IN THE LITGHT OF THE MOON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6502, 3 June 1899, Page 2

IN THE LITGHT OF THE MOON.

.".V.-.C- IT JslU'v Weekly*: J;T : v - : { J -- i; D'oyers' Street was streaked with? shadows. .Here and there tiip light 'from 'a :; Bflriii'ng; -gas'laSp •flirtd^'tlief riarrow/ way,' making: more 'dismal the' lurking ■ shadows'' which seemed to cling Xit'l thVnooks " ! imd; corners: with gloomy teriicSby-. ■" In the s door-way of | a tmnble : down; house an old goat. stpod : calmly munching.' a .castaway paper-box. It was a clear night overhead. The stars were 'studding the, sky, and /.above theeastern horizon, - swimming in a sea of darkest blhie, the moon beamed brightly. As it climbed the .heavens the stars paled into a dim twinkle, and the • world lay phantomed in a. fiolden hue. The old goat still stood in the door-way, and as the moon smiled above ■ the. house-tops- lye gazed .toward the ball .of radiance,- >qeating a. gentle, tatoo witli his stubby ;tail--against the.door>:post:■'■••. •v, , ;, •.,;.•,•■,■,■■■•• ■.-.:■■■ ■■ i ,-; : 'i' ';....;■ ■■.<:• ' •Further down the st:ceetj<. on: the- right-, hand corner, a fruit-stand^hugged ;.the side w wall 6f:a,tßo.rsKop.~- ,:I?rotn:the feeble. glow; ;of v-air.cii lamp V-fchje- red.;.ojL<tne-,.<fcpples-, ; Jie: -brown of the-datex-.HndT ngsyandVj!the.-<B#^ greeu of tlie sugar cane shone in profusion, behind which pink, white and yellow canopies showed through the sho>v cases. And . back of it all two eyes gleamed like diamonds in the light. It was not yet winter, .but the nights were ! chilly,- and .Hee Jan, the fruit vendor, shivered in his sandals. A breeze had sprung .up with the moon, and it eddied around the corner of the street with a direful moaning. Just at this hour there were few pedestoianS, but as the minutes crept on, the pavements resounded with the scuffling of many feet. The shop-doors began to close, the liguts went out in the windows, and the merchants filed out into the streets, loitering here and there in friendly groups, or promenading the narrow thoroughfare. Hee Jan smoothed back his \ queue aha rattled his bony hands against the side of his stand. ; The. flame i of .the ; 'oil lamp flared j up with the wind, "throwing lns lean f ace iii sombre-contrast, against the.' red ,-trickj wall. : " Hoy .Toy j. Hoy .Toy '! " he mutnKled in a musical- monotone", ''.' Hero's the'nice fruits ! Here's the nice candies ! C6me : and see, and come and buy!". .. ;. '; " Customers were few. and far between; Now and again a friendly Chinaman paused with a greeting, deftly sampling the tenvDting nuts, much to the discomfiture of Hee Jan. "No buyeeJ" he scowled, in broken English. "No biiyee ! Chinaman likee eatee, but no buyee." As he grumbled to himself a pedestrian paused a moment before the stand, and laying a coin before the astoniehed face of Hee Jau, picked up a handful of fruit. He turned to go. Hee Jan leaned forward in his neat. "Is it Wong Yee?" he asked himself, aloud. The stranger paused, and, turning, said, " 'Tis he, indeed. But I know thee not. I am but come to the shoves of the New World. lam a stranger in Chinatown." Hee Jan smiled and displayed a glittering row of teeth. " Dost thou *not remember the friend of thy father? Dost thou so soon forget the hut by the willows, where thou didst play all the dav?" ' The stranger gazed surprisedly at Hee Jan, then, with a nod of recognition, said, " Yes, 'tis Hee Jan! But why here? Dost thou love the dark streets of the city better than the sunshine of thy own land?" "It is passing fair," answered Hee Jan, passing his hand across his brow. "I would at times that I yet lived beside the waters of the beautiful Kiarig, but the gods, have willed me so." He sighed. Wong Yee was tall and brawny. He wore a coat of light ucae, with pantaloons of a darker shade. A black slouch hat covered his head, and his queue hung in one long plait to his ankles. His face was broad and noble,- a well-shaped foreheat retreating from a pair of black eyes that flashed like beads of morning dew. * "Art thou long here?"