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 YOU DEAR OLD FATHER!” SHE CRIED 
 
AN AMERICAN GIRL 
 
 IN KOREA 
 
 ANNIE M 
 BARNES 
 
 znuthor of 
 ? Little 
 .of the Rrt? “ 
 
 LIBRARY OF PRINCETON 
 
 r 
 
 j OCT 1 6 2007 
 
 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 Illustrated by 
 
 CARL STREHLAU 
 
 Tshe Penn Publishing Company* 
 
COPYRIGHT 
 19 05 BY 
 THE PENN 
 PUBLISHING 
 COMPANY 
 
To My Friend 
 Sadie 
 
 Who , in my opinion , is 
 Better than a hundred boys 
 
Contents 
 
 I No Girls Wanted 7 
 
 II The Man with the Amber Eyes , . 24 
 
 III Out Through the South Gate . . 38 
 
 IV The Mysterious Head Poleman . . 52 
 
 V “The River of Golden Sands” . . 67 
 
 VI Arrested 85 
 
 VII The Race for the Kwan-ja . . . 100 
 
 VIII Persistency Rewarded 117 
 
 IX A Disappearance 129 
 
 X Imprisoned 143 
 
 XI The Mourning Stranger .... 155 
 
 XII The Conference at Kat-seb’s . . . 167 
 
 XIII Music’s Entrancing Power . . . . 178 
 
 XIV Margaret’s Startling Discovery . 193 
 
 XV The Flag of the Philippa .... 210 
 
 XVI A Catastrophe 221 
 
 XVII The Face in the Moonlight . . . 232 
 
 XVIII The Startling Effect of a Name . 253 
 
 XIX Little Golden River 269 
 
 XX In the Hall of the Four Sages . . 286 
 
 XXI The Judgment of the Buddha 
 3 
 
 3°4 
 
4 
 
 Contents 
 
 XXII The Cell of Yo-do-ki 318 
 
 XXIII In the Underground Passageways . 336 
 
 XXIV The Voice Through the Grating . 353 
 
 XXV The Opening of the Door . . . 369 
 
 XXVI The Last of the Chang-sop . . . 386 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 NO GIRLS WANTED 
 
 “ Oh, we’re going to have a great time,” 
 cried Arthur. “ Father says we’re going all 
 the way to the Diamond Mountains.” 
 
 “ Yes,” added Stephen, “ and we’ll visit 
 that old monastery up there — the one with 
 the famous Marble Pagoda.” 
 
 “ Oh, I say, Meg, it’s a pity you can’t go,” 
 Arthur exclaimed. 
 
 “ Why, isn’t Margaret going ? ” asked Cousin 
 Wilbur, as he closed the book he was reading 
 and came over to the others. 
 
 “ No; how could she, Wilbur? ” said Arthur. 
 “ Of course we’ll miss her dreadfully. But 
 you see it will be such a rough trip ; not the 
 thing for girls, at all.” 
 
 “ Oh, indeed, Master Arthur, I like that,” 
 began Margaret, her eyes snapping, but Wil- 
 bur Ames laid his hand on her shoulder. 
 
 “ Now, Meg, don’t you mind him,” he said. 
 
 7 
 
8 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Let me handle him. It’s not such a rough 
 trip, Arthur. The country we will pass 
 through is almost free now from wild ani- 
 mals, and the people are quiet, peaceful coun- 
 try folk. So there’s no great danger that I 
 can see.” 
 
 “ But we are to camp at times, and that’s 
 roughing it, as you know,” protested Arthur. 
 “ There is no one who wants Meg to go more 
 than I do. You believe that, don’t you, 
 Meg?” and he wound his arm about her 
 waist as he spoke, and looked at her archly. 
 “ But it would make us feel very badly to see 
 you subjected to all manner of unpleasant ex- 
 periences.” 
 
 “ Pshaw ! Arthur,” exclaimed Stephen 
 again, “ you talk as though a sampan trip up 
 the Han River in Korea in this year, 1902, 
 was as terrible as taking a journey to the 
 wilds of Africa. I am sure Margaret could 
 go well enough, if only she had a girl com- 
 panion.” 
 
 “ Well,” said Wilbur Ames, “ we won’t 
 talk about it now. It’s time for us to go and 
 meet your father, boys. You know he’s go- 
 ing to the market-place to see about getting 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 9 
 
 the polemen for the journey. So put on your 
 hats, and come along, if you’re going. And 
 never you mind, Meg,” he added. “ Perhaps 
 there will be a way yet.” 
 
 Margaret, Arthur, and Stephen Vance, fif- 
 teen, seventeen, and fourteen years old re- 
 spectively, were the children of an American 
 missionary residing in Seoul, the Korean 
 capital. The Rev. Edward Vance had worked 
 faithfully for his church and for the cause in 
 which his heart was fully enlisted, with the 
 result that his mission was now in a most 
 flourishing condition. 
 
 For two years past a correspondence had 
 been going on between Mr. Vance and his 
 Board at home with reference to the establish- 
 ment of a branch mission at some point up 
 the Han River, that noble stream, which, ris- 
 ing in Kang-won-Do province, thirty miles 
 from the Sea of Japan, flows almost across the 
 entire country ere it falls into the sea at 
 Chemulpo. 
 
 The country was known to be not only 
 fertile but healthful, and the people very or- 
 derly and industrious. Moreover, they had 
 been for some time pleading for a chapel, a 
 
io An American Girl in Korea 
 
 school, and a missionary all their own. Two 
 or three times Mr. Vance had arranged to 
 make the trip, with Dr. Griffin, a young med- 
 ical missionary in Seoul, but each time some- 
 thing had prevented. He was in the midst 
 of these last preparations when something oc- 
 curred which caused him not only to hasten 
 all the arrangements, but to change the 
 plan of them considerably. This was the un- 
 expected arrival in Seoul, from the United 
 States, of his favorite nephew, Wilbur Ames. 
 He was now in his twentieth year, and had 
 just finished his college course, but in doing 
 so had seriously impaired his health. His 
 physician advised travel, so to Korea Wilbur 
 came, drawn there by the presence of his un- 
 cle’s family, whom he had not seen for six 
 years. 
 
 When Mr. Vance learned of his nephew’s 
 desire to spend much of his time out of doors 
 and to grow sturdy again, a brilliant thought 
 struck him. 
 
 “ We’ll hire a larger sampan,” he said to 
 his wife, “ double the polemen and stock of 
 provisions, and take the boys and Wilbur. 
 Moreover,” he added, his face growing 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 1 1 
 
 brighter, “ we’ll make it a six weeks’ trip in- 
 stead of three, and we’ll extend the trip to 
 the Diamond Mountains. There ! that will 
 be entertainment and profit enough for the 
 youngsters to do them a year, I think ! ” 
 
 Thus it was that the plans had been per- 
 fected, greatly to the joy of Arthur and 
 Stephen Vance and to the delight of Wilbur. 
 
 Besides those already mentioned, the mis- 
 sionary’s family consisted of his wife, her 
 sister, Miss Philippa Waldren, a young lady 
 of twenty-six, and Ethel, aged seven, the baby 
 of the family. 
 
 The ladies were to remain at the mission 
 compound, for neither of them had a fancy 
 for such a trip as was contemplated. Besides, 
 there was good reason why one of them would 
 have regarded it as a most sorrowful journey. 
 They could be perfectly safe and comfortable 
 during Mr. Vance’s absence, as there were 
 other missionaries and their wives resident 
 at the compound. Besides, the Vance family 
 had the services of two very excellent native 
 servants, Nak-Tong and Mokpo. 
 
 Mr. Vance met Wilbur and the boys at the 
 entrance of the compound, and walked with 
 
i2 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 them toward the market-place. “We must 
 get our polemen at once,” he said, “ for we 
 start in a week. It’s a pity the three we had i 
 engaged left us so in the lurch. They seemed 
 sturdy, able fellows.” 
 
 “ But very surly-looking, father,” said 
 Arthur. “ I, for one, am glad they left us, 
 since it let us see just what they were before 
 we had started on our journey and were at 
 their mercy.” 
 
 “ Well spoken, my boy ; but I fear this is 
 just the beginning of what we shall be called 
 upon to meet all through our trip. My ex- 
 perience with the Korean character has shown 
 me plainly its lack of stability and, what is 
 worse, its disregard of truth.” 
 
 “ But, uncle,” said Wilbur, “ they seem to 
 be a very pleasant-mannered people, and so 
 easy-going ” 
 
 “ That is just it, Wilbur ! They are too 
 easy-going. Why, even the emperor, the 
 head of the nation, is sadly lacking in deci- 
 sion. He is a mere puppet in the hands of 
 bad men. Poor Li Hsi ! some day his crown 
 will topple off, and he will be like Bopeep, 
 not knowing where to find it, nor even know- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 *3 
 
 ing how he lost it. But come,” he added, “ we 
 must hurry if we are to meet Dr. Griffin at 
 the time he set. This is one of the principal 
 market days, and there will be a crowd.” 
 
 They hastened through the narrow, crowded 
 streets. Men and children and dogs were seen 
 in every direction. Very few women were 
 afoot, and the most of these had an ugly 
 green cloak, cut like a coat, drawn up over 
 their heads and about their faces, with just a 
 crack for the eyes to peep through. On each 
 side a big sleeve hung down like a great flop- 
 ping ear. What women of the higher class 
 were abroad were not seen, as they were borne 
 by their servants in covered sedan chairs. 
 
 As Mr. Vance and the youths walked on 
 briskly they came, after a short time, to a 
 street not far from the English Legation, 
 which was cleaner and more prepossessing 
 than any they had entered since leaving the 
 one faced by the mission compound. 
 
 “ What an improvement, uncle,” exclaimed 
 Wilbur, “ on the foul smells everywhere else 
 in this town.” 
 
 “ It is the pungent odor of the cabinet 
 woods you get now, my boy,” replied his 
 
i4 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 uncle. “ In fact, this is called Cabinet Street, 
 and it is here that the marriage chests are 
 made for such young Korean women as can 
 afford them.” 
 
 They found the market a stirring place. 
 In addition to the city venders, hundreds of 
 people had come in from the country with 
 wares for sale. Most of the merchants were 
 squatting upon the ground with their goods 
 spread out before them. Others used their 
 clumsy, high-wheeled carts as temporary 
 shops, the big-eyed oxen standing patiently 
 as their masters drove bargains. There were 
 straw coops filled with chickens or with young 
 pigs ; roots and fruits and vegetables ; tobacco 
 pipes, oiled paper, umbrella hats, cords for 
 girdles, Turkey red cottons, flimsy silks, 
 matches, sesamum seed candy, and every con- 
 ceivable article necessary or otherwise to 
 human existence, all jumbled together, with 
 no regard to class or substance. 
 
 A man offered them rice for sale by the 
 handful ; another had eggs which were sold 
 by the stick. They were wrapped in straw, 
 placed end to end, and standing out like a 
 stiff club with many notches. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 1$ 
 
 “ I think I wouldn't like to buy eggs in 
 Korea, uncle," said Wilbur. “ I'd never know 
 whether they were stale or fresh." 
 
