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The Flaming Heart Quest Tor a Hidden Ruby In the Hills of China By JAMES A. RELLICK The !ittl“ woman in black had I<«*i>t to herself during tlu* long voyage from Si'.u Francisco to. Shanghai, and now with tho china coast lying straight Ahead, a long. Hat line of yellow merg log into the muddy, yellow waters of the broad mouth of the angtzekiang, she » yed her fellow passengers with a flt'SH ,s« •rutlny. Archer Clarkson had noticed her from the very beginning, perhaps be cause of her evident though self im posed loneliness, ns well as the serene beauty of her face. To her fellow pas J fceiiger she was Mrs. Pearce, a widow. To < Mark sou she was an object of in terest. lie was surprised on this last day of the voyage when she approached him where tie stood near the ship's rail and spoke. "Mr. Clarkson.” she said, rather tim idly. while a faint color flushed her clear skin, “the captain tells me that you are a resident of Shanghai and may be of assistance to me. I am a perfect stranger here and—l need help!” “It will give me the greatest pleas ure to he of assistance,” assured Clark son courteously. “Pray command me; ] am entirely at your service.” "You are more than kind." she said, with a little tremor in her voice. ”1 need a friend, oh, so badly! I have b most delicate and dangerous mission to perform, and 1 need the advice and help of a friend. May I call you that. Mr. Clarkson?" “I shall lie honored, Mrs. Pearce," he said sincerely. "Thank you. Now, let me say that, although my mission is a dnugerou* one. if It la successfully accomplished it will make me a very rich woman— and you a rich man, although, pardon me, you may he rich ‘beyond the dreams of avarice' already!” She smiled charmingly. ”1 am anything but rich.” laughed Clarkson. Mrs. Pearce put out an eager little hand. "Then you are Just the man to help me out!" she cried enthusiastically. Again Clarkson laughed. “1 begin to see that poverty has its advantages." lie said, clasping her band in his for an instant. "Thank you." she said simply. "I felt that I could before I approached you. Let me state the case briefly: I am the widow of Henry Pearce, who commanded the big steamer Cntalpa. plying between Vancouver and the far eastern ports. My husband had lived in China many years and had good friends among the Chinese as well as the foreigners. "Four years ago Captain Pearce had u vacation and when he reached Shang hai turned the Catalpa over to a com “ THE FIjAMINO HEART !” EJACULATED CLARKSON. latent commander and took a long desired frip up the Yangtze liver., it w* up thsPe that he teit upon the .trail of the Flaming Heart." She oMinsed and drew a long breath. ’ rThe Flaming Heart?" ejaculated UfUforkgon. deeply interested. Mrs. Pearce nodded, and tears filled her beautiful gray eyes. "The Flaming Heart cost my hus band his life. For three years after ward he suffered from the effects of a stab wound lie received when lie dis covered its biding place, and on his deathbed he told me the story and made me promise that I would take measures to interest some honorable men in the enterprise to recover the Heart that is ills by right of discovery. I knew that the men 1 could interest must be found here on the s|>ot, some one who knows • lie* Chinese.” “It sounds good to me.” said Archer Clarkson solierij. "Tell me the rest of it, please.” "it sect.,- o.i a prev ; voyage : to the Jist iay husband ‘b ode,l a' manikin:i wno was returning home to die. T.:is Chinese, who whs \ery ri. lv tol l tny nu.sband of a eortaiu ( jewel, n ver. valuable ruby. ' ••'I *d the Flaming Heart This rue;, v.»> s • noted in oi.e of the niches a rock temple along the upper gorges of the . Yangtze river, and iliefe was a hitter rivalry between Lin Wall, our man j darin, ami Full Kieuso. who ruled another province, for the discover.! end posses-ion of the jewel. *-Li:i Wall had the ailvant; e‘e over his enemy because be alone p nes.i-d the directions U wto tin I tli ■ r 1 ■ hut it became necessary for Lin Wall to go to the United States, where he ha 1 relatives, and during his absence lie left trusted men to guard the rock temple until he could return and com plete iiis search for the I laming Heart "Hut the mandarin was taken ill-und died before the Caialpa reached Sluing i hai. and he gave the precious paper t< my husband and with his dying breath willed him the Flaming Heart. That is why Captain Pearce took a vacation the following year and went up the Yangtze river. "When lie * reached the rock temple 1 lie discovered by careful impilry til ill I.in Wall's guards had been killed at their posts and that the rock temple I and its vicinity were swarming with the men of Full Kionso. who were ; making a frantic search for the gem | They evidently suspected tny husband's | interest in the matter, and one day | they stabbed him, and after searching j Ills clothing and finding nothing (foi ' he had taken the precaution to commit the directions to memory) they left him for dead and run away, abandon lug for the time the search for the ruby. “Captain Pearce was an invalid for four years, and before he died he learn ed that the mandarin, Fuh Kienso, was also dead and therefore tin* way to the safe discovery of the Flaming Heart iiiusi be open. If you will go with me and discover the gem half of it will lie yours." finished Mrs. l earce. "That part may lie settled after wurd.' said Clarkson gravely A week later Archer Clarkson and MYs. Pearce were sailing up the Yang tze river in one of the steamers that ply the great streurn as far up as Huu kow. There they hired a boat and boatmen, and. always uoeompunied by Clarkson's trusted Chinese “boy.” Van Ping, they proceeded up the river. At last they reached a point where they bade their “trackers” make camp by the Ivoat, and Mrs Pearson and Clarkson went on with Van Ping, who had been born In that province and knew the country well. Another day’s Journey by a devious path thut sometimes skirted the river or again wound around through the l>ine clad hilts and at last they emerged on the top of a mighty rock that frown od above the river. Standing at the edge of the precipice. Archer Clarkson looked down at the river, boiling down through the rocky gorge below. Mrs. Pearce uttered a little cry of alarm, the first symptom of weakness she had Indulged since they began the journey. "What a dreadful