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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1910)
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. . PORTLAND, .SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 23 . . ... . , ........ .,,...,... . t if i I IHRE arc," of course, many things that Tan- ? wasasidng a boon through the high-priest,' and he re Slim will never understand. no1 matter how v solved that the ' granting of her wishes 6hould be hit roach be may ptuzle over them-during the kmg ' initial manifestation -. - .yr- - . men a man maoe a request, out to lan-atnns sur prise the girl immediately followed with another prayer. This was repeated several times, but he noticed that the girl had been the last to specie and that she looked up at , mm. anxiously. . . . , , ' .Again there was silence. Even the monotonous chant-; '. ing had stopped. Suddenly there was a sharp sound of a pencil being struck, , the high priest uttered cjfle word,, Sold ! " and,, to' the chagrin of Tan-Shin.' he waa , whisked off the altar. As he being carried away, he heard the droning of the high priest begin again: "Lot number 377 in your catalogues ladies :and gentlemen"-, v ' . ' ' ' ' w nights.' To this dav Helen insists that he is a love-annd (which. -to say the" least ts bumili-. iitmgl. and Jack, such is his ingratitude, scoffs openly ; ;t his powers; nevertheless, they arc tfeth constant. in,,, their devotion, and Tan-Shin recognizes the compensa- lion.. JJeinfirvery, very old.'tbe years are as days toTan- ; ,', Miin, so be remembers vividly how it happened. It , , .T.i'frnn in a piinese temple across the sea (he had been , silting there; for centuries), and he waa absorbed in bis' ' uv, n godly pfiairs wrien the discordant clamor f a Umiult interrupted his .meditation!. " Short,- quick rifle reports, the clashing together' of ateel weapons, groans . : nd imprecations in foreign tongues, the hurried tramp . : .i itnany feet, all added to the indescribable din of com-: )o:ite noises, came nearer and nearer, culminating in a roar as the 4oor of his particular domain was burst open. Profane hands, grimy with the reek of batlle, reached out, tore him ruthlessly from his shrine and thrust him, head first, regardless of his age or dignity, into a sack already tenanted by several lesser deities. Poor Tan-Shin 1 The peace of ages was ended, and there was , immediate danger that contact with these trumpery gods would shatter his highly glazed surface. -. The spiny toe of an unyielding sea-god pressing against his left jade eye gave him no opportunity to speculate upon the degradation of associating with the company zs jh which he found himself. But for the kindly interpo Vition of a highly embroidered unic of recent manu facturc, Tan-Shin must have perished at once and, al- -though, such contact was distinctly mortifying to art . nncicnt god, it is a fact that without it certain spots ia his frail anatomy must surely have given way. v. ." This, however, was but a temporary torture; he was rliortly taken out of the sack, bundled tip in straw, and deposited in the bottom of a box. For many months ' lie remained there while the' dust sifted down upon his ' beautifully polished .back Jill he lest all resemblance to . , a valuable antique and looked Jike a ycry common and v. very dirty piece of xrhina. 1 j ;' ,, , J But patience was one of Tan-Shin's lesser attributes, so that he held persistently to his precious parts in the ' hope that Fate might relent, and after many changes v, from one place to another he was finally freed from the i objectionable straw, washed cleart of the dust accumu lated in many parts of the world, and at length deposited ' with a great deal of care on a smooth glass shelf of a cabinet ' - '.'.'.'''.'.'.' The relief that this change brought was truly x- -pressed in the "settled grin ,of his round face He thoneht himself over and found o blemish upon his crackled surface. Even the several weak spots, of which he was keenly conscious, and not a little fearful, were still intact. - -v ' - ' He eazed about him anxiously and was glad to find , himscli among bis own kind. Through the glass door of the cabinet he saw quantities of Chinese fabrics hang- t ing on the walls, carvings innumerable stood upon tables, , shrine-doors, temple bells, embroideries, vases,.bronzes, ivoriesin short, a conglomerate collection of the odds and ends of his own empire, lie thought at first that ' he was back auain in his own land, but as he looked iuore closely his joy was turned to sorrow. " The incon gruous arrangement of his surroundings eofrWnce4 him at once that this could flot possibly be China. J Out of the corner of his eye he