greenbacks--such as her father often kept there. It was HIS money; she
did not scruple to take it with the envelope. Handing the latter to
the Chinaman, who made it instantly disappear up his sleeve like a
conjurer's act, she signed him to follow her into the hall.
"Who gave you that note, Ah Fe?" she whispered breathlessly.
"Chinaman."
"Who gave it to him?"
"Chinaman."
"And to HIM?"
"Nollee Chinaman."
"Another Chinaman?"
"Yes--heap Chinaman--allee same as gang."
"You mean it passed from one Chinaman's hand to another?"
"Allee same."
"Why didn't the first Chinaman who got it bring it here?"
"S'pose Mellikan man want to catchee lettel. He spotty Chinaman. He
follee Chinaman. Chinaman passee lettel nex' Chinaman. He no get.
Mellikan man no habe got. Sabe?"
"Then this package will go back the same way?"
"Allee same."
"And who will YOU give it to now?"
"Allee same man blingee me lettel. Hop Li--who makee washee."
An idea here struck Cissy which made her heart jump and her cheeks
flame. Ah Fe gazed at her with an infantile smile of admiration.
"How far did that letter come?" she asked, with eager questioning eyes.
"Lettee me see him," said Ah Fe.
Cissy handed him the missive; he examined closely some half-a-dozen
Chinese characters that were scrawled along the length of the outer
fold, and which she had innocently supposed were a part of the markings
of the rice paper on which the note was written.
"Heap Chinaman velly much walkee--longee way! S'pose you look." He
pointed through the open front door to the prospect beyond. It was a
familiar one to Cissy,--the long Canada, the crest on crest of serried
pines, and beyond the dim snow-line. Ah Fe's brown finger seemed to
linger there.
"In the snow," she whispered, her cheek whitening like that dim line,
but her eyes sparkling like the sunshine over it.
"Allee same, John," said Ah Fe plaintively.
"Ah Fe," whispered Cissy, "take ME with you to Hop Li."
"No good," said Ah Fe stolidly. "Hop Li, he givee this"--he indicated
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