- continued Hee Jan, eager for a ■ bit of gossip. "Wilt thou remain long with us?" " 'Tis a problem hi my mind," answered Wong Yee, leaning his arm against the stand for support. " I like hot the ways of the white man. I am longing for home." ; ■ "Hast thou friends here?" asked Hee ■ Jan. "Are all strangers about you J" Wong Yee for a moment was silent. " Dost thou know of Hing Lung ?" he asked. " Why, thou art so near him," said the vendor, "thou canst almost hear the puff of his pipe." ' • . Wong Yee started perceptibly, and a tinge of whiteness touched his cheeks. "And his wife?" he continued, slowly Hee Jan leaned forward, straining the muscles of his chest against the shelf until the muscles of his , eyes were stretched. " A woman among all women," he said. "The fairest among the fair of all Chinatown." Wong Yee picked nervously over the nuts and candles. Hee Jan rubbed his hands together impatiently. All of a sudden a gnst of wind swept" around the corner, extinguishing • the flame of the lamp. Hee Jan fumbled among his boxes for a match, • and, finding one, relighted the lamp. ■ The colour of his apples still showed bright, the ;perfume ofthe spices met his nose, but the face of- Wong Yee had gone. He threw up a sliding window by. his side and ; put his head .through the aperture. As he looked he saw Wong Yee swallowed up in the gloom of the street. Doyers Street is a crooked thoroughfare. It winds from ' Pell Street .to Chatham Square, and is so narrow that the sight of a cart upon its rough cobbles is a rare one. Nothing breaks the individuality of a town within" a city save the distant roar of the elevated trains and tlie clang of the cable bells. • The' sound of the cymbal and the flute steals out from the Chinese theatre, the ' fragrance of burning incense floats through- the open- doors, and one feels as though he were treading the streets of a far away Celestial. city.-. _•■•■-. At No. 16, Doyers "Street, stands a fourstory building, looming above the smaller buildings clustered about it. A single doorway marks the main entrance, on one side of which is a tailor shop, and on the other side the famous tea shop of Hing Lung. This dignified personage was at this moment enjoying his pipe by the side of a brazier of charcoal in the fear of his shop, and Loy. Koy, his clerk, was busying himself among the teas, preparatory to closing the shop for the night. ' ' "Draw the curtain," commanded Hing Lung, in a stern voice. Loy Key dropped the scoop of tea he was holding and hastened across the shop to the window. It was a show window of great taste and beauty, especially to the 'eyes of Loy Koy, and he looked admiringly at the exquisite urns of tea, the hangings of coloured paper and a grotesque figure of a marble god on the shelf beside him. As he pulled the curtains together he let his hand wander over the fresh leaves ■of tea, ■ and with a languid caress touched the face of the. god. •'.•'• •• ;. ■ "Bless the s#eet mistress;" he murmured ; "and put 'it into We Mart o? Hing Tiuiig to. ' add anbtner coirivto my iray."- " .'