ll he desired was the privilege to serve.

But one morning as Sam poured his master's coffee, he said quietly,
without a shade of emotion on his yellow face, "Next week I leave
you."

The lawyer smiled.

"Next week I leave you," repeated the Chinese; "I hire for you better
man."

The lawyer set down his cup of coffee. He looked at the white-robed
servant. He felt the man was in earnest.

"So you are going to leave me--I do not pay you enough, eh? That Doctor
Sanders who was here--he knows what a treasure you are. Don't be a
fool, Sam; I'll make it a hundred and fifty a month--say no more."

"Next week I leave you--I go to China," said the servant impassively.

"Oh, I see! You are going back for a wife? All right, bring her
here--you will return in two months? I do not object; bring your wife
here--there is work for two to keep this place in order. The place is
lonely, anyway. I'll see the Collector of the Port, myself, and
arrange your passage-papers."

"I go to China next week: I need no papers--I never come back," said
the man with exasperating calmness and persistence.

"By God, you shall not go!" said the lawyer.

"By God, I will!" answered the heathen.

It was the first time in their experience together that the servant
had used such language, or such a tone, toward his master.

The lawyer pushed his chair back, and after an instant said, quietly,
"Sam, you must forgive me; I spoke quickly. I do not own you--but tell
me, what have I done--why do you leave me this way, you know I need
you!"

"I will not tell you why I go--you laugh."

"No, I shall not laugh."

"You will."

"I say, I will not."

"Very well, I go to China to die!"

"Nonsense! You can die here. Haven't I agreed to send your body back
if you die before I do?"

"I die in four weeks, two days!"

"What!"

"My brother, he in prison. He twenty-six, I fifty. He have wife and
baby. In China they accept any man same family to die. I go to China,
give my money to my brother--he live, I die!"

The next day a new Chinaman appeared as servant in the lawyer's
household. In a week this servant knew everything, and nothing, just
like Sam.

And Sam disappeared, without saying good-by.

He went to China and was beheaded, four weeks and two days from the
day he broke the news of his intent to go.

His brother was set free.

And the lawyer's household goes along about as usual, save when the
master calls for "Sam," when he should say,