 “ Something one can't tell very well even 
 in America," his uncle replied, smiling. 
 
 “ I would be afraid I wasn't getting eggs at 
 all," declared Arthur. “ Who knows, now, 
 but that those might be stones instead of eggs 
 inside the straw ? " 
 
 “ You might ask the man to let you bear 
 down on them and test them," suggested 
 Stephen. 
 
 “ No, I thank you. They might be covered 
 by shells after all, and I have no yen 1 to pay 
 for the damage, for of course he would want 
 twenty times what 'twas worth." 
 
 They found Dr. Griffin near a booth that 
 had long-stemmed pipes and a varied assort- 
 ment of pottery for sale. He was in earnest 
 conversation with a man who was peddling 
 ironing clubs. 
 
 Wilbur thought these were surely baseball 
 bats, though they were shorter than those 
 with which he was familiar in the States. 
 He was greatly surprised when Arthur told 
 
 1 A Japanese dollar, a coin quite current in Korea, 
 
16 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 him they were used by the women of Korea 
 for the purpose of ironing, or rather beating, 
 the white clothes of fathers, husbands and 
 sons into smoothness. 
 
 The young physician looked up with a 
 smile. He had a fine, strong face, and his 
 dark eyes were very bright. Yet much sad- 
 ness had come into the young physician’s 
 life, as Wilbur was to learn later. 
 
 “ I think we have found one of our pole- 
 men,” said Dr. Griffin’s cheery voice as Mr. 
 Vance drew near. “ This is Mr. Kang-see, or 
 Mr. Kang for short. He lives some miles up 
 our river of Golden Sands, and brings down 
 articles of merchandise now and then for the 
 pasang 1 in Seoul. Many parts of the river, 
 he tells me, he knows as well as the fingers 
 on his hand, though he has never been so far 
 up as the first of the monasteries we are anx- 
 ious to see.” 
 
 Mr. Vance began to ply Mr. Kang with ques- 
 tions and soon seemed well pleased. The two 
 missionaries made use of the native language, 
 though two or three times Mr. Kang gave evi- 
 dence of having no mean knowledge of English. 
 
 1 Merchant peddlers. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 17 
 
 He seemed a very intelligent young Korean, 
 above the average height, and his person and 
 his dress bore evidence of a cleanliness that 
 pleased Mr. Vance greatly. 
 
 “ He tells me also,” Dr. Griffin said again, 
 “ that he is sure there are two young men in 
 his village whom he can get to join him. 
 They are experienced and have been on two 
 or three journeys for some distance up the 
 Han. He promises without fail to have them 
 at the mission compound by dusk on Monday 
 evening.” 
 
 “ We shall count upon you, Mr. Kang,” 
 said Mr. Vance politely, “ and pray be sure to 
 bring the young men with you if in your 
 power. We want to be off Wednesday morn- 
 ing at sunrise. Now where shall we find the 
 fourth poleman, I am anxious to know.” 
 
 During the last few minutes, while his 
 father and Dr. Griffin had been in earnest 
 conversation with Kang, Arthur had been 
 scanning the faces of the crowd about them. 
 Soon he became conscious of one man who 
 was very impertinently staring at them, and 
 edging nearer as he stared. This ought not 
 to have given the youth either surprise or re- 
 
18 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 sentment, as the Koreans are a very inquisi- 
 tive people, and Arthur had been long enough 
 in the country to find that out. He felt, 
 however, thoroughly provoked with the man. 
 He was plainly trying to hear all that was 
 said. “ And it is none of his business,” com- 
 mented Arthur. 
 
 The man had a bad face, the youth de- 
 clared to himself, and his almond-shaped 
 eyes gleamed in a way that made Arthur feel 
 decidedly chilly. 
 
 Suddenly Arthur saw the man give a start 
 and bend nearer, as though every nerve of 
 hearing was on a tension, and his queer little 
 eyes were shining like serpent’s eyes, with a 
 hard glitter, — yes, Arthur was sure of it ! 
 His father was speaking to Mr. Kang about 
 the Diamond Mountain section and the mon- 
 asteries up the Han, especially the one where 
 the Marble Pagoda was, said to be the exact 
 counterpart of that in Seoul, which struck 
 every visitor with such wonder. 
 
 The man edged nearer and nearer, his face 
 working with some strange emotion, his eyes 
 like two tiny jets of flame. 
 
 “ He’s truly a queer customer, and I believe 
 
An American Girl in Korea 19 
 
 he is after no good ! ” Arthur said to himself. 
 He turned quickly to the man. “ Well, what 
 do you want ? ” he asked. But without re- 
 plying the Korean abruptly darted away and 
 the youth quickly lost him in the crowd. 
 
 “ He’s gone ! ” exclaimed Arthur, “ without 
 giving me the chance I wanted to speak to 
 him ; but I would know that face again any- 
 where.” 
 
 In Korea, where physiognomy varies, it is 
 not hard to distinguish one face from another 
 as it is in China and Japan, so that Arthur 
 made no vain boast. Though the Koreans 
 bear a resemblance to both the Chinese and 
 Japanese, and there is a mixture of the blood 
 of the two races in their veins, as is believed, 
 still the people of the Hermit Kingdom have 
 features, as well as traits, that are distinctively 
 their own. They vary in coloring from a 
 russet brown to a light cream hue, and the 
 eyes of many of them instead of being sloe- 
 black, as are the eyes of the Chinese and 
 Japanese, are hazel and even a dark gray in 
 shade. This man’s eyes were of a peculiar 
 shade of deep amber. Truly it would be hard 
 for Arthur to forget them ! 
 
20 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 He decided at length to say nothing to his 
 father or to the others until some circumstance 
 arose to justify his speaking. Besides, there 
 was ever the dread with Arthur of being cen- 
 sured for his hasty prejudices. 
 
 “ I think I can get the other poleman,” said 
 Dr. Griffin, as they walked away. “ At any 
 rate, Til try for him. I am going over to- 
 ward the South Gate to see a sick man. He 
 is one in whom I have confidence. He has 
 traveled much about the country and will 
 probably be able to help us. I will let you 
 hear from me shortly after my return.” 
 
 Mr. Vance thanked him and turned away 
 with the boys. 
 
 “ What a fine face Dr. Griffin has,” ex- 
 claimed Wilbur, when they were on their wa}^ 
 back to the compound. “ I’m very glad he 
 is going with us next week.” 
 
 “ Yes,” rejoined his uncle, enthusiastically. 
 “ He’s a splendid fellow. You’ll like him 
 more and more.” 
 
 “ I should think it would be a sad journey 
 for him,” said Arthur. 
 
 “ Why ? ” asked Wilbur, in surprise. 
 
 But Mr. Vance answered for his son. “ I 
 
An American Girl in Korea 21 
 
 would have told you about him earlier, Wil- 
 bur,” he said, “ but for the fact that I have been 
 busy and have seen so little of you in the few 
 days you have been here. Dr. Griffin’s only 
 brother, Walter Hale Griffin, was drowned 
 while on a trip up the Han River just a little 
 more than three years ago. He was an artist 
 and newspaper correspondent, and was very 
 venturesome, it is said. His body was never 
 found, though most of his effects were fished 
 up from the river. No doubt his sampan was 
 dashed to pieces in the rapids. Many believe 
 his polemen were treacherous — that they de- 
 liberately planned his death so as to rob him. 
 He had a servant with him, and he at least 
 ought to have been faithful, since Mr. Walter 
 had saved him from starvation and even from 
 what was worse. Trace of this servant was 
 never found after the accident, though a bat- 
 tered body was taken out of\he water near 
 where the sampan was wrecked, which the 
 natives of a near-by village declared was that 
 of Mr. Walter’s servant Won-su. Dr. Griffin 
 has never been quite satisfied that all is known 
 that could be known, however, and his chief 
 reason for going with me on this trip is to see 
 
22 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 what further facts can be unearthed. Mr. 
 Walter’s death was a great blow to Dr. Griffin. 
 “ And to Miss Philippa, too,” he added, after 
 a moment. “ You probably had not heard 
 that she was engaged to Mr. Walter. It was 
 all very sad, very sad.” 
 
 They were entering the compound now, 
 and their house was in sight. Arthur waved 
 his hand gaily to some one standing in the 
 door. 
 
 “ There’s Margaret,” he said. 
 
 Mr. Vance stopped. “ Sure enough,” he 
 said. “ You boys go on to the house. I’ll be 
 with you soon. I nearly forgot something.” 
 They had been at home only a short time 
 when Mr. Vance came in. Behind him was a 
 young girl about Margaret’s age, whose cheeks 
 were glowing and eyes sparkling as though 
 she knew something very pleasant and 
 couldn’t wait another moment to tell it. 
 
 “ Here, Margaret,” said Mr. Vance, his own 
 eyes twinkling, “ I’ve brought Sarah Eliot 
 to talk it over with you.” 
 
 “ Why, father,” cried Margaret. “ What do 
 you mean ? What is he talking about, Sarah ? ” 
 “ Oh,” said Mr. Vance, “ nothing much. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 23 
 
 Just the trip up the Han River. I have per- 
 suaded Sarah’s father to let her go with you, 
 for company. But if you don’t want her,” he 
 
 added teasingly, “ I’ll ” 
 
 Margaret rushed at him and hugged him. 
 “ You dear old father ! ” she cried. “ And 
 you have been planning this all the time 
 without letting me know. Oh, Sarah, isn’t it 
 just the nicest thing? And I’d rather have 
 you than anybody I know, Sarah ! ” And 
 the delighted girl hugged her friend, and then 
 her father again, and then all the boys one 
 after the other. When she came to Arthur 
 she said triumphantly, 
 
 “ And now who’s going to the Diamond 
 Mountains, I want to know.” 
 
 “ You are, Meg,” said Arthur, promptly. 
 “ And I’m glad of it.” 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 THE MAN WITH THE AMBER EYES 
 
 “What do you think,” exclaimed Arthur; 
 “ Sarah Eliot has been two months in Seoul, 
 and she has not yet seen the Marble Pagoda? ” 
 “ The Marble Pagoda ! ” echoed Wilbur. 
 “ What is that ? I, too, must plead ignorance. 
 Neither have I seen the Marble Pagoda.” 
 
 “ Then you must both see it at once. This 
 is Saturday, the very day to go.” 
 
 “But what is the Marble Pagoda?” per- 
 sisted Wilbur, “ and where is it to be found ? ” 
 “ O it is one of the wonders of Seoul,” 
 Margaret laughingly replied ; “ the wonder, as 
 Arthur believes, and it stands in one of the 
 dirtiest portions of the city, like a pearl in a 
 mud puddle. We shall all have to take balls 
 of tar camphor if we go there,” Margaret con- 
 cluded with an upward little sniff. 
 
 “ Don’t mind her, Wilbur,” entreated Ar- 
 thur. “ It isn’t any dirtier than places where 
 we have been alread}^ Nearly all of Seoul is 
 dirty, for that matter. Indeed, I think it 
 
 *4 
 
An American Girl in Korea 25 
 
 should be called the City of Immortal Dirt 
 instead of the ‘ City of the Ring’s Everlasting 
 Seal.’ 
 