• -. -•"Cease, thy prattle, boy," : sjoke Hing Lung ;•;• " and after -thou nast weighed the tea make, straight for home; Be sure and do not loiter on the cornersj but to thy bed. ' Be" quick!" ' ' ' '"'•.. Loy Koy bowed in obedience, arid a few' minutes later the door closed behind him. From without came the sound of feet, and only the occasional breathing of Hing Lung,as "ire puffed at his pipe, broke the silence! within. A single candle burned in a sus : pended lantern, ' and the charcoal glowed -deep in the' ; brazier:- ' • : '• Presently there' was the creak of an open-' ing door, then the. patter of tiny feet. Hing Lung raised his eyes- and looked toward ! thp: rear of the shop, where a. series' of bamboo' 'portieres divided the room into' sections: '; As he looked the strands were pushed aside and the .face of awoman peered. through. It was' a face of beauty," 'the delicately • arched eye-;, brows^sweeping .over a pair of laughing ; al'mon^d "eyes: ,.,:. There /Was, a repose ofTgreat. ifcfineineht aMtit^b'e mojitb, 'the 'redness- of "a warm blood i: 'sh6wing through. .the I '/ihiri arched lips. Her hair was combed' back tightly from her forehead, ending in a picturesque knot, a curiously carved 'tortoiso; comb encircling the braided tresses. She

rwore a:looafe^fitting.h'ouse;igown'^of;rblr<jwn, relie-vM f.;by ': .&■:< yellow, w.sastei'3 Heft-fingers wesreiseavy^with drdets^o^je^eltedgoldyaadl Iher'^beffded sandals' >gleitoed r cbeneath -'the {embroidered 1 «sdga :;o"f''her'- goxfcn. ■>/;>• -•: -'.so * &■■: r :.'^".ls royTrtaster asleej*??' rasked *ii voiced 4n a tone like the'tinklo of a^b^Hr' -' \-'X.:--. There was no resp<>nsre. "' r tffing'Lung had 'cldsed his ey;es r ahar'3l6ldihg ; his carelsssly; fl.'crpss"hiS chest,-^fejgned to; sleep: - r v " Ycd3"6 ; "q"iilfetl^- made : way acroS3-the room and drawing a low bamboo stoofc b«sitle tlio' braaiet, seated %rsetf at the feet of her liTi^band: Sho nursed her fatie'with her hands, her elbows . resting upon, her knees,' and gazed into the glowing coal?: . -■'".'" "Wliobid thee come 1" inquired _ Hing Lung suddenly, bringing "his. pipe* to his "mouth. . Yeddo started. She hesitated as she spofi^ v ' ! l%e"i^.nl.is ■lqiip.lv;' irpo'd, litfpstfir, and there is an aicHing. h^n-e." Her.'.h'arid sdijght^er^Eeart; . clX \ cpJt!6; to . :^K'ee_ for 'solace." !'*-' v : .■"''. ', r -' ; -•■■ ;-? •■■"" "Thou aTt like aitftld'fish fe a bbwl,.'tod yet thou dost bewail thy fste." . < ...-;. / v ~ ; '' : Nayt" : s^d' ; ¥ed&t % rt -thQri''ir^ so kind "■■& '«ie'v"t}ibit' ; haWßi9i¥fl ffle a^a'-'fed 'me all^T?at^'7gb^? s f?ove « t®** dutiful wife should love her husband:" "Thou dost talk like a child,"' said. Hhig Lung. " Who would not desire to be the wife of Hing Lucg ? Thou art the envy of all Chinatown. ;Thou hast the attention of a queen." • ' "Foviv?. me t s'r.'if I sneak •unjustly." began Yeddo. tearfully j " but a ' q[ueeh is not. without loneliness, nor without tears. I do not idly speak;; nor do I seek thy displeasure, but thou canst not serve two queens." ..... "Woman, dost thou know of what thoa spsakest ?" '■ <■ • "Even so." " You suspicion me ?" ;: ' ' " Nay, good master ; suspicioii has been swallowed up in truthl" ■ • " What lj-ing devil hast gained thy ear ? Who sought thee and told thee this ?" -Hing •Lung ■ spoke -in krud : .and-- angry tones, • iie ; preyed his finger to' the bbwl : df his pi'pe'-un-til the ■skiriwassdo'rc'lied'with the'hVeat:' "Hits r eyCs ' fished' 'sedtht-" - V; ■'■ ;■••"'■•-•■ ! ''" :; ■~rty - ■ •" My- dwnr eyes haTe'shSwn me, and -the : l6'nelin:ss 'of my 'couch has whieperedminy ' ears. 