aw standing- quite dose to , him a spurious folk-lore idol with whom he could not associate and for whose presence, on the same shelf there could be no rational explanation. Sacred beasts and' birds of origin almost as ancient as his own were forced to consort with cheap and flaming counterfeits of such . recent manufacture that Tan-Shin, in utter disgust and sorrow for such lack of judgment, crackled nnder his glaze. ( -' -' . '. . ' . ' This inexplicable condition of things waa bad enough, but Tan-Shin soon discovered another fact that made him still more indignant. Crowds of people came to see the collection, and, although he knew himself to be" the , tnost ancient and powerful god, there, he received bat , fcant attention. The worshippers (they could be noth-- ing else from Tan-Shin's point of view) passed him by with hardly a glance, while crudely shaped and newly mae copies of the old gods received unstinted praise. , But one morning Tan-Shin discovered that from one " being at least, he was receiving something like proper respect. True, she was a woman a disappointment, for. .Jua. attrthirtt3..were.not appropriate to females, nor did he desire to have any dealings with them ttijl her ,' appreciation "f hint seemed quit genuine, so, on the ' whole, he was pleased with her. She was young, and her hands were claipe together la in attitude be under- Thenext dry she came again, bringing.,aftother girl " w if li" her and w ith iorne satisfaction be tvit them make -straight for his cabinet -, . : I - " There be is, Edith f exclaimed the first girt pomtr ing a long, white finger -at him; "the crackle-ware one, on the left." , . , " . . " Isn't he just perfectly fascinating? rephed Edith. : Tan-Shin started a crack under his" glaze from pure ' joy. It was not according to rule, but it waa distinctly worship. ' , "And, Helen,- continued Edith, 1e must be ages -old." . . MOh, yes! Ages and ages I And wouldn't he fit nicely k the mantel in the studio? Helen was almost kneel- -, words, sucli as "technique and "composition, which ' he did not understand. But one day the following sen tences attracted his attention, and b listened intently:. ; "But," Jack, money isn't everything '-Helen was . , saying. ' " -'" , ' " '"' " It s everything to me from now. on ! Jack replied . almost passionately. "I've, becrt working ten' years. s' thinking of nothing but my art, and what is' the result?, ' You are doing the same thing and now" where are we? .(, we rt poor," oejperaiciy ywi, ucv.ausc vua wuit i ynun, ino what he wants and there won't, be any more bother about money and we can ". . ; Helen1' stopped abruptly while a pink' flush stole into' her face, ana she.leaned forward to kiss Tan-Shin on hi shjny forehead. 1 " . ' ' . - f: v - jShe did no work that day and was gay 'and grave by,' turns There was an uncertainty about it all'that was,, inexplicable to the silent god, but from her frcquemy references to Jack it was evident that he played a large . , part in her affairs, and the manner in which he would ..pretty things , that everybody . wants and instead 'have . xeceive Uie news of this suddenly acquired wealth was tried to do something onreal value. Well, I ra done! I . evidently of vital tell von the only thinur worth havinjr is money and I'm tirea of making sacrifices for the sake of a visionary idea that we call art s ' ' ' - -"Jack," pleaded Helen, u. don't, talk like that Yon imoortance. He came early in.the afternoon. andillelerflushed . I ; J! ' .'!' , . i ; - - ' J! , " . , ; if- , .. . "1 .?, $ ... . ' j , - V"' t -v. ' ' . ...sty- ; ' : 'l f V V7 ' f . ; . x . .-c - ; ' , , ' '' ' i ?" I- Hi. f i y,.:-"- ..wr-- V-'--4 ' , . v . . ... ... .. .'. ' - i , " - :.:' . r ,..v s - ' : v , " . t , " ' ww' -1 v.:::,I.vMWli : - J t . ' 7 ' j. . ,. j. 1 ... ; ., ' r i I -' "V ' ' A V , if I M', t ' when she heard his sten on the stairs. "Jack," she began anxiously, "such good news. I sent to you because there is no one else to tell.";: V "Sold a picture?" he asked wrthvidcnt interest , "Oht better than that, lots better than that; but you couldn't ever guess ! .tUftcle Horace, Mama's brother, you know, dieq apd left me ten thousand dollars. . - comfortso you must be a love-rod as I thought, r Why couldn't be have had an Uncle Horace? For now the money has spoiled it all, and 1 just hate it" " ' . It was quite beyond Tan-Shin's comprehension. Cer tainly Helen had wanted money, but the possession of it made her more unhappy than ever. Also, she said that . she hated it,' which was a unique condition that he could ' not Conceive of, but worst of all it seemed that be- ' cause of the money she was going away, and that meant : much to Tan-Shin. : - . . - 15..: , ' .For the next two weeks he pondered over the prob- ; lem, while Helen packed her steamer trunk and prepared to leave the studio for an indefinite time, m . -The final day of parting arrived, and Jack, with a. grave face,. came for her..