 “ But to come back to the pagoda. Really, 
 Wilbur, you are going to be surprised when 
 you see it. Every one is. Even Meg herself 
 was, the first time she set her eyes upon it ; so 
 don’t mind her chaffing. She is quite ready 
 to go again, despite the bad smells, as you’ll 
 plainly see when the time comes,” which as- 
 sertion Margaret herself made no attempt to 
 deny. 
 
 “It is more than seven hundred years old,” 
 said Stephen, pleased that he could add a 
 point of information, “ and no one knows 
 who built it.” 
 
 “ The carvings are magnificent,” Arthur 
 resumed. “ The most of them represent Hin- 
 doo divinities, so that it is believed, and with 
 good reason, that the artists came from India. 
 Mr. Walter, Dr. Griffin’s brother, was com- 
 pletely fascinated with the old pagoda. I 
 remember going there twice with him, and I 
 could hardly get him away. He declared that 
 he believed the old place was full of mys- 
 teries, secret apartments, you know, and recep- 
 
26 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 tacles for treasure and all that, and upon my 
 word I think so too.” 
 
 They set off at about ten o’clock that morn- 
 ing for the old pagoda. Unfortunately neither 
 their father nor Dr. Griffin could accompany 
 them. Both knew much of the history of 
 the old pagoda as well as the significance 
 of many of its carvings. 
 
 In one of the narrowest of the streets Mar- 
 garet, who was walking ahead with Wilbur, 
 suddenly paused and motioned her cousin to 
 move nearer the wall to permit a porter to 
 pass. The man was heavily laden with pot- 
 tery. It was so piled on a great wooden 
 frame, resembling an artist’s easel, that it 
 towered four or five feet above his head. The 
 pottery was held in place by thongs of hempen 
 cord wound about it, but despite this it 
 rattled loosely as the man trotted by. 
 
 “ I don’t see what keeps it from falling,” 
 said Wilbur. “ I certainly would not fancy 
 bumping into him, would you ? I’m glad 
 you pulled me aside.” 
 
 “ Oh, nothing would have happened,” 
 Margaret replied. “ Probably none of the 
 pottery would have fallen. I have seen one 
 
An American Girl in Korea 27 
 
 of these porters quickly right his load again, 
 when every piece of pottery seemed tumbling 
 in a different direction. ” 
 
 They had moved on again when Margaret’s 
 attention was attracted to a man hastily cross- 
 ing the street in the direction they were turn- 
 ing. She would no doubt have passed on 
 without heeding him, had he not jostled 
 somewhat roughly against her in the attempt 
 to cross just as she did. 
 
 “ What peculiar eyes that man has,” she 
 said to Wilbur. “ I declare they gave me a 
 very queer feeling as he turned his glance 
 suddenly upon me, though I must say he 
 wasn’t at all rough in his manner. He drew 
 back civilly enough when he saw that he had 
 jostled me.” 
 
 “Why, what was the matter with his eyes? ” 
 asked her cousin, who could now see only 
 the back of the man’s head as he hastened 
 away. 
 
 “ They are exactly the color of amber,” re- 
 plied Margaret, “ and they glitter as though 
 they might be made of glass.” 
 
 “ Why, what a comparison, Margaret ! ” her 
 cousin replied as he smiled into her face. 
 
28 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Perhaps your own glance was somewhat be- 
 witched ? ” 
 
 “ Perhaps so, Wilbur/' she agreed as she re- 
 turned her cousin’s smile. Nevertheless she 
 had her own opinion. 
 
 “ There ! ” said Arthur, as they came sud- 
 denly around a jumble of mean and dirty 
 looking huts, “ I defy you, Wilbur, to assert 
 that you were expecting anything like this. 
 Doesn’t it make you hold your breath, 
 though ? ” 
 
 The pagoda did present an imposing ap- 
 pearance, although the marble of which it had 
 been built was now discolored by time. It 
 had originally been thirteen stories in height, 
 but during the Japanese invasion three hun- 
 dred years before three of the stories had been 
 removed and placed near by on the ground. 
 
 “ Why do they not clean up around here?” 
 asked Sarah in disgust, “ and let the pagoda 
 stand out conspicuously as it deserves? No 
 one would think to look for it behind all 
 these heaps of wretched, dirty buildings.” 
 
 “ 0 the natives don’t care about it,” replied 
 Margaret. “ They would rather have the 
 space than the pagoda.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 29 
 
 “ 1 wonder the authorities don’t take some 
 action in the matter?” exclaimed Wilbur. 
 “It is a burning shame to permit these peo- 
 ple to crowd up so against this beautiful 
 thing, shutting off all the view of it with 
 their dirty houses.” 
 
 “ The authorities ! ” repeated Arthur, look- 
 ing amused. “ You won’t be in Seoul many 
 more days, Wilbur, ere you discover that mu- 
 nicipal alertness isn’t one of the prevailing 
 virtues. People are left to do very much as 
 they please unless it’s a matter of having the 
 taxes squeezed out of them.” 
 
 They walked slowly around the pagoda, not 
 only admiring the beauty of its carvings, but 
 the symmetry of its proportions. Each point 
 aroused fresh admiration. But as beautiful 
 as the pagoda was without, it was even 
 more so within, though its walls were 
 covered by the accumulated dust and grime . 
 of centuries. 
 
 The roof of each apartment was supported 
 by pillars of stone, every one a mass of carv- 
 ings. Figures of Buddha were everywhere, 
 with many other mystic deities known to the 
 Hindoo religion. Light came through re- 
 
30 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 cessed windows and through openings where 
 paneled doors had been. 
 
 The young people had just come from within 
 the main apartment and were lingering for 
 another view of the old pagoda's beauty. 
 They had climbed to the top of a wall which 
 had been built so near to the pagoda that 
 they could easily lean forward and touch the 
 quaintly carved eaves of the first story. It 
 seemed that the spell of the old building 
 was upon them. Its beauty had tied their 
 tongues. 
 
 As Margaret leaned forward, peering through 
 a crevice, she became conscious that some one 
 had entered the apartment they had recently 
 vacated. That was not unusual, she said to 
 herself Many people no doubt visited the 
 old pagoda every day. Visitors generally 
 heard of it as soon as they reached Seoul. 
 
 Another glance, and Margaret saw that this 
 was no visitor to Seoul, but a native, a man 
 in the full Korean dress, white gown, full 
 sleeves, and broad-brimmed hat. Still, his 
 being there struck her as nothing unusual. 
 All about the pagoda were the huts of the na- 
 tives. No doubt one or more of them used 
 
An American Girl in Korea 31 
 
 the pagoda for some domestic purpose. Per- 
 haps this man had his lodging here. 
 
 Margaret was about to call the attention of 
 the others to the man’s presence in the pa- 
 goda, when a sudden movement on his part 
 stayed the words almost upon her lips, and 
 held her with curiosity. He had gone down 
 on his knees and from somewhere had drawn 
 forth a large flat box of dark wood, and was 
 not only muttering over it, but was making 
 vigorous gestures. A hum of voices in a 
 near-by hut and the rapid barking of a dog 
 kept Margaret from hearing distinctly the 
 sounds that he made, but she could see the 
 movements, and they struck her as being very 
 queer. 
 
 Something in the man’s appearance seemed 
 familiar. He glanced up as though he feared 
 he might be noticed and Margaret instantly 
 drew back. 
 
 “ Ah, Wilbur, come here,” she said. “ There 
 is a man in the pagoda ; his actions are very 
 queer, and I am just dying to find out what 
 he is doing.” 
 
 She sprang down from the wall, again sig- 
 naling her cousin to come. But Wilbur did 
 
32 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 not follow immediately, as both Arthur and 
 Sarah were calling to him to know what was 
 the matter with Margaret. 
 
 Meanwhile Margaret was running around 
 the pagoda toward the opening by which she 
 was sure the man had entered. She could 
 not account to herself for the lively curiosity 
 he had aroused, but it certainly was aroused 
 and was leading her into most undignified 
 action. 
 
 As Margaret neared the opening, the man 
 issued hastily from it. No doubt he had 
 heard their voices and the sound of her 
 swiftly moving feet. As she noted his rapid 
 exit, she became more fully convinced that 
 he had been doing something he had no busi- 
 ness to do. Perhaps he had stolen something 
 and had gone to the old pagoda to secrete it. 
 
 As the man caught the sound of her ap- 
 proach, he turned as though unwittingly. 
 For one instant he glanced at her fully. Mar- 
 garet gave a start that brought her almost to 
 a standstill. The eyes were those of the man 
 who had attracted her so peculiarly in the 
 street. 
 
 Arthur came up beside her just as the man 
 
An American Girl in Korea 33 
 
 was disappearing around an angle of one of 
 the huts. 
 
 “ Dear me, Margaret ! whatever is the mat- 
 ter? Why, the way you jumped down from 
 the wall and ran around the pagoda made us 
 think you had suddenly gone crazy.” 
 
 “ I heard her say something about a man 
 in the pagoda,” exclaimed Wilbur, “ but that 
 was all. Where is the man, Meg, and what 
 was he doing to excite you so ? ” 
 
 “You ran away as though you had sud- 
 denly been shot out of a gun,” laughed Sarah. 
 “Now, Margaret, what did you see to arouse 
 you in that sudden way ? ” 
 
 “ I saw a man in the pagoda,” quickly re- 
 plied Margaret. “ He no doubt entered the 
 lower apartment just as we left it. At first I 
 thought nothing of it, as there are so many 
 people in the huts crowded about the old pa- 
 goda, it was natural to expect to see them 
 make use of it at any time. But he soon be- 
 gan to act so queerly, and he had a box of 
 such strange appearance — large, flat and of a 
 wood so highly polished it fairly shone — my 
 curiosity was quickly aroused. There was 
 something, too, about the man that seemed 
 
34 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 familiar. I just couldn’t stand it another 
 moment. I felt that I must see that box 
 nearer and find out what he was doing with it.” 
 “ Just hear her ! ” cried Arthur. “ A girl’s 
 curiosity ! Why, Meg, old Mother Eve her- 
 self couldn’t have held a candle to you if you 
 had met in the same generation.” 
 
 “ Don’t call it Margaret’s curiosity,” spoke 
 Wilbur at that moment, “ but Margaret’s 
 spirit ! With Margaret to resolve is to act. 
 I don’t know what Margaret wouldn’t do, 
 once her mind is made up.” 
 
 “ Yes, Margaret is like the terrapin,” 
 promptly asserted Arthur, “ once she takes 
 hold she never lets go.” 
 
 “ Till it thunders,” added Sarah. 
 
 “ No, not even thunder would weaken Mar- 
 garet’s grip. But where is that man, I would 
 like to know? ” Arthur asked suddenly, wheel- 
 ing about. “ And what do you suppose he 
 would have thought of you, Meg, if you had 
 bolted in on him as you proposed? It is a 
 good thing I arrived in time to stop you. Is 
 he still in the pagoda ? ” 
 
 “ No, he has just gone around the corner of 
 one of the huts.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 35 
 
 “ Box and all ? ” 
 
 “ He did not have the box, or if he did, I 
 couldn’t see it. But that would have been 
 out of the question,” she added after a pause. 
 