'Tis 'the -beauty of fhe white woman whiiih has taken thee from me." --- T « v Yeddb hid" -her face- in her' hands; Hing Lung rose from his seat and paced to and fro across the room. ' After a little he paused before his cowering wife. " What if the bird does wander from its uesfc, the fish from the brook, the ant from its hill ? What is it to you ?, Art thou my keeper ?" , ... , Yeddo faced her husband. She trembled, and caught at the air for support; Her eyes showed lumiuous in l«e dun light of tha shop. ' ' "Didst thou not bring me from ;my home across the seas, to this strange land? Didst thou not promise to be true to meT This evil woman plays w:th thee as a cat doth toss a mouse, and when she toed of you will crush you in her claws. Ufc, my master !" She [Vurst into wping, ( Dd not turn fronvme,". she ..effltowrij Can Ido other t^an sigh and weep/ Ihfl nigh" is far spent: before thou comes« holie. I pray thee, stay wilh me. Love raTas thou didst promise to do on the a Hine°Lung turned quickljr and tbrusft the beautiful creatiirc from him. Heftang chamber and hido brazen face By aU tuTis right, I slWld «*t thee from.my, door. You dare to chide me. Go! . "■Master, have pity!" exclaimed Yeddo. "Go!" he stormed. ; . . She turned and crept, towards tlie Te» of the shop. As she reached the swß-yiag bamboo sta-ands sue . stopped land looked oack. Her husband had donned' hia coaA and was standing by the. door. He scowied at her. • ... , ■■„', "Stay, kind master,' she sobbed. ■ Hing- Lung, with a sudden movement, caught, a small vase .which stood .bn-a- ahrif SJ by, and as ' Yeddo " disapnea^ through the nortieres he hurled rb at her retreating figure. Jt tore through «» slender threads. Tnere was a sudden. 917, the sound of one falling to the floor, then all was still. " He snatched his hat from the counter, and pulling his fur-lined collar close., to his throat, fled from the shop. Yeddo for- a moment ,lay stunned on the floor. Happily the vase missed her head, spending itself against the wall. She had swerved to one side as it whirled past her, and, stumbling, had fallen to the floor as it broke into bits. As the front door rattied on its hinges she gained her feet and slowly mounted the narrow stairway. It was a cosy room that she called her own. The walls were hunt? with colonred Danels pf paper, and soft draperies shaded the windows. Couches and. rugs, with ari occasional folding screen, made it almost) Oriental in its fittings. In one corner the »> d r>us faca of a household god showed through a cloud of smoke, which curled up from, burning incense . sticks, filling tha room with a heavy perfume. . She dragged herself across the floor and fell on a low couch. She sobbed to herself, Her heart felt as though ifc had been rent in twain. Little by little the tears dried in her eyes, her heart throbs slowed, and she began to reason. The picture of her beautiful home among the hills of the province of Kwong Tung rose before her vision! She could hear the splash of the fountain -at her door and the song of the bird ' in the tree. Sic could see the touch -of .the morning sun upon the hills, the sheen of the. rice fields, and the gilded dome of some distant pagoda. One year back and she had been a free child in her father's household. Wing Chong owned great rice fields along; the banks of" the >Kaang, and -was one v of the wealthiest natives in the province. But Fortune ' is -'as-' fickle -as she -is good, and theTe ■ had come -a . time : when ruin s/Kared him in the face, and the = treasury of tl» household grew small. -And -it. was at tins time that Hing Lung, the. wealthy New York' tea merchant, - had * visited his . native land. He saw Yeddo; there was a hasty compromise, and before many days had dawned the marriage feast was over, and Wing Chong was a > saved man. <A short time ; afterward Doyers Street was gossiping about the beautiful bride. Yeddo's cup of bitterness was filled to the brim, and as she lay crushed in sorrow there came the thought, of another, the sweet remembrance of love's young pledge. Would she ever see the face of the noble Celestial to whom long ago she had given her heart? She was, trying to be' loyal to her father's