eight upon his breast, a low sobbing.
A delicate, feminine odor brought him to earth, unraveled his tangled
wits.

He was sitting upon the wet floor of the sampan's low cabin. His
captive had crept close to him for protection. Protection! He
snorted, wondering if the coolie was licensed.

"Hai! Hai! Woo-Sung way." The voice was villainously stubborn.

"Shanghai-way. _Kuai cho_--hurry!" roared Peter. A sigh escaped from
the girl. She snuggled closer. "Woo-Sung. _Pu-shih_! Savvy?"

"Hai! Mebbe can do." The sampan reared, braving the direct onslaught
of the Whang-poo's swift tide.

A myriad of questions in his brain strove for utterance. But the girl
spoke first.

"Who are you?" she whispered. "I am Eileen Lorimer."

"I am--I was the wireless operator of the _Vandalia_."

The coolie paused a moment for breath, then the mad plunging of the
paddle sounded again.

"The wireless operator? You heard my call?"

"Been waiting for China's lights--ever since. But how--what?" he
demanded.

She was silent a moment. "I know the code. My brother owned a private
station. We lived in Pasadena--ages ago. It does seem ages." She
stirred feebly. "You don't mind?"

"No, no," he protested.

"I am afraid--such a long time. Weeks? Years?" She shuddered. "I do
not know. Oh--I want to go home!"

The coolie broke into a working sing-song as he struggled. The tide
should shift before long.

"Were you in the loft above Ah Sih King's?"

"Roped! I broke loose."

"The red note?"

"I scribbled with a nail, and threw it before she knocked me down.
That woman was a demon!"

A pale, yellow glow seemed to body forth from the enshrouding mist.
Dawn was breaking. Soon the great river would be alight.

"School-teacher," the girl was murmuring. "A wedding present for
her--in Ah Sih King's." A small hand fumbled for his, and found it.
"In the back room they began gibbering at me. And this demon came.
Meaningless words--Ah Sih King leered. Called me the luckiest woman in
China."

"But how did you know?"

An empty freighter with propellers flailing half out of water pounded
through the yellow mist close to them.

"Hie! Hie!" shrilled the coolie's warning.

Light seeped through the doorway. The outlines of a dark skirt were
silhouetted against the scrubbed white floor.

"He said when I saw the lights of China I would go aboard a beautiful
ship. She was watching you. Three times our stateroom