 “ What would ? ” asked Sarah. 
 
 “ For the man to have had the box without 
 my seeing it. Why, it must be two feet long.” 
 
 “ Then it is still in the pagoda ! ” cried 
 Arthur. “ Come, let us go and see.” 
 
 “ Who has curiosity now ? ” asked Sarah. 
 
 Arthur looked foolish. 
 
 “ It mightn’t be just the thing for us to go 
 back in there,” spoke Wilbur. “ Some one 
 may live in the lower apartment. Now that 
 we have reason to think so, we might be 
 intruding.” 
 
 “ I am almost sure there is no one living in 
 there,” declared Arthur. “ We saw no signs 
 of it during our visit a short while ago. Per- 
 haps the fellow stole the box, and we may 
 restore it to its owner.” 
 
 “ That is just what I think,” remarked 
 Margaret, “ that the man had stolen the box 
 and went in there to hide it. He certainly 
 acted queerly ; and he did not come out with 
 the box, I am sure of that.” 
 
36 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ 0 come on, let’s go and look for it ! ” cried 
 Arthur again. “ You two girls will come, I 
 know, for I can see that your curiosity is con- 
 suming you. Wilbur, you had better come, 
 too, to take care of us all, since you are the 
 man of the party.” 
 
 “ I see a man peeping around the corner of 
 one of the huts ! ” said Stephen suddenly. 
 
 “ Where ? ” asked Arthur. 
 
 “ Right over there.” 
 
 “ Is that the man, Margaret ? ” 
 
 “ No, it isn’t. I think that man is just 
 overcome with curiosity to know what we are 
 doing,” and she bestowed a meaning glance 
 in Arthur’s direction. 
 
 “ I would know the man anywhere,” con- 
 tinued Margaret ; “ I mean the one who was 
 in here. He had the most peculiar eyes I 
 have ever seen. In fact, Wilbur,” turning 
 to her cousin, “ he was the very same one I 
 called your attention to in the street.” 
 
 “ What is there peculiar about his eyes?” 
 asked Arthur, wheeling suddenly toward Mar- 
 garet. 
 
 “ Why, their coloring. They are the hue 
 of amber, and they glitter like glass.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 37 
 
 “Good gracious me ! ” ejaculated Arthur, for- 
 getting how opposed his scholarly father 
 was to all such meaningless expressions, and 
 darted into the pagoda. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 OUT THROUGH THE SOUTH GATE 
 
 They went into the lower apartment of the 
 pagoda and searched carefully, but could find 
 no trace of the box Margaret had seen. 
 
 “ Perhaps you were mistaken, Meg,” sug- 
 gested Arthur. “ The light is not good in 
 here, as you see.” 
 
 “ I could not have been mistaken, Arthur. 
 The man was directly in front of the opening 
 through which I was looking. In fact, there 
 was a ray of sunlight right across the box. 
 It just danced on the polished wood. Why, I 
 could almost say that the box is of cherry.” 
 
 “ No doubt the man took it away,” said 
 Wilbur. “ I should think, Margaret, that 
 with the voluminous sleeves they wear they 
 could easily conceal within them articles of 
 no small proportions, and the observer be 
 none the wiser.” 
 
 “ Even a baby ! ” exclaimed Stephen. Then 
 as he saw them laugh, he added, “ Well, you 
 know that has been done. Have you for- 
 
 38 
 
An American Girl in Korea 39 
 
 gotten the man father told us about ?” turn- 
 ing to Margaret and Arthur, “ the one who 
 put his boy baby to sleep and brought him to 
 the chapel service snugly tucked in his sleeve ? 
 No one was the wiser till father found it out 
 after the services. The man’s wife and daugh- 
 ters had gone to the river to wash, and he 
 did not want to leave the little one at home. 
 Neither did he want the other men to know 
 he was playing nurse.” 
 
 “ I think the man who went away from the 
 pagoda didn’t have anything in his sleeve,” 
 asserted Margaret. “ Indeed, I am sure of it. 
 He held his arms down, and he did not walk 
 as one who was bearing a burden.” 
 
 “ Let us search again carefully in this cor- 
 ner,” suggested Wilbur. “ The pile of rubbish 
 over there looks as though it might recently 
 have been disturbed.” 
 
 The pagoda had once been used as a Bud- 
 dhist temple, and traces of the altar remained. 
 There were two of the upright posts that had 
 supported the railing, and jutting from an 
 angle of the wall a hook where a censer had 
 swung. 
 
 “ This is one part of the pagoda,” said 
 
40 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Arthur, “ that Mr. Walter, Dr. Griffin's 
 brother, used fairly to haunt. It seemed as 
 though it had woven a spell over him. I 
 used to laugh and tell him so. He declared 
 that he believed in ages back he had been a 
 Hindoo himself." 
 
 They poked about for a long time among 
 the rubbish, overturning everything that 
 looked as though it might conceal the open- 
 ing of some secret receptacle where the box 
 could have been hidden. 
 
 “ I think we shall have to give it up," de- 
 clared Arthur after a time. “ But I tell you 
 what ! we'll come back here again Monday, 
 and we'll bring some tools to aid us in the 
 search. The whole thing has aroused my 
 curiosity. I’ll admit it, Miss Sarah, and you 
 can laugh as much as you please. Now I’ll 
 give you the reason why I grew so excited 
 when Margaret mentioned what peculiar eyes 
 the man had," and he thereupon related the 
 circumstance occurring in the market-place 
 two days before. 
 
 tc I declare you two make my flesh creep ! ’’ 
 exclaimed Sarah. “ Quit talking about such 
 uncanny things. There ! what was that stir- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 41 
 
 ring ? ” and she gave a little scream and 
 sprang toward Margaret. 
 
 “ Only a rat, goosey ! Take care it doesn’t 
 run up your skirt,” at which suggestion Sarah 
 squeaked more loudly than ever. 
 
 “ See the inscription up there,” remarked 
 Arthur as they were turning away. “ The 
 gilding has worn from the letters, but their 
 outlines are still quite plain, ‘ Namu, Amida, 
 Butsu ! — Hail, all powerful Buddha ! ’ Mr. 
 Walter told me its meaning. It was so sad 
 about his death,” his eyes suddenly growing 
 very tender. “ He was a splendid young man, 
 Wilbur. I wish you could have known him. 
 In addition to the articles he wrote and the 
 sketches he made for the papers and maga- 
 zines, he was writing a book, which father 
 says would have been a great contribution to 
 literature.” 
 
 When they reached home it was to hear the 
 welcome news that the fourth poleman had 
 been obtained for the sampan trip up the 
 Han. Dr. Griffin had at length found him 
 through the agency of the sick man he had 
 gone to see two days before. This poleman, 
 Myo-Sang by name, was an old sampan man 
 
42 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and understood the business thoroughly. He 
 had been several times up the Han, it was 
 thought to the very farthest point to which it 
 was navigable for sampans and other like 
 craft. If any one could take them safely 
 through the dangerous shoals and rapids, 
 Myo-Sang could. They were therefore fortu- 
 nate in getting him, his admirers asserted. 
 
 On the following Monday morning the 
 young people went again to the pagoda. A 
 lively interest had been awakened within each 
 one concerning the cherry wood box and the 
 mysterious man with the amber-colored eyes. 
 Even Wilbur felt his curiosity considerably 
 aroused. They had agreed that they would 
 say nothing to their elders about the matter 
 unless the box was found. 
 
 “ Father and Dr. Griffin would only laugh 
 at us/’ declared Arthur, “ and call us a parcel 
 of foolish children.” 
 
 The box was not found, though they car- 
 ried the proper tools and made a most thor- 
 ough and diligent search. If the man had 
 hidden it, he had done so with such cunning 
 they were completely baffled. 
 
 At dusk on Monday Kang appeared, and 
 
An American Girl in Korea 43 
 
 with him the two young polemen he had en- 
 gaged at his village. They were pleasant- 
 featured, intelligent-looking young men, and 
 both Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin expressed 
 themselves as well pleased with the selection. 
 
 Arrangements were made for a five weeks’ 
 engagement of the three, and they were sent 
 on to the village of Han Kang, four miles 
 from Seoul, where the sampan was being pro- 
 visioned and put in readiness under the di- 
 rection of Min, Dr. Griffin’s trusted Chinese 
 servant. On account of a very dangerous 
 rapid in the river near to Seoul, it had been 
 decided to make the start from Han Kang, 
 going on pony back from Seoul to that vil- 
 lage. Such a bustle now as there was, getting 
 ready to be off ! Even the exciting incident 
 of the cherry wood box was for the time for- 
 gotten. 
 
 “ We look like a band of robbers, stealing 
 forth to pillage ! ” laughed Margaret, as they 
 rode away from the gates of the mission com- 
 pound in the gray dawn. They were wrapped 
 to the chin in rubber coats to protect them 
 from the fog of the morning, and their hats 
 were pulled down over their faces. Many 
 
44 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 tender good-byes had been said and more than 
 one fervent “ God keep you till we meet 
 again.” 
 
 At the last moment Aunt Philippa had 
 drawn Margaret’s head to her and whispered 
 something close to her ear, which made Mar- 
 garet’s heart beat faster and her eyes suddenly 
 grow very moist as she answered, 
 
 “ That I will, Aunt Philippa, you may rest 
 assured.” 
 
 As early as it was many people in Seoul 
 were up and preparing for the business of the 
 day. Smoke was pouring from dozens of the 
 queer chimneys that were right on the street. 
 
 “ What have they in those fires, I would 
 like to know?” asked Wilbur, coughing and 
 sneezing. 
 
 “ Why, straw, to be sure, the universal fuel 
 of Seoul ! ” replied Arthur who rode next to 
 him. “ Look out, Wilbur ! ” he cried almost 
 in the same breath, “ or that water carrier will 
 give you a drenching, and it will be by no 
 means a clean one, let me warn you.” 
 
 Wilbur turned his pony’s head just in time 
 to escape collision with a man who was trot- 
 ting down the street toward them with a 
 
An American Girl in Korea 45 
 
 bucket of water slung at each end of a pole 
 borne across his shoulders. 
 
 They were almost at the Great South Gate, 
 through which they expected to pass out, 
 when Arthur turned to his father. 
 
 “ What do you think can be the matter with 
 the big bell this morning, sir ? It has not yet 
 sounded, and you know we ought to have 
 heard its clang a half hour ago.” 
 
 The great bronze bell to which Arthur re- 
 ferred stands near the centre of the city. It 
 is said to be the third largest bell in the world. 
 It has rung morning and evening for five 
 hundred years as a signal for the opening or 
 the plosing of the gates of Seoul, of which 
 there are eight. Without the sound of its 
 mighty booming, which can be heard in all 
 parts of the city, the gates remain motionless. 
 
 “ I do not know, Arthur,” Mr. Vance re- 
 plied. “ Perhaps it has sounded, and we have 
 been so occupied with our own affairs we have 
 not noticed it.” 
 