choice, but it was no easy task. And now to realise that she was forsaken for another, that she had been cast aside for a woman with a white face, made her .sick at heart. What could she do? She had heard of the -white woman's freedom; For a moment her heart was eased in its pain. She might.be free. There was surely some escape from her thraldom. She arose from, her couch and glided to the window! . The 'rooitt.was oh the -second floor, and a modern fire escape formed a .r.ude balcony to the only window which looked put' tb' thefistreet:' "The sifl; was;on a level with I : the' floor,- and -the windowa opened' like a door-. 1 ! She threw them opg'n and peered stealthily out -into the night. The" cooling: air 'from without revived -toer. Her tiny nostriLy^sniffed rat .-.the -refreshing breeze; :; ■ . ■ •■ ■ ■:■ t- . ■- •■■■-■ , The moon had reached mid-heaven, and its rays flooded the street. The eaves of an adjoining house shadowed a portion of the balcony; and into this indistinctness Yeddo crept and stood alone. . .. . It was. well on. towards, midnigTib. ... Jhe lamps above the doorways on. the. adjacent houses. were out, and', only, the. scattered street lamps, glowed, yellow, in. the brighter effulgence of the moon. . •. ,.-...- -' As Yeddo looked she saw the form of one she knew so: well walking slowly down: the street.-' ; As h^ATeachedvthe. shop of..;, Hing Lung he paused and gazedinto the windows. She heard a low- groan;; He: turned: to pass 'on. -It was Wong Yee. ;:v-:-: ,1 -.. > .-.- a ' She knew in' a' moment. that he had.jdurheyed over sea andAland:onlyto r pass her .by - dbbf/ ■kSew^'shecw'as ~jt>l -his- queen. How true,- he-had 'been- to -her. . ; Her-4ie»fc "ifcrbbßetl^wildly-^as'"aU-4Ji©:-ardo!ur rofvber young hfe leaped through her veins. At this moment Wong" Yee paused and lis- | tened. The sound of one singing zo»t lot

fears. It •was a love ditty, •whispered in a around him in loiiwTie'fecw" full" well. " ' It"-----.canuj; in -sweet .modulations/, like foe gentle .- fcttm; ; of ;#, birctsv.wingS' among, the -flowers. ' ilij>. deepened*- -gt^m fainter^ ahd'died^away.~ p • ::n • Yeddo imovedjslojvly to ; the other end of ; the balcDny,.and,as-JtfopgeYee gazed upward; •ne ; sa.w her, r scintillating, -fcjau'teMis-, ,iri the' Btorm of moonlights..- ■.'■'■^■ ) , ■'.-,[■. . -ji :•. -•' :.i-"Uy Jo^e,"-:he gasped^ ..-,-/ '„■>:■-' ■,■;■;,,■[ i . ,-.Snc,tpuched herfingeVa. to herlips; " Walls: naye.,:ear.s and eves,' most' nobie.j.Vy ong : ; Moye pji. .Yeddo's heart is weighed down 'jaa. soriqow." '. ' ' '"T '.'...... : .'.'"' . ; "Wong, Tee moved closer to. the, shop. 'and, looking at his loved one, said :• " "' Wpuldst thou drive nic frpm thee?"- ■ ''Hush!" spake' Yeddo, glarcing cautiously up and down the street. Then leaning far over tha ircn railing-, "At the strike of "eleven, in the light of morrow's mcon, seek meVhefe." Thn-t p*s*ng3-way leads to mv chamb-v. Tho lm.s'r.v v:i'l h->. r?ori'\" W|th* .a farewell, beckon of, the 'hand' she "disappeared within. the., window. , . .'■;*.■" "'.'•-' W"jng"_,Yep'.s, 'hand" sou'|}it ,'his.. ;Head, : and' the'hotness of his forehead l?iirnsd; Mb palm. v A grfcajb. deSght, was filling" his tioui:" ■•'■ - i \ :^y.\^^-'^, ■.■,;".;. -. vv ; J' Oh. mopn., 1 .,-fie said,. " would. thaf-Jt could ■^eQp;.t!6.6ij 'tl;f again Jii^^ r up. 1_ jtu?h"oA t , 'M& passi the sun. and blot the morrow out." He .listened. A group of stragglers, was 1 ■ coming down-, tho street, . thsir boisterous jesi'.s a.rid sitirin^ feb^n" throug!). Iln njshtHe stepped into the shade of a neighbouring doorway until they had wandered by. ■ "De Bowery, de' Bowery, we won't go there any more," they were singing at the top of their voices. Fainter their voice:? grew. It was midnight ; fioyers Street lay deserted, Wong Yee h-.d iuu exultantly into the darkness. . ' „ „.