- i . "Good-bye, my little god." she whispered softly to Tan-Shin take care of him for me while I am away and keep me always m his thoughts.- -- -. -r-.r -v-.--- - A bo she had gone, and 1 an-ihin knew that Jack would . . 1 . . . . , Al . A. . t. . . 1 ' J 1 . . . uicscimr icium ivnc to ian ui nn aDoae mere. 111s She looked eaeerlv atbim. Jack straiahtened ur In s reasoning oveT tlie cause of Helen's departure had-led his chair, and his face became set r . - him to several conclusions, and ha intended to profit by "I'm very glad," he said quite formally. "I suppose experience, in the future. The money was, without you will now gcr abroad at once." - ' " doubt, tha ctuse of all the difliculty. Therefore, Helen's Helen caught her breath. 1 thought you would be $0 - unnappmess ana ner ultimate abandonment of him were I. frlarl." thf niifh tninlfcst rtinannnintment. "I am glad," he answered without enthusiasm. ' '. "But, Jack, you don't .understand," he began plain- . tively. ,. VVeve known each other" alwiys and shared , our things since" we were children and" , "Don't go od! he broke in. '" You must see -that this is different. Tubes of paint and brushes and little things like that don't count, but I couldn't touch your ; money," '- 1 '-''" t "I don't see why not," she answered, lief voice break ing; "it isn't any different now to What jt always was." ; Everything is different," he replied almost roughly, as different as day and night" , 1 Mi '(! - 1 4 'V vf ' V- n v - '"- s. THSW Hltll HELD TA"-SHIN CLOSI TO HER ND WHISPEKZD IN HIS XAa, "TOU'at MY MTTtt Ot,-aNYHOW. traceable to his interference in her affairs. But Jack had forced her to go abroad and waa entirely responsible for her fears. Thus Tan-Shin concluded first. that money and trouble were synonymous in this strange Country, and second, that he disliked Jack cordially Then he remembered that Helen had fold him in her. first conversation on. the subject that money would be Jack's ruin. Very well, then, money Jack should have I And the more miserable it made him the. better Tan-.' Shin would be pleased Money with all its attendant difficulties should pour in upon this despoiler of his shrine, and Tan-Shin gloated overhisprospective - venge. :..; ..: " v . , 1 here was only op possible chancf that these plans 1 " would miscarry. Io the event of Jack's neglecting him or failing to show any respect these schemes would be "' useless, for it was necessary that the recipient of his bounty should be, a worshipper. Therefore, the god waited anxiously for the coming of his. victim, i - Jack arrived after dark and closed the door behind him With a bang. : " She's, gone, little god," he said, . " gone, gone, gone I and we'll be mighty lonesome with- out her' , :' " Tan-Shin, watching Intently, saw jack take what he - . thought was a white stick out of a bos and put it into his mouth.- Then he struck a match as Helen Wid when she lit the gas. But Jack held the light to the white stick between his lips for a moment and then blew it out, so that Tan-Shin could only see a bright, burning point in the darkness. Presently Jack came over to the man tel, and a little cloud of smoke enveloped the god. , "Incense I ".was Tan-Shin's first thought. His longed for incense had come at last,' and although it was not . the kind to -which he was accustomed, still it was in- cense. He knew that Jack was worshipping, and he sent , -out his occult. vibrations with alt the energy of the old , days in China, Jack puffed away at the cigarette, talk- ing now and then disconsolately elf the absent Helen or V growling at, his poverty, little dreaming that Tan-Shin -was- Baying charms that. would soororrake him pros-"iyrtisv..v'-' if; , It was not until the cigarette had been thrown away ' that the god realized what had occurred. This unex- .pected demonstration on .Jack's part had for; the mo ment really put all , thought of retaliation out of his ' mind; and he had worked his spells quit mechanically. '.He-Was disconcerted, therefore, whert the truth came to him that, in return fof this incense, he would only be iving trouble? but this did not, hothef.him long, for, being a godjof jffches, and possessing consistent at- . tributes,' he was, of course, deficient in gratitude. He had used his mostpotent endeavors, and knew that results might be expected at once; so he watched Jack. open, a letter on the following morning, grimly pleased in anticipation of the results." But