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was hidden. Again Sergeant Ross had to force open a door. As it
    gave way, a small, dimly-lighted room opened before us. In the
    center cowered a Chinese girl. It needed not a second look to
    recognize in the frightened, anxious face before me Kum Ping of
    the steamer. Our talisman had worked its charm. She had proved
    to the depths the terrible truth of our warning, and now gladly
    entrusted herself to our care, while her almost frantic owner
    stormed, threatened and at last laid violent hands on the officer
    who was helping us. As we led the trembling Kum Ping out, a
    greatly excited crowd of chattering Chinese met us at the end of
    the passage at Spofford alley, and the news passed from lip to
    lip, "The Mission people have taken Woon Ha's new slave girl!" We
    would be glad to end the story of our little friend's troubles and
    safe escape with her arrival at last in the Mission Home that day.
    But how few rescues ever do end in that peaceful and pleasant way!
    There followed the usual train of lawyers and warrants. To avoid
    these unpleasant experiences, Kum Ping had to change her place of
    residence several times, the last time being the night before the
    fatal eighteenth of April. A warrant was served at ten o'clock
    that night, but being forewarned, the one named in it was with
    friends at some distance from the city. The warrant summoned us to
    court at two o'clock next day. God disposed of that case! No court
    has ever passed judgment on it. Long after the excitement of these
    days was over, Kum Ping returned to our Home; country air and a
    free life are working their spell. It is hard to recognize in the
    round, sun-tanned, happy face we see today, the unhappy slave girl
    of Woon Ha's den on Spofford alley.




CHAPTER 18.

PERILS AND REMEDIES.


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