-• The old priest.wa3 busying himse!)? among the snered belongings of the Mott . Street Joss House, when his attention was attracted b-' the form of a womia -,rhp liv prostrate before >the god. ■ Her face a~ d figure were completely concealed by th 3 - long . f elds . of a shawl, and. his astonishiaent at beholding a woman, ; evideiitiy of his own rac3 r bowing ■■: before. .the idoj,;, shpfpejied - -his.- •.sense-, of .curiosj.ty;tp,such. ti degrp.c tbaj> he/ftl'i^^t lost Jifs b^alaflc* in jg^(^4^^urJtO:.djsGpyer r wJiD she was. He glided along .the.iqw'rraUijig . which- surrouDds-.the-gpd,^-agcl'jfenelb^eside ifche-. silent-deity . ■>? „ A.t ; .this jaoint '. .tie- could disern her- every movement and.- yet remain unseen. „,>.;. .;■•-■■-•■ : .^- .'•„..- ■;'."■- In aj few moments he .started, as he recognised the face "of Yeddo, . the ; beautiful wife of Hing Lung, the Doyers Street tea merchant. He saw her lips' moving and lent his ear to catch the words which she spoke, but he could hear nothing but a painful murmuring. Again and again she prostrated herself before the god, and the priest felt within himself* that all was not well at the household of Hing Lung. He saw the trace of Borrow written upon her face, and his heart was touched. It was after the tenth hour, ; and the lateness of her visit to. the Joss .House made her mission more suspicious. He made up.his.rriind.he would investigate. As she lay with her face to the floor a -stray streak of light pierced the obscurity of the room. It was a ray of moonlight, emanating from a small, oval shaped window at the rear of the room, just above tho idol's head. Where Yeddo knelt, it appeared to. come. from .the idol's eye. , This strange coincidence the priest grasped with alacrity, and as the burst of ght fell across the floor, its resplendency . resting upon the form of Yeddo, he crashed huge cymbals together until the room rang with a noise like the booming' of the sea. ■ '' ■ ■ ■ .-. - Yeddo's heart stood still. She saw the light, the clash of the cymbals came to her like a great voice from the deity, and with a loud cry she fell in a heap on the floor! " The god of all that is good;" the priest sang out in a sad and melancholy voice, " hears thy prayer, and says, with the voice. of many, thunders., that he will grant thee whatsoever thou iiesirest, even to the blood of a heart. Depart in; peace, and let the 1 fair moon shine upon the fulfilment of thy great desire., Thou are favoured in the sight of ■/fchego^;" ,/:/■!.■ . .' ...-'.- ----;•;. The return of .the. darkness was signalled by .another crash of the cymbals: Yeddo arose and, with a beating heart, sought the street. • . She reached. her own thresbhpld and hastened to the secrecy of her chamber. The coming. of Wong Yee 'was now not far distant, and she was filled with an unspeakable joy. Before another hour had spent itself he would be at-her side. : She gathered together her. jewels' and fancy decorations, while, as 1 by soaae magic touch, the flush of her youth returned. - Ske realised that she had overstepped the bounds of custom in going unprotected to the Joss House," but, concealed as she was, she had not been recognised. Hing Lunp she had not seen since the night before, and she. knew she did not dare to.seek him. . He •had long : ago. sought the companionship of the simpering. white woman.. Her heart fluttered when a gentle tapping was heard at her door. It opened, a.Tid Wong. Yee stepped within. He stood for a ir -nitnt transfixed with awe at the sight of t_ lovely dream before him, and then with a glitd cry glided towards her. But Yeddo's hand stayed his impetuosity. "Welrome, noble Wong Yee," she said. 