Tan-Shin was hardly prepared for what happened. Jack read the ' letter with delight, jumped to his feet and strode up and , . down the room with every evidence of keeneit joy. Then he stopped before the manteL i ; . . ' " You foxy old god," he said irreverently, "Tve won ' the gold medal, and that means money. You don't un derstand ; no one would but Helen, and she's gone. Pity that boat couldn't have waited a day later. Never mind, - old boy, maybe this luck tilf keep up, and,, if jt does, I'll be going over there to bring her back." ? ' . - - In the three months that followed, Tan-Shin received almost daily evidence of his failure in the revenge that 'he had planned. Instead of the expected Sroume Jack svemed to radiate happiness and weirtr about his work - slnzintf of whistUrtsf the live-lonr dav; Also he was very , " "busy! There were people coming constantly to the little . Jf studio who would sit patiently -while he .painted them;. ing before Tan-Shin in. her effort to see him the better. "Helen I " exclaimed Edith with conviction "you sim ply must get him.".' '' ' .. -i J iut Iieicn iooKea gouuiiui. ne must ue wonn nku a lot of money and T ought not to spend a cent," she replied.-- "Of course, he. might go, at a bargain you ' can't ever tell at an auction though I'm sure he's very valuable." . ', , . , , : Tan-Shin listened eagerly, for money-was distinctly in i 'Mabe no one else will want him," said Edith en- couragingly. . -,l-'i "Maybe not," Helen answered hopefully.- "Hell be . sold 011 Thursday, and I mean to try to bid him in." : - There were some words in this dialogue that,, god . Jhough he was, he d'd not understand, and auction was . one of. them. Still, he knew that, whatever it was, it . happened on Thursday, and he waited impatiently. . Quite early on that day he was removed from the : rabiyet and placed upon a table in a large room where a ' great many people sat in ordered rows. Tfe looked about ' him eagerly. In a pulpit near by, a high priest (so Tan- . 8 Shin isupposed). chanted unintelligible words incessantly. Before them aU was an elevated red plush-covered stand t " that Tan-Shin knew at once to be the altar. Ho saw , several lesser deities placed upon it for a time, heard the . murmur of the high priest, and the spurious gods were v arcntly banished. With a glow of pride he tecog 1 mzed the ceremony and knew that this was the place of. choosing. These discriminating beings were deciding n hich were the real and which were the unreal gods. , The hour of his triumph was at hand, for now he would tcreive the respect due a veritable antique. At las bis . turn came. , . , , '" .' . " It number 376 in your catalogues, ladies and gen-, ' tkme-n.. A crackle-ware piece,.rare and yaluable. What a ( an I offered to start -y ,1, So chanted "the high priest,' and although Tan-Shin did not comprehend what the words meant, the silence of. the worshippers war ample assurance that his true ' ' Mortli was at once perceived.- - - .. . A voica in the audience broke in upon his thoughts,.! T a A a. - na lie 6aw, icaninir lorwara, raic nusn on eacn cnecic, Eater Tan-Shin found himself seated upon the smooth' surface of a marble mantel. He cared little what had happened to him after his disappointment at the auction and knew only that he had been bundled up in paper and carried away. 0 The girl stood in front of htm, her eyes dancing with delight as she looked at him. . v "You're all mine now! " she exclaimed. Tan-Shin observed her critically,, and, after a mo ment's thought, he said a strange Chinese Word, a word so old that even in China it is obsolete, but it exactly described her and meant charming, and beautiful, and good, and wholesome and many other appropriate ad jectives..' -v" ' .. '' Thus it was that Tan-Shin -secured a final resting place, and as the days went by he found that the girl never ceased her attentions. " Surely," he thought, "she is worshipping." ' , . t , ' - , True, it was not the form to which he was1 accus tomed; it was not sufficiently dignified, and this merry disciple was hardly grave enough to fulfil all the re quirements of an exacting ritual; but on the wh&le, it seemed entirely genuine. , - The shrine in which Tan-Shin, was now installed was . a studio just under the roof of a small house with a little room communicating, into which this new-found patroness disappeared for the night A lafge - easel, directly under, a skylight, was the most conspicuous ob ject within his range of vision, and he soon found that Helen (he remembered her name) worked at it inces santly. He was glad of this because it kept her before him all the time. She talked to him constantly, knowing well his discretion in the