 “ No, sir, I am sure it has not rung, and it 
 is very strange, for this is the first time it has 
 ever failed, within my knowledge.” 
 
 When they arrived at the gate they found 
 
46 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 that it was only too true, the bell had not 
 sounded, and there was much clatter of 
 tongues concerning it. Impatience, too, was 
 plainly visible on many countenances. A 
 crowd had gathered both within and without, 
 and it would have been impossible to tell on 
 which side of the gates the greater clamor ex- 
 isted. 
 
 Wilbur, on dismounting from his pony to 
 rest himself for the time they would be at the 
 gates, lost his balance, and, in seeking to re- 
 cover himself, jostled violently against what 
 he took to be a very querulous old lady, who 
 was loudly railing against the tyranny of 
 keeping the gates closed. 
 
 “ I beg your pardon, madam,” exclaimed 
 Wilbur, politely removing his hat, at which 
 Arthur fairly shrieked with laughter. The 
 supposed old lady was a man with clean 
 shaven face and hair done in a knot at the 
 top of his head, as is the custom with married 
 men in Korea. 
 
 “ Now, Arthur,” remonstrated Margaret, “ it 
 is too bad you should laugh at Wilbur so. 
 Don’t mind him, cousin. It is no wonder you 
 made the mistake. I have done so myself 
 
An American Girl in Korea 47 
 
 several times, and so has Arthur, if he would 
 only admit it. When both men and women 
 wear gowns, and men are frequently seen 
 without even the little wisp of hair, the 
 fashion of which they have borrowed from 
 the Chinese, I do not see how any one as un- 
 familiar with Korea as yourself, Wilbur, can 
 tell them apart.” 
 
 “ Thank you, Margaret,” replied Wilbur, 
 looking at her gratefully. “ I hope to be even 
 with Arthur yet.” 
 
 “ You’ll have to keep your eyes pried open 
 if you do,” was Stephen’s unsolicited advice. 
 
 At last the great bell sent forth its booming 
 sound, and with a clatter and clang the gates 
 fell apart. Rushing and scrambling, the im- 
 patient crowd within and the equally impa- 
 tient one without alike sought to make all the 
 haste possible. 
 
 “ What imposing looking structure is that 
 yonder?” Sarah asked of Dr. Griffin when 
 they had but little more than ridden through 
 the gates. 
 
 “ That is the Temple of the God of War,” 
 he replied, “ one of the very few temples in 
 Korea. Indeed, Miss Sarah, if you have been 
 
48 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 a close observer during the time you have 
 been in Korea, you must have been struck by 
 the fact that, so far as outward signs go, the 
 Koreans are a people without any religion.” 
 
 “ Yes, I have heard my uncle say that, un- 
 like the people of China and Japan, where 
 temples are as thick as cones on a pine, they 
 rarely ever build a temple ; that there is only 
 one other in Seoul, and that the erection of 
 both are due to the king.” 
 
 “ You will find it so in all the cities and 
 larger towns of Korea, especially the walled 
 ones,” remarked Mr. Vance. “ It has been a 
 priestless and templeless land ever since the 
 Buddhists were driven out three centuries 
 ago.” 
 
 “ Why did they drive them out, father ? ” 
 asked Margaret. 
 
 “ It was brought about through the Japa- 
 nese invasion, my dear. Koreans claim that 
 the Japanese soldiers, disguised as Buddhist 
 priests, gained entrance to the city ; that they 
 not only opened the gates to others, but that 
 they went about the streets putting the inhab- 
 itants to death at the point of the sword. 
 When peace reigned again, the king issued a 
 
An American Girl in Korea 49 
 
 decree that all temples were to be abandoned 
 and torn down and all priests banished. 
 That decree was never modified until 1784, 
 when Roman Catholic missionaries were al- 
 lowed to enter, and finally in 1884, an even 
 more liberal spirit was shown in favor of 
 Protestant missionaries.” 
 
 “ I wonder the Buddhist priests don’t come 
 back,” exclaimed Arthur. 
 
 “ They are too well fixed at their monas- 
 teries in the mountains,” his father replied. 
 “ They have planted and watered for years, 
 and many of the monastery grounds are veri- 
 table Edens, I understand. Besides, they 
 have now succeeded in getting a hold upon 
 the people of the country and villages, their 
 fees are ample, and they do not wish to give 
 up a sure living to run the risk of a far 
 scantier one in the city.” 
 
 It was the last of April and the air was de- 
 lightfully fragrant with the scent of many 
 open flowers. Azaleas, clematis and honey- 
 suckles grew in wild profusion upon almost 
 every hill and mountainside. 
 
 At the summit of an eminence a mile or so 
 from the gates, they paused to look back. 
 
50 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 The whole city of Seoul lay stretched out 
 before them. It looked like an immense 
 enclosure filled with innumerable hay ricks 
 — the huts of the lower class — jumbled to- 
 gether, with a structure here and there in the 
 midst of a garden, for all the world like a big 
 barn, which marked the home of one of the 
 wealthier class. 
 
 “ What is that enclosure near the centre of 
 the city,” asked Wilbur suddenly, “that is 
 filled from end to end with big barns? ” 
 
 “ Why, those are the King’s palaces,” re- 
 plied Arthur with a laugh. “ We must go 
 there, Wilbur, when we get back.” 
 
 They found the sampan moored close to the 
 shore at the foot of a slight declivity. All 
 was bustle about it. Figures in white gowns 
 and broad-brimmed hats were moving to and 
 fro, some helping to get the sampan ready for 
 the start ; while others again were looking 
 on in idle curiosity. 
 
 They had dismounted and were about to 
 proceed to the sampan, when suddenly Mar- 
 garet heard Dr. Griffin say to her father, 
 
 “ This is Myo, our chief sampan man. We 
 were truly fortunate to get him, for I do not 
 
An American Girl in Korea 51 
 
 know how we could have proceeded up the 
 Han without him.” 
 
 Attracted by the words, Margaret turned, 
 and there, standing not six feet away from 
 her, was the man with the amber-colored eyes 
 — he whom she believed had hidden the 
 cherry wood box in the marble pagoda. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE MYSTERIOUS HEAD POLEMAN 
 
 It was without doubt the very same man. 
 Margaret could not be mistaken ; his person- 
 ality had been too vividly stamped upon her 
 mind. The man with the amber-colored eyes 
 who had attracted her attention in the street, 
 and whom she had seen acting so queerly in 
 the pagoda, and Myo-Sang, he who was to be 
 their head poleman during the sampan trip 
 up the Han, were one and the same ! 
 
 Margaret was so taken by surprise she ac- 
 tually gasped. But she had presence of mind 
 to check the exclamation of dismay that 
 sprang naturally to her lips. At that moment 
 she heard Arthur give a low whistle, and 
 turning, their eyes met. 
 
 “ It’s the very rogue ! ” he said in an un- 
 dertone. “ Now, what are we to do? ” 
 
 Margaret caught his sleeve and pulled him 
 to one side. Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin and 
 the new poleman were in earnest conversa- 
 
 52 
 
An American Girl in Korea 53 
 
 tion. Wilbur, Stephen and Sarah had walked 
 on toward the sampan. 
 
 “ Let us be careful,” whispered Margaret, 
 “ or he might hear.” * 
 
 “ I don’t see anything we can do,” said 
 Arthur after a moment, “ at least, not at pres- 
 ent.” 
 
 “ You mean now the man is here, he will 
 have to go on with us ? ” 
 
 “ Yes, that is it. There is no ' other way 
 just now, Margaret.” 
 
 “ 0 but, Arthur, the very sight of him 
 makes me shiver. I am sure he-as after no 
 good here.” 
 
 “ Now, Meg, let us be reasonable. We 
 really don’t know a thing against this man, 
 except that his actions on two occasions have 
 seemed to us suspicious. That he was doing 
 what he had no business to do has not 
 been proven by any means, except the time 
 he displayed such curiosity in the market- 
 place.” 
 
 “ But there are his eyes, Arthur ! What 
 dreadful eyes he has ! The very thought of 
 them makes me grow cold.” 
 
 “ But, my dear Margaret, the man can’t 
 
54 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 help his eyes ! And it would upset all our 
 plans, I am sure,” asserted Arthur, “ if we 
 were to tell our suspicions now and make 
 complaint of the man. I heard both Dr. 
 Griffin and father say that they really did not 
 know how we could have undertaken the 
 trip up the Han without such a poleman as 
 Myo-Sang. On the north branch of the Han 
 there are several dangerous rapids. Unless 
 the polemen know the channel, there is every 
 prospect that our sampan would be wrecked. 
 Myo-Sang is said to know these unsafe places 
 well.” 
 
 “ Then I suppose there is nothing to do but 
 to keep quiet,” said Margaret. “ But I can 
 tell you one thing, Arthur,” she concluded 
 and with energy, “ I am going to watch him, 
 and if I see that old Myo-Sang doing any- 
 thing I think he oughtn’t to be doing, I am 
 going to speak right out to father and Dr. 
 Griffin, I don’t care if we are right in the 
 middle of the Han River ! ” 
 
 “ Well, I don’t blame you for that, Meg. I 
 intend to adopt the same course myself. I’ll 
 certainly keep not only one eye but both on 
 Myo. Until, however, we do find him acting 
 
An American Girl in Korea 55 
 
 suspiciously, I think our best course is not to 
 say anything to father and Dr. Griffin.” 
 
 Sarah’s voice was heard at this moment 
 calling to Margaret, and she was running up 
 the slope toward them, her face beaming with 
 excitement. 
 
 “ O Margaret, do hurry and come to see the 
 dear little snuggery they’ve fixed up for us 
 aboard the sampan. It is just too lovely for 
 words ! And to think it is to be all our 
 own ! ” 
 
 The sampan lay a few feet off shore beneath 
 the shade of a spreading persimmon, gently 
 rocking with the tide that softly lapped the 
 banks. A wide plank, some eight or ten feet 
 in length, carefully secured, with one end on 
 shore and one on the deck of the vessel, gave 
 access to it dry shod. This had been arranged 
 for the benefit of the party that had come 
 over the hills from Seoul. As to the pole- 
 men, they waded about in the shallow water 
 to and from the boat with the utmost indif- 
 ference. 
 
 The sampan was one larger than those 
 generally used by the natives. It belonged 
 to a retired tradesman of Seoul, who now and 
 
56 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 then made trips with his family up the Han 
 for pleasure. He had allowed Mr. Vance to 
 have such alterations made in the craft as 
 suited his purpose. 
 
 The boat was thirty-six feet long, by seven 
 in width at its widest part, gradually 
 tapering to five feet at either end. It drew 
 eight inches of water, and the narrow deck 
 that ran along each side was just three feet 
 above water line. There was a framework, 
 well secured, which supported an awning of 
 water-tight straw mats. This could be rolled 
 up or let down at pleasure. Near the centre 
 was a cunning little cabin, five feet by seven, 
 which Mr. Vance had fitted up for Margaret 
 and Sarah, and in which their effects had 
 already been placed. 
 