'Tarn here to receive thee, not as Yeddo, but as the wife of Hing Lung. Thou canst not blame me; it was my father's choice. "My love," murmured Wong Yee. "Fate is cruel, fair Wong Yee," continued Yeddo, " yet the god . of all that is good and true .has heard my "prayer and ,will give me my heart's desire." "Wilt thou speak to me from the door of : thy cage?'.'- cried Wong Yee. " Come, leave thy prison and .fly with me." "Wong Yee, thou art displeased." "No, sweet one; . if thou sendest me ■ -away the joy of coming : would ; drown the .: EOErow.vof parting." - Wong^. Yee fell upon :'Es knees...' . '■,':..■ ...'•.•.-•••■".' ■; , : vh,:r ;■• - "Rise," said. Ye4doj> ; ' thou ,art my kjiig - and' I -thy tarwortby, queen. ■> -Love barns but " v tp "smothered* iri: nrfixation; / V Tbou most depart.- 'The hour draws near, when jay, lord "' "may tetHrn,- and .finding you; here \wcruid;.seek ' to-slay tiiee. Come again .in the light of morrow's moon, for thus sayeth the god. He will not forsake us." ■ Wong Yee bowed arid sadly left fiie room. As bis footsteps died away Yeddo turned towards the window. At that instant a wild cry rang through the passage way. Like a'flash she realised that Wong Yee had been taken unawares by her husband. Perhaps ere this his life's blood was fast ebbing away. She sprang to the window and sought the balcony. Immediately below her she saw the forms of two men, struggling like wild beasts in a jungle. As they wrestled together the street suddenly seemed to teem with people. The doors oi the houses were thrown open . and the men poured out into the street, while the Women and children- looked on from above. It was one sea of tumuUt, in the midst of which Hing Lung and Wong Yee battled together. " 'Tis Hing Lung," some whispered. "*' !Tis a 'stranger's; life he seeks," said _ . ... ..' „..': . '.'.• . ; v .^^tfcVi^^hantJtt^;ng; Wpng r Yee. ; ' from Jiim, he "sgatched^a^^^ knife jtrdmliis.sidej and hand of ;thV priest , herd-it^fiiTOi-rand at-the same moment a. loud v'ficr.paim 1 rang, out abbv_e theuprpar..-;; •; . v Ihe people with one accord looked, and' ' Sbove them Yeddo threw up her hands in terror. • "Stay!" she cried. - Hirig Lung recoiled in the strong clutch of the priest, and Wong Yee struggled to free himself from tie hands of some friendly countrymen. ■■'- -'■ ■■■''■■' '•' '"•' •■'-*.-•-.;•. " What hast thou to say?" spoke up -the •• -priest in a loud voice. ■ " Thy husband seeks blood." '■it: ••..- , „ •■■• w :■ ■;■: ■.= ' '. X- : 'Yeddo, with a low- cry,, sprank. into the ■-'■iwindowiiand, returning', in ran. instant,, held :••.:•: against her bosom the form .of :t<he household •• 'godv .■;■ As she.raised it.aboy«.ber head there ■. ■vfas. a- low murmur through;.the crowd.. With a sudden motion she flung/it.to the street . • vbelow-, where it crashed on the.; stpnes and .:j£ell into hits. with. ; a deafening:;ispise. n , , . „ '■•-•.'.-! r'.VThiis I;break to' ; :. >that ; dbg, who saya,.ie:is. v iay' 10rd. ..-, .^ese :.; -r wany weeks he.has.ca«t > me^de foy;t^esfa««;

of a white woman in yonder house, and I r -ttte her young.* Ta'e'man' he "assails "is '"Wong^, Yee, c , the king of.-. ray,,.. ■; j" .^Sha sanje. on; her lenees and hM her'fkce iirhei* hands, i "Ye all have^fceMft^-ithis woman," ex-j claimed the priest. •'•' Whom shall we re- ' lease to' go to .bar. .bleeding heart?" ••-.■"; Woiig Yee!". came in ; a great. shout f^omi the motley ..crowd..,.. '". _./-:'. V.', ','.,.-o ■ ■ .And" ss* Hing ,J<Ung. fumed 'a,nd " wranglecl ■ in the hold: of the, officers,'. Wong,^e'e" sp~ed through the passage way,' . arid a ' moment • later appeared upon "the' balcony, where he gathered up the fainting form of Yeddo and grew her from the public gaze.