place!" she slmd dered. "Captain Pearce said the open ing to the rock temple was just below the summit of the rock, but how can one reach it?” “We must rig a sling and lower our selves down in front of the entrance Hither Van Ping or I must go first." "Let Wan Ping go—there might be danger!" she cried quickly, and tears filled her eyes. Clarkson felt a queer throbbing in the region of his watch pocket. A great tenderness for the plucky little woman tilled his heart. Vau I’itig. who had not fallen in love with any one. had been studying the situation from a practical view point. Now he approached ills master and. apologizing profusely for the in trusion. bogged to offer adviee. "Fire ahead!" was Clarkson's sug gout ion. Van Ping declared that as a little lad he had played about this great rock, and he remembered that there was a legend concerning a heart that was buried in the rook. "But.” said Van Ping earnestly, "the way to the hiding place is from the top of the rock and not by the entrauee that overhangs the gorge." "The top of the rock?" Clarkson was asking when from behind them there came a shrill cry of triumph, and they turned to see a dozen rascally looking Chinese approaching them through the pine woods. In an instant Clarkson realized the great danger that faced them. It would be an easy matter for the ban dita to rush them and crowd them over the' edge of the precipice into the river, where all traces of them would be forever lost. He caught Nita Pearce by the hand, and. calling to Van Ping to follow, Clarkson pulled out Ills revolver and raq to meet the;Chinese. * This tine* pected move so startled the lattef that they paused in confusion, thus giviug the fugitives an ojiportnnity to get ! down from the rock"aba out of the danger that threatened them. Van Ping went forward to interview the attacking party. Presently he returned to his master, j “These scoundre's veliy wicked men —want Flaming Heart—say so king ago—way hack, their mandarin lie promise Flaming Heart if they help— hut no can find, and lie die. Now they search some more and find you. j They say you die.” “Well.” mu soil Clarkson, “suppose! you tell them to go ahead and search. We won't interfere with them if they will let us alone." After half an hour of parleying N an Ping returned to say that the Chinese would search on their own account. THE COFFEE COIVTV PROGRESS. DOE,LAS. GEORGIA only they ntipn.ated that the Ameri ca ns should not follow them to the rock cave. To this Clurksoa agreed after talking to Van Ping And presently the ragged.- filthy crew were crowded on the rock, chattering vociferously while they arranged a sling, and one by one were lowered to the opening in the face of the rm k which gave entrance to the'rock teim pie. When there remained only one man on the rode, he who worked the swing ing seat. Clarkson and Van Ping con ferred ? >gether, and finally, leaving Mrs. Pearce to watch the Cbinttuniti. from a safe position With a revolver held menacingly in her hand, they made a careful search around the base of the rook for the spot which Van Ping said he bad visited once when a lad. it was here that lie had learned of the hidden Flaming Heart. Many years had passed since then, but as the other searchers had been on a false trail it remained for Van Ping to find at last the little mound r " - -v' ! V THE GUARD SCREAMED BHHII.Lt. of 111 ob* beneath the crooked pine. Digging the mound away revealed • little flat stone, and the removal of the stone showed a round hole faced with cement that apparently led down into the rear of the rock temple. It looked very dark down there, and Clarkson thrust his long arm down and clutch ed something hard and round like a metal box. He brought it up and was looking down into the cavity when part of the wall near the bottom fell away and a yellow hand was thrust In from the rock temple in a futile search for the treasure. "We must get out of this,” said Clarkson quickly, and lie related the incident to Van Ping. In a very short time the searchers below would dis cover that the treasure had been found ; by the Americans and there would be i murder and bloodshed at once. Van Ping earned the undying grati tude of Ills master that afternoon. The Chinese on fuard was an opium ! smoker, and his senses were dulled by the drug. Now he sat drowsily at the ! edge of the precipice, the rope hang ing loosely in his hand. The end of the rope had been twisted around tiie sturdy limb of a tree, affording a pur- I chase for the manipulation of the sling. Van Ping readied up and cut the rope wound around the tree, it slip ped hissingly through the weak grasp of the guard, and before the man re | aliz.ed what had happened the rope had dropped from his Augers and the sling ! chair dangling below fell hurtling into | the river. The guard screamed shrilly, but bis cries were instantly stilled by Van Ping's big blue handkerchief tied about his mouth. Then, hand in hand. Clarkson and Nita Pearce went back along the way they had come, and Van Ping led the way. At last they came up to the camp of the trackers, and Clarkson offered them double pay to put off in the boat at once. Nita Pearce sat in the stern of the boat, her hand iu Archer Clarkson's. There was an unspoken understanding between these two. who bad met so casually and who had taken this haz ardous Journey after the Flaming Heart. They spoke of the Chinese bundits Imprisoned iu the rock temple, and they spoke of the moment when they might safely open the little bronze box that was hidden in Clarkson’s pocket. They talked about rewarding Van Ping. They did not talk of them selves. At last came the moment when, back in Shanghai at Sirs. Pearce's hotel, they opened the bronze box and looked upon the beautiful ruby which bad cost many lives and the possession of which meant tlie beginning of a new life for Clarkson. "isn't it wonderful?" whispered Nita Pearce as she looked down at the glowing ruby. "Beautiful." agreed Clarkson, but he was looking at Nita's fnee. “The loveliest thing I ever saw." murmured Nita. lifting her gray eyes to smile at him "I have seen lovelier." said Clark son. looking deep Into her eyes. Now she understood, and presently when they stood, their faces close to gether. looking down at the Flaming Heart they saw reflected in its glow ing heart a beautiful future back home in the States. 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