wide ironing-table, an ashen wreck.
Fong Wu shook his head.
With a cry, Barrett came at him and seized his lean throat. "You damned
highbinder!" he gasped. "You saddle-nosed monkey! You'll get me what I
want or I'll give you away. Don't I know why you're up here in these
woods, with your pretty clothes and your English talk? A_-ha_! You bet I
do! You're hiding, and you're wanted,"--he dropped his voice to a
whisper,--"the tongs would pay head-money for you. If you don't give it
to me, I'll put every fiend in 'Frisco on your trail."
Fong Wu had caught Barrett's wrists. Now he cast him to one side.
"Tongs!" he said with a shrug, as if they were beneath his notice. And
"Fiends!" he repeated contemptuously, a taunt in his voice.
The white man had fallen prone and was grovelling weakly. "Oh, I won't
tell on you," he wailed imploringly. "I won't, I won't, Fong Wu; I swear
it on my honor."
Fong Wu grunted and reached to a handy shelf. "I will make a bargain
with you," he said craftily; "first, you are to drink what I wish."
"Anything! anything!" Barrett cried.
From a box of dry herbs, long untouched, the Chinese drew out a handful.
There was no time for brewing. Outraged nature demanded instant relief.
He dropped them into a bowl, covered them with water, and stirred
swiftly. When the stems and leaves were broken up and well mixed, he
strained brown liquid from them and put it to the other's lips.
"Drink," he commanded, steadying the shaking head.
Barrett drank, unquestioningly.
Instantly the potion worked. Calmed as if by a miracle, made drowsy to a
point where speech was impossible, the white man, tortured but a moment
before, tipped sleepily into Fong Wu's arms. The Chinese waited until a
full effect was secured, when he lifted his limp patient to the
blanket-covered ironing-table. Then he went out for fuel, built a fire,
and, humming softly--with no fear of waking the other--sat down to watch
the steeping of more herbs.
* * * * *
What happened next at the square-fronted house was the unexpected. Again
there was a sound of approaching footsteps, again some one gained the
porch. But this time there was no pausing to ask for admission, there
were no weak requests for aid. A swift hand felt for the knob and found
it; a strong arm pushed at the unlocked door. And through it,
bare-headed, with burning eyes and blanched cheeks, her heavy
riding-whip dangling by a thong fro
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