 “ Isn’t it lovely? ” Sarah repeated. “ How 
 good of your father to think of us and pre- 
 pare for us so ! ” 
 
 “ Yes, he is just the best father in the 
 world ! ” Margaret acquiesced, her eyes glow- 
 ing with pleasure at Sarah’s praise, “ and I 
 am going to tell him so the moment I have 
 opportunity. But, Sarah,” she added, her 
 eyes twinkling with merriment, “ there’s one 
 
An American Girl in Korea 57 
 
 thing we’ll surely have to keep our minds 
 on.” 
 
 “ Why, what is that? ” asked Sarah quickly. 
 
 “ To sit down before we try to turn around, 
 or else we’ll bump our heads every time. Yes, 
 and there’s still another. We must never 
 rise too suddenly, for if we do, we’re sure to 
 strike the ridge-pole, and then down may 
 come the whole awning.” 
 
 Forward of the girls’ apartment was a simi- 
 lar one to be occupied by Mr. Vance and 
 Dr. Griffin, and back of it still another for 
 the boys. 
 
 The remaining portions of the boat, except 
 those in which the supplies were stored, were 
 given up to the boatmen and to Dr. Griffin’s 
 Chinese servant, Min. 
 
 The boatmen’s quarters were at the ends of 
 the boat, a small cuddy hole no more than 
 four by five feet. Here they stood during the 
 day to pole, and at night, when the boat was 
 tied up, they curled up there and went to 
 sleep with the greatest apparent comfort. 
 
 The supplies had all been carried aboard 
 under Min’s direction. He had been work- 
 ing through the day before and since sunrise 
 
58 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 on this day, and he was justly proud of what 
 he had accomplished. He stood at the edge 
 of the sampan to welcome them aboard with 
 the air of the king himself aboard the royal 
 barge. This amused Dr. Griffin very much, 
 and he indulged in no little amount of pleas- 
 antry at Min’s expense. The more he was 
 guyed, however, the broader grew the smile 
 on Min’s face. 
 
 The young Chinese was a big, cheery fel- 
 low, of nineteen or thereabouts, larger than 
 the men of his race usually are, and with 
 much more regular features. In fact Min 
 was a handsome Chinese youth, and there 
 was that to recommend him which was far 
 better still. He was bright, good-natured, 
 obliging and trusty, and Dr. Griffin, with 
 whom he had been four years, valued him 
 highly. 
 
 Min had received an education at the mis- 
 sion-house and spoke English fairly well. 
 There was another thing Min could do well 
 that had given Arthur no little concern ever 
 since he heard that Min was to be of the 
 party aboard the sampan. Min was a royal 
 eater ; he was always hungry. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 59 
 
 “ Hello, Min/’ cried Arthur, grasping the 
 hand the young Chinese extended, “plenty 
 to eat aboard ? ” 
 
 “ Yes,” smiled Min. 
 
 “ Ducks and chickens and eggs, and a 
 young pig or two ? ” 
 
 “ No ducks, no chickens, no eggs,” repeated 
 Min, shaking his head, “ get them as go along. 
 The doctor man say this best. Get him fresh. 
 Shoot duck in river,” and Min held his hands 
 in front of him to indicate a gun ; “ catch 
 fish, too,” he ended, beaming upon Arthur. 
 
 “Can we, Min?” cried Stephen. “Catch 
 them from the boat? O that will be jolly ! ” 
 he added, as Min nodded his head again. 
 
 “ What ! ” ejaculated Arthur. “ No ducks, 
 no chickens, no eggs, not even a pig ? and you 
 aboard, too, Min. O, now I know we’re bound 
 to have a famine.” 
 
 “ Plenty rice ! plenty flour ! plenty meat 
 and fish in cans ! ” exclaimed Min, “ and 
 there’s big basket, too, brought from mission- 
 house ! ” 
 
 “ 0,the basket our mother prepared. Where 
 is it, Min ? I feel as hungry as a wolf 
 just to hear it mentioned. You are sure, 
 
6o An American Girl in Korea 
 
 now, Min, you haven’t been sampling its 
 contents ? ” 
 
 Min looked reproachful. 
 
 “ Basket got lock on,” lie replied inno- 
 cently, at which Arthur went off into bois- 
 terous laughter. 
 
 “ O that's the reason, is it? ” he exclaimed. 
 “ She knew you'd be aboard, Min, and that 
 accounts for the lock.” 
 
 “ Arthur, aren’t you ashamed to tease Min 
 so,” protested Margaret, “ when you know he 
 is just as honest as the day is bright,” and 
 Margaret glanced at the cloudless sky above 
 them. “ You know, too, that if it wasn’t for 
 Min, we'd have no cooking aboard this sampan 
 that amounted to anything. Now you take 
 his hand quickly and tell him you are 
 ashamed of all you’ve intimated, for if you 
 don’t, I’ll see to it that Min doesn’t give you 
 a single nice thing he cooks.” 
 
 “ O if the apology prevents my being 
 starved,” exclaimed Arthur, his eyes in a 
 twinkle, “ I’ll make it forthwith,” and he 
 grasped Min’s hand with a grip that made 
 him wince. 
 
 “ If you two girls were to guess a year,” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 61 
 
 exclaimed Arthur, throwing his head up with 
 an air of knowing a great deal, “ I’ll wager 
 you couldn’t tell with what this boat is 
 ballasted.” 
 
 “ With sand,” ventured Sarah. 
 
 “ With rocks,” added Margaret. 
 
 “ No ; with neither.” 
 
 “ Then you will have to tell us, as a year is 
 quite too long for us to go on racking our 
 brains for answers.” 
 
 “ Well, then, it is ballasted with money ! 
 with strings and strings of the square-holed 
 copper cash, of which it takes more than three 
 thousand to make the value of an American 
 dollar ! ” 
 
 “ O then for once we can put on grand airs 
 and imagine ourselves nabobs ! ” exclaimed 
 Stephen ; “ since we have a boat load of 
 money ! ” 
 
 “ But what are we to do for ballast when 
 the money is spent ? ” asked practical 
 Margaret. 
 
 “ Then, no doubt, we shall have to resort to 
 the sand bags,” replied Sarah. 
 
 “ Let us push off at once,” Mr. Vance called 
 to his head poleman. “ If we are to reach the 
 
62 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 first stage of our journey by sundown, we 
 should start now.” 
 
 Myo-Sang bowed profoundly, then at once 
 began to issue orders to the under boatmen. 
 He had changed his white gown for his boat- 
 man’s jacket and trousers of blue cotton 
 cloth, but he still wore his big, broad-brimmed 
 hat. He would change it, however, for one 
 much smaller when there was a rough breeze 
 blowing, or he had to bend with much energy 
 to the poling where the currents were strong. 
 
 As soon as she could without attracting his 
 attention, Margaret drew near and began 
 closely to inspect Myo-Sang. His eyes were 
 turned away from her, and she had to confess 
 now that he was rather a fine looking man. 
 His features had an aristocratic cast that she 
 had seen in very few Koreans, and he was 
 much taller than the average men of his race. 
 In fact, Myo-Sang bore himself with an air of 
 ease and grace that had struck others than 
 Margaret with surprise. There was more than 
 surprise now in Margaret’s feeling ; she was 
 attracted by his appearance. The head pole- 
 man did indeed present a most picturesque 
 figure in his boatman’s costume, notwith- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 63 
 
 standing that his stockings were so padded 
 they gave his legs the swelled appearance of 
 gout, and made them seem as though they 
 would burst out of the low shoes. 
 
 Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin had selected the 
 month of May for the trip up the Han be- 
 cause of the delightful weather they were 
 sure to have. In Korea for eight months or 
 more of the year the skies are generally bright. 
 July, August and September are the hot and 
 rainy months. At this season the rain pours 
 in torrents, so that out-of-door journeys of 
 any length are rarely attempted during these 
 months. In May there are few days when 
 the sky is not cloudless, the atmosphere 
 dry and healthful, and the breezes balmy. At 
 the dry season, too, the waters of the Han are 
 low and the channel far safer for flat-bot- 
 tomed boats than when they are caught by 
 sudden floods. 
 
 “ O what a lovely stream ! ” cried Margaret 
 enthusiastically as she leaned over the side of 
 the sampan, trailing her fingers through the 
 water. “ No wonder they call it the River of 
 Golden Sands ! Just see, Sarah, how beauti- 
 fully the gravel sparkles. And isn’t it clear ? 
 
64 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Why, we can see straight down to the very 
 bottom of the river.” 
 
 “ Well, that isn’t so very surprising,” re- 
 marked Arthur with a smile, “ since the water 
 is only three feet deep.” 
 
 “ Is it shallow like this for most of the 
 way ? ” asked Sarah. 
 
 “ O no ; from what the polemen tell me 
 there are several places where the river 
 widens out like a lake and is twenty or 
 twenty-five feet deep. At other points, how- 
 ever, it is even shallower than this, no more 
 than a few inches in depth.” 
 
 “A few inches?” echoed Sarah. “Then 
 how are we to go over it in a boat, I’d like to 
 know ? ” 
 
 “ I don’t suspect we’ll float,” laughed 
 Arthur. “ In truth, I think our polemen 
 will have to drag us over.” 
 
 “ Just see how it sparkles there ! ” cried 
 Sarah suddenly. “ I do believe those are 
 diamonds.” 
 
 “ I wouldn’t be surprised,” assented Marga- 
 ret gaily, “ since the Han, you know, rises in 
 the Diamond Mountains.” 
 
 “ I do wonder if I could persuade one of 
 
An American Girl in Korea 65 
 
 the boatmen to get me a handful of the 
 gravel,” said Sarah after a moment. “ I want 
 Uncle Arnold to see it. He takes such an 
 interest in such things. I do believe I’ll ask 
 Myo.” 
 
 “ Ask any one but Myo,” said Margaret 
 quickly, and scarcely knowing why she said 
 it. “ I think Myo wouldn’t at all fancy wet- 
 ting his stockings.” 
 
 “ O I never thought of his going into the 
 water in his stockings,” exclaimed Sarah. 
 “ He could pull them off, couldn’t he ? ” 
 
 “ No, don’t ask Myo,” said Margaret again, 
 “he has quite too much dignity for such an un- 
 dertaking. Ask one of the younger boatmen, 
 Sarah, and I’m sure he will get the gravel 
 for you. But what is Myo doing ? ” 
 
 The question was addressed to Arthur, who, 
 even before Margaret asked it, had had his at- 
 tention drawn to Myo-Sang. 
 
 Myo-Sang was at that moment in the bow 
 of the boat. He was not directing the pol- 
 ing ; this duty having devolved for the time 
 upon Kang-see. 
 
 Myo was sitting flat upon the bottom of the 
 small cuddy forming the boatmen’s quarters, 
 
66 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and only his shoulders and head were in 
 view. He had taken something from the 
 bosom of his boatman's blouse and was bend- 
 ing over it. As well as they could see it ap- 
 peared to be a sheet of heavy paper much 
 crumpled and worn. As they looked, Myo 
 began to mutter and to gesticulate with some 
 violence. Then he held the paper at arm’s 
 length, and bowing his head between his 
 curved arms raised and lowered it alternately 
 several times in the most mysterious manner. 
 