matter of secrets and trusting . :him implicitly - 5: '--'''ss'A-r':"'' f , Tan-Shin was, ' therefore, alnwst happyin his new surroundings, but there were two conditions necessary to make him perfectly content Since that ! fatal day when he had been torn from his shrine there had been ,1 no incense offered to him and the little wreaths of scented Vapor ; were sweet to his nostrils. His other -trouble came through, Helen. She was oonstant in her devotion, occasionally placed flowers in a tall Vase be side him and chatted continually to "my. little god," as she called hiir but as Vet she had never asked him to : exercise his special gifts in her behalf. - For art active god who had been struggling with the adverse fortunes of his worshippers all his life this lack of occupation was trying. So he racked his brains to discover what "her needs might be. It was through Jack that Tan-Shin re ceived the hint of what she wanted. Jack was the most constant visitor 'to the little studio and clayed a . conspicuous part in many of the confidences, between . Helen and the god. 'Usually the conversations between AL - J - Ji " 'jl. :.. t At.-.- . . A V -.lie lrl vbo-hai been Jhis rst--aotaxy. Evidentlg sh - -thewo-were of np,intereStto him, for they used many 'don't mean it, and you mustn't think of spoiling your future in any such way. Your day will come if you are onl patient. What is ten years? Why, a lifetime is little enough if, in the end, you've, accomplished some thing. I know it's .hard and that ou want money so do I, for that matter but money isn't everything, by a ' good deal." r - - . 1 ' Tan-Shin crackled with , pleasure. : At last he had found out what Helen wanted ; he agreed with Jack that money was all that mortal need wish for, and, to him, . nothing was more easily obtainable. , The two talked long in this way, Jack insisting that he would strive for only one thing in the future, and, as" he rose to go away, he pointed at Tan-Shin. "Helen," he said, "your little god may be all right, but hereafter my God is Merley," . ' She was a very unhappy Helen who confided her grief to Tan-Shin after Jack went away. : Oh, tny little god, why can't you help me? " she said to him. " But you are a love-god,' I suppose, even if you are so' ugly, and a love-god won't do. It's only money he wants; just money, money, and that will be his ruin. . You're laughing at me, and pf course ou can't under stand, and you couldn't helft anyhow if you did, and I'm wretched!" 1 - Somewhat abruptly she went away, leaving him won dering and perplexed He certainly was not a love-god, and he failed to understand what possible use she could have for any such frivolous deity.,-Still, his way. was quite plain ; there was no question that money was what she wanted.' So, while Helen slept, Tan-Shirt exercised his chief attribute in her behalf and rejoiced to be at work again. Incantations thax had never failed kept him busy all night, and he was so happy at his task that he put a little- of his real feelings into the set grin of his mask. . ' - " Why, you're smiling more than ever," Helen said to him the next morning. "I believe you're a bad little ' god, after all. Are you glad I'm so unhappy?".., No one but Tan-Shin knows how much he had to do with it, and he is given to complaining that the people of this new country have little faith in his powers. How ever, the fact remains that Helen received a letter by the first mail which changed her sorrow into ioy. She read . it eagerly, and there was a new light in her eyes when she finished. - ' ' ( " .-'Poor Uncle Horace I she said to herself, and then sent off a note to Jack by messenger. ' , ; .'."What do you think, my, little god?" she confided to''1: him afterward '.' ten thousand dollars all my very own. ,wno wouia nave expected oia uncie riorace to remem t ia ' . .-i . .ft-vr;-, r1: , and as each canvas Went out of the door Jack's snirits - He rose from bis chair and began to (ace. tip and became more and more buoyant. -Then, to Tan-Shin'a! down the room. " Don't think I'm not glad you have the utter perplexity Jack made another revelation.? money, Helen," he went on, " l am glad, glad of the Only a little more now," he confided one evening chance it will give you to study, glad that you won't j v during the incense ceremony, "only a little more money , have to worry over ways and means any more; honestly ' and we'll be going across the water to bring her back, glad, but it changes our relations absolutely." Yes, you're going, 'too, yod silly old idol. You may be a l dont know what you mean; Jack, she said witn love-god, as Helen insists, although you don t look the ' . ' -. . ' . .' ....... . . ..... . . ' . t . . 