never knew, because a sudden commotion

started in the junk opposite, and the four boats turned and made in that direction. liifle and pistol reports na.ng out everywhere. Wild cries echoed through the night, and there were many splashes in the muddy inlet, as if caused through fallen bodies. All

Chinatown was out with torches, and lined the shores. The din was terrific. Constant firing was 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. By dawn i the fighting had gone inland, and it j was rumoured that forces met in coni’ bat among the mountains which formed the background to the citj’ of Nanking. “The cause was on everyone’s lips. Jim Whang and his men had boarded Tu-Sin-Foo’s junk and recaptured the white girl who had mysteriously disappeared. These slow-thinking Orientals could not credit her being held oa.ptive under their very noses. And now the two mightiest in, the land were at it. “As a means of precaution Ruthford thought it advisable to get a large ,stock of provisions aboard, because at the first opportunity he intended making a bolt for it, consequently the first | mate again made a trip to the shore, ' as it was he who understood best how to deal with Chinese. He was worried over a sudden lull in the fighting that had occurred the day previous. To him it did not seem natural, and he had a feeling of impending trouble. He had only just reached the shore when a loud report sounded across the inlet. Looking quickly out from whence it came, lie was in time to see an explosion in the vicinity of the Fortuna, and a gaping hole appear in her side. She began to sink fast. Another shell shattered her life-boat.” He paused a. moment. “I made a dive for the inotor-boat with the intention of rendering help, but I was seized suddenly from behind, and tied up.” “You?” I asked in surprise. “Yes.” “Then you are ” “I was,” he corrected, “first mate of the Fortuna, but 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. I managed to wriggle free of the knots, and——” “Well, here I am back again into the land-of mystery.”—By J. B. Linelian, in the Australasian.