 “ O it is some fetish, no doubt," said Arthur. 
 He had no need to whisper, as Sarah had gone 
 to another part of the boat to make her re- 
 quest of one of the young polemen. “ Per- 
 haps it may be some charm the mutang 1 has 
 arranged for him to keep him out of danger. 
 Suppose now," added Arthur suddenly, “ that 
 we’ve shipped a maniac along with us." 
 
 “ O Arthur," cried Margaret with a shiver, 
 “ don’t even hint such a thing, for mercy’s 
 sake. You make me feel as if I had fallen 
 into icewater." 
 
 1 Sorceress. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 “ THE RIVER OF GOLDEN SANDS ” 
 
 Next to the Amnok, now called the Yalu, 
 the Han is the most important river of Korea. 
 It is the great water highway leading from 
 hundreds of interior towns to the Korean 
 Mecca, Seoul the capital. There are two main 
 branches, which are formed by numberless 
 small affluents. It was up the north branch, 
 which flows down from the Diamond Moun- 
 tains, that our little sampan party had the in- 
 tention of proceeding. 
 
 Stretched along the narrow deck, which was 
 guarded by a railing, Wilbur and Arthur gave 
 themselves up to lazy enjoyment. Wilbur 
 had his Winchester and Arthur had brought 
 his camera, but neither thought of using them 
 yet, though both duck and mallard were fly- 
 ing overhead, and there was no point along 
 the river more picturesque than this one. 
 Stephen had edged himself into the little 
 cabin occupied by his father and Dr. Griffin, 
 
 67 
 
68 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and was listening intently to their conversa- 
 tion. It was chiefly about the Buddhist mon- 
 astery in the mountains, a mile or so off the 
 banks of the Han, to which each desired to 
 make a visit, yet feared to attempt it, owing 
 to the well-known animosity of the priests 
 against those who had usurped them in Seoul. 
 
 “ We might go in disguise,” suggested Dr. 
 Griffin. 
 
 “ Oh, that would never do,” quickly replied 
 Mr. Vance ; a we must not sail under false 
 colors even to satisfy a laudable curiosity.” 
 
 “ But, Mr. Vance, if the end in view justi- 
 fies the means, I do not see how it would be 
 wrong, if it ensures safety to us in our search. 
 Some of these priests are not only antagonistic, 
 but they are treacherous, as you know. They 
 do not stop short of harsh measures to satisfy 
 the spirit of revenge, as we have seen in the 
 case of my poor brother Walter.” 
 
 Dr. Griffin always lowered his voice when 
 he spoke of his brother, and there was in it, 
 too, that reverent tone in which we speak of 
 the dead. 
 
 “ No, I do not forget it, Charles, and he had 
 truly a narrow escape from a lifetime confine- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 69 
 
 ment, which would have been worse than 
 death to one of his temperament. But, dear 
 friend,” continued Mr. Vance earnestly, “ I do 
 not see how we can, to be consistent with our 
 calling, appear as what we are not. To be 
 open and above board, even at a risk, is, I 
 think, the best way. All of the priests are 
 not treacherous. I have heard of one or two, 
 even at the very monastery we seek, whose 
 lives are a sincere expression of the peace and 
 gentleness of the doctrine they teach. Trav- 
 elers in peril have been rescued by them, min- 
 istered to, and sent on their way again filled 
 with naught but words of blessing for the 
 priests.” 
 
 “ But they were no doubt travelers whose 
 calling did not bring them into conflict with 
 the priests’ own. Of course you have heard 
 the many stories of the bitterness of Paik-tu, 
 the abbot of this very monastery we seek? 
 Dear friend, I beg that you will recall that 
 one of the principal objects I have in going on 
 this trip is the desire to find more of my 
 brother’s effects, and, above all, to learn more 
 of his last days.” 
 
 Mr. Vance did not answer immediately ; 
 
70 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 he was thinking deeply. His sympathies 
 were keen for the young man who had lost 
 his only brother under such tragic circum- 
 stances. He was thinking, too, of the young 
 sister-in-law at home whose life had suddenly 
 been darkened by the tragedy on the Han. 
 After a moment he spoke. 
 
 “ I will say no more, Charles, in opposition 
 to your plan. When the time comes, it will 
 no doubt be shown to us clearly the better 
 and wiser way in which to carry out our 
 desires.” 
 
 Meanwhile, Margaret and Sarah, comforta- 
 bly established on some tarpaulin-covered 
 bales containing supplies, in the forward part 
 of the boat, were intently watching Myo-Sang 
 and making him the subject of a very cau- 
 tiously spoken conversation. Myo had a sur- 
 prising knowledge of English. They had 
 discovered that almost at once. He had, too, 
 a very quick ear, and a habit of glancing 
 quickly about him every now and then as 
 though he feared some one was either watch- 
 ing him or making him the subject of re- 
 marks. In other words, Myo appeared to be 
 not only a shrewd but a very sensitive man. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 71 
 
 Margaret had told Sarah of the somewhat 
 strange circumstance attending Arthur’s in- 
 troduction to Myo, also bestowing the infor- 
 mation that he was the mysterious man seen 
 in the pagoda. She had bound Sarah to 
 strict secrecy until such time as the conduct 
 of Myo should compel their speaking out. 
 From present indications Margaret was sure 
 this would not be long. Her creepy feeling 
 had considerably increased since Myo’s mys- 
 terious behavior with the piece of crumpled 
 paper. What did it contain ? Over and over 
 Margaret had asked herself the question, and 
 over and over again she declared, “ I will yet 
 find out.” 
 
 Now that Sarah, too, knew that Myo and 
 the mysterious amber-eyed man of the pagoda 
 were one and the same, she was even more 
 nervous than Margaret about him. 
 
 “ It will be wise, I am sure,” Margaret de- 
 clared, “ to keep a watch on him. Most of 
 these Han boatmen, I have heard, are quite 
 tricky ; even worse than that. I cannot for- 
 get how poor Mr. Walter’s death was brought 
 about through their meanness and treach- 
 ery.” 
 
72 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Were they really responsible for his 
 death ? ” asked Sarah in a hushed voice. 
 
 The sad story of this cheery and brilliant 
 young man, whom all had loved so much, 
 had made a deep impression upon her. 
 
 “ It was never known just how he died ! I 
 am sure,” Margaret added with a sudden 
 vehemence that surprised Sarah, “ there 
 wasn't half enough done to find out about it. 
 Poor Dr. Charles had a serious illness at that 
 very time, and it was three months or more 
 before he could get off up the river. When 
 at last he could go, it seemed that every 
 trace had been covered, that he was baffled 
 at every point of the search. He could re- 
 . cover only a fragment here and there of his 
 brother’s effects, though much of these, ac- 
 cording to the testimony of some villagers, 
 had been fished up out of the river. He does 
 not know whether his brother’s body is at 
 the bottom of the Han or was carried ashore 
 to be buried.” 
 
 During their first day’s trip they found the 
 Han much crowded with sampans and other 
 small craft. Han Kang was something of a 
 congregating place, and many of the less self- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 73 
 
 assured polemen made it their terminal point, 
 dreading to encounter at low water shoals be- 
 tween it and Seoul. From this point the 
 merchandise of such boatmen was packed on 
 pony back and carried to the capital. 
 
 Most of the craft they met were loaded with 
 produce from the market towns up the river, 
 which was consigned to the dealers in Seoul. 
 There were also scores of craft bound up the 
 river. The cargo of these consisted of salt 
 from the coast and bales of cotton goods sent 
 to Seoul from foreign ports. 
 
 The polemen had to exercise great care to 
 avoid certain of the sampans that drove 
 straight toward them in the most reckless 
 manner, and there was more than one shoal 
 the rough channel of which made the hearts 
 of our young people beat more rapidly, but 
 they reached their destination that evening 
 in safety. The sampan was poled to the 
 shore, and they tied up for the night near a 
 village, where, thanks to the mosquito netting 
 they had brought, they passed the time com- 
 fortably until morning. 
 
 Up to this time they had made use of the 
 contents of the basket sent from the mission 
 
74 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 house. On the following morning, however, 
 the young people were clamorous for the 
 services of Min. They wanted a warm meal 
 and they wanted to go ashore for its prepara- 
 tion and eating. But Mr. Vance and Dr. 
 Griffin said that the route for the day was 
 four or five miles longer than the one of the 
 preceding day, and they must make an early 
 start. The delay of going ashore for the 
 breakfast would sadly disarrange the plan of 
 reaching the proposed harbor before sunset. 
 
 “ Min shall cook you a fine lunch aboard,” 
 Dr. Griffin assured them, “ and we’ll have it 
 early. There, I see that Kang has already 
 secured for us two excellent fish from the 
 river. When they are broiled as only Min 
 knows how to do it, and we have some of the 
 delicious home-made bread from the mission, 
 and the fruit we purchased on the way, there 
 will be a meal the king himself wouldn’t 
 scorn.” 
 
 “ I intend to sit by Min and see him pre- 
 pare those fish,” announced Arthur soon after 
 the sampan had started. “ If I don’t, I fear 
 one of them at least will mysteriously disap- 
 pear after Min has browned it.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 75 
 
 “ Oh, if you want to play recluse simply 
 for the sake of your stomach, why, go ahead,” 
 laughed Margaret. “ We are going to enjoy 
 the river.” 
 
 Min determined to retaliate a little upon 
 Arthur, for his joking. He pretended to 
 have lost one of the fish. When a great hue 
 and cry, led by himself, was raised at its dis- 
 appearance, it was quickly located wrapped in 
 a bit of tarpaulin and snugly tucked among 
 Arthur’s effects. 
 
 “ Who greedy one now, I’d like to know ? ” 
 cried Min hilariously. “ So greedy for fish, 
 want to eat it raw ! ” 
 
 At which Arthur with a somewhat sheepish 
 face stole away to join the girls. But the 
 news of the hidden fish had preceded him, 
 and for the next few moments his life was 
 made a torment. 
 
 It was not more than an hour later when 
 Min was seen to be in a state of considerable 
 commotion. He was darting hither and 
 thither, pulling over first one bale and an- 
 other, poking among boxes, and even run- 
 ning in and out of the little cabins, like a 
 hound searching for a trail that had been lost. 
 
76 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Why, what is the matter with Min now ? ” 
 suddenly exclaimed Arthur. “ He is acting 
 as though he had lost every atom of sense he 
 ever possessed.” 
 
 “ Perhaps he has really lost a fish this 
 time,” replied Margaret, “ dropped it over- 
 board. Why, what does ail him? Can he 
 be in pain? Just see the contortions of his 
 face ! ” 
 
 “ Perhaps there is something biting him,” 
 suggested Stephen. “ It may have gotten into 
 his clothes, and he can’t get it out again. Per- 
 haps it is crawling up his back.” At which 
 suggestion all laughed merrily. 
 
 “ He has certainly lost something he can’t 
 find,” said Sarah. “ He is acting more like 
 that than anything else. Call him here and 
 find out what is the matter. Oh, I do hope 
 he hasn’t let the fish slip overboard when he 
 went to scale them.” 
 
