University of Oregon monthly., March 01, 1908, Image 26

U N IV E R SIT Y OF OREGON M O NTHLY
.
»
29
of a table, put his band underneath, pushed a button and a panel
of the wall moved noiselessly to one side, leaving an opening as
large as a door. U^Upon hearing, a noise the playeTs leave, and in
tjfiig way have evaded the police,” heejcplairied.
They passed through this opening and into the hall, from which
opened, à; ljttle dark -room: Another panel was opened, and the sight
that metfdjgeh: eyes was awful. Four or five Chinamen and at least
six Women Were sitting on the floor, smoking opium. >The room
was
filled with, smdke and smell they did not enter. It was beau­
tifully furnishèd1 with tapestries, and. the floor> was strewn With e x ­
quisite rugs and m’ats.
Ro'nald was very much interested at thè sight and turned to
his comrade^ t'o make * a remark, but he "stopped and turned pale.
The doctor, every mtfsdfe contracted, m SKjaite as death, eyes dilated,
was peering into a darkenemCorfter of the den. Ronald followed his-
gaze arid saw through ther smoke thè face and arms of a woman.
H er .f-aee Àfejoked care-worn- and tried ; upon clpser. observation she,
seemed* to hawOTthe fe a tu r S o f an American. W aiting no longer,
Ronald nodded to the guide and taking his friend’s arm led him away
through the’passages,, out onto the „street.
“Ronald,’1 ftallard hesitated and looked into the fire. Dinner
wag. over. and, they' were again in the library. This Was the > first
atternpt at conversation the. doctor had made since their afternoon
visit., "You^ wonder, why”.T li-yè alone. - Now I ’ll- tell you.” ' Again
n paused-
■ ’
. “Ten years ago tom orrow,l^-he got up,-went to the writing-
desk and- brought-but a little wooden box, handed ’it* to his. friend,
who turned the key and opened, it. In it was a picture of a beauti­
ful girl about twenty, a wedding-ring and a wedding invitation.
In heavy type on the.
w.^s inscribed.,
“Miss M argaret Fields
fo
Dr. Allan B a ilin g
He wont op, .“About two, weeks, before tlje date on that invita­
tion we started ho dp’ Chinatown. Entering a room we gave qur
order.
“A big, surly Chinaman came to the door, beckoned, and said
he had, something tof shpw mo and I wont. \\fhen( I cap reb^gl|, she
was gone.
“I had given her a queer little Indian bracelet that afternoon,
which she promised,, to w ear always. I sought for years. I have