Page:Mrs. Spring Fragrance - Far - 1912.djvu/203

 as if his words were in answer to Fabian's thoughts.

"But they will not catch us; so cheer up your heart, my boy," replied the latter, more heartily than he felt.

"If they come, and I not with you, they not take you and it be all lite."

"Yes," assented Fabian, wondering what his companion was thinking about.

They emerged from the woods in the dusk of the evening and were soon on the bridge crossing the river. When they were near the centre Tie Co stopped and looked into Fabian's face.

"Man come for you, I not here, man no hurt you." And with the words he whirled like a flash over the rail.

In another flash Fabian was after him. But though a first-class swimmer, the white man's efforts were of no avail, and Tie Co was borne away from him by the swift current.

Cold and dripping wet, Fabian dragged himself up the bank and found himself a prisoner.

"So your Chinaman threw himself into the river. What was that for?" asked one of the Government officers.

"I think he was out of his head," replied Fabian. And he fully believed what he uttered.