1 . t !... a snh ""You do know what I mean," he answered, his voice ; softening as he saw the tears in-her r eyes. "What I have always meanti Helen, ever since we were kids ; tut you don't want me to be a cad, so we'll say.no more about it." . ' ; ..' .' " But Jack' Helen began., ' -. "No, not a word," lie interrupted;' "some day, per haps, bin, now it is Impossible, and lots of things 'may . happen in the meantime." '1 ' He sat down opposite to her, controlling himself with , an effort. "Now, when will you sail?" he asked. : . She made no answer and he, went tni ." I should like to have this studio when yod go." -"I'm not going anywhere," she said positively "Nonsense I" he replied with a "feeble " attempt . at cheerfulness. " You have wanted to go abroad ever Since you were old enough to want anything, and now you're going! Ill look up the Sailings to-morrow morn ing. Also, as I said before, I'd like to come here after you are gone 4hat is, if you don't mind." ; . , . " Of course, I don't mind, Jack, but- " ' , . ' "There are no buts, little woman. ' You're going on ; the finest trip you ever had in your life, and what's more, you deserve it alj. r The little god and I will keep the place warm for you while you are away.", v . -! He reached for his hat and started for the door, "I em glad, for your sake,1 Helen; but you see the news ! came suddenly and has upset my plans a bit You know , what I've been counting on for a good many years." He stopped, hesitatingly, and then continued; Well, t can't . tell you now about it but if ft had only come the other - way, that is if I had the money only oti mustn't think I'm envious or not' really glad but it makes a lot of. - difference." - -. 1 - , ?; Jack talked 011 for a few minutes, becoming more and ; more unintelligible to,Tan-Shin, who watched the entire -proceedings with wonder, but Helen seemed to under- " stand,' although she cried softly fo herself long aftefhe; had gone. , " . 1 Late that- night she came silently, all white !n the darkness, with tears- still in hft eyes, very lonesome an unhappy. w- . : i : , ; . . ; 5 " It's alt becauWof the money, she whispered to Tan Shin, "all because I -have it and he hasn't , And he might have it if he wasn t so silly and proud, btill he berme after all these years? . And now Jack tan have idoes care for me, I know that now, . and it's a great oart. but votfre certainly a luckv niece of furniture for anyone to have about; -Wfien that bank account-gets just a bit bigger, off we go."- , -1- . ,, Tan-Shin ceased to speculate upon the happenings in this strange. land. He confessed to himself that he d'd , not understand the absolutely diverse conditions that the possession of money Seemed to produce. Jack, instead of being ruined by -wealth, as. Helen had positively pre dicted, throve on it and wanted more. Therefore, the god selfishly;-it must be admitted, since he wanted to see Helen himself, gave up all thought of revenge and did his'' best for Jack with marked success. - - One bright morning Jack took Tan-Shin down from the mante.1, "We're going to ber, and we start this very day, -you fat old thing. ; Don't you dare break!" he ex-... claimed joyfully. Then he wrapped a large bath towel about-the god and- very carefully put' him away m a corner of the steamer trunk. ; Tan-Shin was a little hurt because it was wh'olly evident that "they had been talking a Jong tune together before they ever thought of him, but at last Jack took him frorti his resting place and brought him fo her. She . seemed so happy and looked so radiant that he said ; that old Chinese word several times wheh she reached out to ,fake him. '.'.. . " 'Tfn so glad yott brought him," she said to Jack, holding Tan-Shin admiringly in front of her. 44 I'm sure he's a love-god'now." ' ' ' N ; ;" Nonsense 1" answered Tack :' f I loved you long be- , fore you ever" saw the old bird.. " - . " Yes, but I never knew it till he came," said Helen, ' "and at any rate we must take care of him for luck." ,- " Oh, he's a lucky little beggar, all right " replied Jack, "and we'll tike all kinds of cate of him, but he didn't have anything to ! do with my loving you," and he pit -his arm about her.' v:'-v ?-'';',Vv vlx ' ' Then Helen held Tan-Shiij close to her and whispered ' in his ear; "You're my little god, anyhow, and I'm sure you are a love-god, which is the , very Jbcst kind of a god to be." ' " -" . , Tan-Shin puzzled his brain over these words for a f long time. . ' - "'.' "It is strange," he concluded finally, "for I have al ways been a god of nches and scorned those gods of '-s love, but in this new country we seem to haVe much in - - . common. - ' , - ' , 7-,--- -'';.'.;' . ;.'-yv'tw-;V'''ViV: