The tall building was in flames when Lin John reached it. The uprising tongues licked his face as he sprung up the ladder no other man dared ascend. “I will not go. It is best for me to die,” and Mermei resisted her friend with all her puny strength. “The ladder will not bear the weight of both of us. You are his sister,” calmly replied Sin Far. “But he loves you best. You and he can be happy together. I am not fit to live.” “May Lin John decide, Mermei?” “Yes, Lin John may decide.” Lin John reached the casement. For one awful second he wavered. Then his eyes sought the eyes of his sister’s friend. “Come, Mermei,” he called. * * * * * “Where is Sin Far?” asked Mermei when she became conscious. “Sin Far is in the land of happy spirits.” “And I am still in this sad, dark world.” “Speak not so, little one. Your brother loves you and will protect you from the darkness.” “But you loved Sin Far better—and she loved you.” Lin John bowed his head. “Alas!” wept Mermei. “That I should live to make others sad!” “Nay,” said Lin John, “Sin Far is happy. And I—I did my duty with her approval, aye, at her bidding. How then, little sister, can I be sad?” THE SMUGGLING OF TIE CO Amongst the daring men who engage in contrabanding Chinese from Canada into the United States Jack Fabian ranks as the boldest in deed, the cleverest in scheming, and the most successful in outwitting Government officers. Uncommonly strong in person, tall and well built, with fine features and a pair of keen, steady blue eyes, gifted with a sort of rough eloquence and of much personal fascination, it is no wonder that we fellows regard him as our chief and are bound to follow where he leads. With Fabian at our head we engage in the wildest adventures and find such places of concealment for our human goods as none but those who take part in a desperate business would dare to dream of. Jack, however, is not in search of glory—money is his object. One day when a romantic friend remarked that it was very kind of him to help the poor Chinamen over the border, a cynical smile curled his moustache. “Kind!” he echoed. “Well, I haven’t yet had time to become sentimental over the matter. It is merely a matter of dollars and cents, though, of course, to a man of my strict principles, there is a certain pleasure to be derived from getting ahead of the Government. A poor devil does now and then like to take a little out of those millionaire concerns.” It was last summer and Fabian was somewhat down on his luck. A few months previously, to the surprise of us all, he had made a blunder, which resulted in his capture by American officers, and he and his companion, together with five uncustomed Chinamen, had been lodged in a county jail to await trial.