 “ If he had done that,” suggested Margaret, 
 “ he wouldn’t be rushing around the boat in 
 search of them.” 
 
 “ Min,” cried Arthur, “ come here. What 
 in the world is the matter with you, old 
 boy ? ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 77 
 
 But Min paid no heed. He had eyes at 
 that moment only for his master, who had 
 just come in sight. He rushed to him, 
 prostrated himself, struck his head once, 
 twice, thrice hard upon the deck of the boat, 
 then, raising his hands in supplication, with 
 his head still bowed, entreated, 
 
 “ Honorable Master, pity your most miser- 
 able servant. I have left the charcoal ! ” 
 
 At first sight of Min Dr. Griffin’s lips had 
 begun to curl in a smile of deep amusement. 
 He was used to Min’s extravagant displays of 
 ceremony when there was a favor to be asked, 
 and thought this one of them ; but no sooner 
 did Min’s confession come out than the ex- 
 pression of his face changed suddenly, and he 
 said somewhat sternly, 
 
 “ What are you telling me, you careless 
 rogue? You have left the charcoal, one of 
 the most necessary articles, behind? Now 
 how did this happen ? ” 
 
 “ I know not, Honorable Master. I cannot 
 see how your miserable, wretched servant could 
 have been guilty of such mean, despicable 
 carelessness. My mind is in a maze with as- 
 tonishment. Truly I saw the bags of char- 
 
78 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 coal put upon the ponies’ backs. I saw them, 
 too, at the river. Now where they can be, 
 your sorrowful servant cannot say. He has 
 searched the boat from end to end, but naught 
 of the charcoal can he find.” 
 
 “ The bags have no doubt been stolen by 
 some one in the crowd along the river bank 
 while the sampan was being loaded,” re- 
 marked Mr. Vance at this juncture. He had 
 approached in time to hear Min’s confession 
 of the loss. “ Charcoal is scarce in this part 
 of the country, the most of it being brought 
 from points higher up the river, where the 
 forests are dense.” 
 
 Yes, the charcoal was gone ! Min had 
 spoken only too truly. What were they to 
 do? They had brought along a Japanese 
 brazier, a very necessary article on a trip of 
 this kind, but without fuel of the character 
 it consumed, it was of no more benefit than 
 if they had left it behind. 
 
 “ Perhaps we can shoot a couple of cranes,” 
 said Margaret, “ with a heron or two thrown 
 in for good measure, enough, at least, to satisfy 
 your hunger, Arthur.” 
 
 “ But how are they to be cooked ? ” asked 
 
An American Girl in Korea 79 
 
 Arthur, taking her banter good-naturedly. 
 “You forget, Meg, that is the main thing.” 
 
 “ Oh, I suppose we can land long enough 
 for that purpose and gather faggots for the 
 cooking.” 
 
 “ And roast them over the fire, as our 
 ancestors did in primitive days,” remarked 
 Sarah. 
 
 “ Why can’t we buy some charcoal from 
 one of the junks going down to Seoul with a 
 cargo of it for sale? ” asked Wilbur suddenly. 
 
 Sure enough, why couldn’t they ? It was a 
 feasible plan, yet none of them had thought 
 of it before. 
 
 Min sprang to his feet highly elated at the 
 thought of finding a way out of the trouble. 
 He at once ran forward and made the loss 
 known to the boatmen, then to the afterpart 
 to tell the two who were there. He begged 
 them to assist him in keeping a lookout for a 
 charcoal junk, and to be sure to hail one in 
 time if they believed it to be such. They 
 must not let it go by, under any circum- 
 stances. Noon was at hand and others be' 
 sides Arthur were beginning to feel the symp- 
 toms of hunger. Min himself had consider- 
 
8o An American Girl in Korea 
 
 able gnawing under the folds of his blue 
 blouse. 
 
 “If we get not the charcoal ,” said Min to 
 the boatmen, “ and the honorable master goes 
 hungr}', then never again will he want to look 
 upon the face of his abased and most miser- 
 able servant.” 
 
 Each promised to help him, and from that 
 moment on through the next half hour a 
 close watch was kept upon every craft coming 
 down the river. Even Myo had unbent his 
 dignity and was on the lookout, having de- 
 clared that he would know a charcoal craft 
 the moment he saw it, being as familiar as he 
 was with the river. 
 
 A half hour had passed, when Myo an- 
 nounced suddenly to Kang, who was in the 
 stern of the boat poling, that he felt assured 
 a charcoal craft was in sight. The evidences 
 were too plain for him to be mistaken. Soon 
 the good news was communicated to each one 
 on the sampan. 
 
 “ Hurrah ! ” shouted Arthur, “ the fish will 
 not have to spoil now for the want of cook- 
 ing ! ” 
 
 The junk came on steadily. Evidently she 
 
An American Girl in Korea 81 
 
 had capable hands at the poles. When within 
 hailing distance Myo raised his signal and 
 also shouted out his request for a word with 
 her commander. The boat slackened pace for 
 a few moments, while those aboard her seemed 
 to be giving the sampan and her occupants 
 a close inspection. Then the poles were re- 
 sumed with more vigor and sampan and junk 
 slowly neared each other. In the meantime, 
 the one who seemed to be in authority had 
 shouted back that there was charcoal aboard 
 and they could have what they wanted for a 
 fair sum. 
 
 The junk made steady progress, and in a 
 few minutes was within easy speaking dis- 
 tance. Then it was seen that the man who 
 had issued the directions was not the com- 
 mander at all, simply having charge of the 
 squad of boatmen. He had taken his orders 
 from a higher source, from a man who had 
 not been visible to those on the sampan, but 
 who, the moment the junk had approached to 
 within a few feet of the sampan, arose sud- 
 denly and addressed Myo. No sooner had he 
 done this, than a very strange thing happened 
 to Myo-Sang. He dropped in a heap at the 
 
82 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 bottom of the sampan and lay there like one 
 dead. Dr. Griffin sprang to raise him, but 
 the stiffness of Myo’s figure prevented him. 
 Not until Mr. Vance lent his aid did they 
 succeed in raising him. 
 
 “ It is a fainting fit, I think,” said Dr. 
 Griffin to those who had crowded about. “ I 
 wouldn’t have believed it of him ; he seems 
 so sturdy. We’ll bring him around all right 
 after a little time. I’ll attend to him, with 
 Kang’s assistance, and do you see to the pur- 
 chase of the charcoal,” this to Mr. Vance. 
 “ We mustn’t let this opportunity slip.” 
 
 It took but a short time to make the ar- 
 rangement with the owner of the junk for as 
 much charcoal as they thought they would 
 need until a village was reached where they 
 were sure of getting an additional supply. The 
 man was quite fair in his charge. He had, 
 too, a civil manner, yet it took but a few 
 moments for him to give evidence that, like 
 the most of his race, he had a consuming 
 curiosity. 
 
 “ The man in the stern is sick ? ” he asked. 
 
 “ He has had only a sudden fainting spell, 
 I think,” replied Mr. Vance. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 83 
 
 “ He seemed to get suddenly frightened at 
 something ; perhaps it was at my appearance,” 
 said the owner of the junk again, who had 
 given his name as Pop-hung, and he smiled 
 broadly. 
 
 Mr. Vance returned the smile. The sug- 
 gestion was simply preposterous, since the 
 owner of the junk was a man of somewhat in- 
 significant build and of rather a mild cast of 
 countenance. 
 
 “ I would like to take a close look at him, ,, 
 persisted Pop-hung. 
 
 “ There is nothing you could do,” replied 
 Mr. Vance. “ Our physician is with him.” 
 
 But this did not seem to be the reason of 
 Pop-hung’s desire to have a closer inspection 
 of Myo. Evidently curiosity, and that alone, 
 actuated him. Although Mr. Vance gave him 
 no encouragement to come aboard, he persisted 
 in doing so, and never paused until he stood 
 close to Myo and had a full view of his face. 
 
 His own face changed suddenly. There was 
 evil in it now, and he began to mutter and 
 gesticulate in a manner that caused Myo’s eyes 
 to open suddenly. It was strange how quickly 
 they did open. Perhaps Myo had not been in 
 
84 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 so deep a faint after all, or else Dr. Griffin’s 
 remedies had speedily done their work. At 
 any rate, Myo was now observant. 
 
 The two men looked at each other ; then 
 Myo’s gaze fell and he closed his eyes again. 
 Pop-hung, as if satisfied, turned and went 
 away, but not until he had asked several ques- 
 tions of the polemen. He also addressed two 
 or three inquiries in a suave way to Wilbur 
 and Arthur, who out of curiosity had gone 
 aboard the junk, and met Pop-hung as they 
 were hastening to their own boat. 
 
 “ I had no business to tell him we were 
 going to the monastery,” Arthur said as soon 
 as they were on board of the sampan again. 
 “ I think father doesn’t care to have that mat- 
 ter mentioned, and I believe not even our 
 polemen as yet have an idea as to our final 
 destination. It slipped out to that man before 
 I thought. What an insinuating way he has ! 
 I declare I ought to have a padlock put on 
 my mouth, Wilbur ! ” at which assertion Wil- 
 bur only laughed. 
 
 He had heard little as yet about the mon- 
 astery trip, and he couldn’t see why Arthur 
 should treat the matter so seriously. 
 
V 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 ARRESTED 
 
 Myo-Sang entirely recovered consciousness 
 in a half hour’s time, and seemed physically 
 as well as ever. But the shock, if it had been 
 a shock that prostrated him, left him in a 
 dazed condition. His head seemed to be in a 
 cloud, “ his mind gone wandering over the 
 mountains,” as the Koreans express it. He 
 would sit and mutter to himself, and twice 
 again they saw him looking at the mysterious 
 paper. 
 
 “ I will find out yet what it is ! ” declared 
 Margaret. 
 
 “ Curiosity ! ” exclaimed Arthur signifi- 
 cantly. 
 
 All right, Art,” was the good-natured re- 
 ply, “ you can call it curiosity, if you want to. 
 All the same I feel impelled to find out what 
 there is in that paper that is affecting Myo so 
 peculiarly.” 
 
 “ You’ll doubtless be none the wiser if you 
 see it,” declared Arthur. “ It will probably 
 
 85 
 
86 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 be in such hieroglyphics you won’t be able to 
 make a single thing out of it.” 
 
 “ At any rate, I am going to try it,” pro- 
 tested Margaret. “ And Arthur, there is an- 
 other thing I am determined on doing. I am 
 going to tell father and Dr. Griffin all we 
 know of Myo before he came aboard the 
 sampan.” 
 
 This she did, but each of the gentlemen 
 only smiled at her and declared, in the most 
 tantalizing manner, that Arthur and herself 
 were two nervous children who had let their 
 imagination run away with their wits. 
 Nothing that they had seen Myo do was un- 
 usual. It was true that he did possess a 
 goodly amount of curiosity, but then that was 
 a trait very prominently connected with the 
 Korean race. Each admitted that he had 
 noted the peculiar coloring and expression of 
 Myo’s eyes, but that ought not to be entered 
 to the man’s discredit. They had found him 
 a clever, obliging man, and he was very intel- 
 ligent, with a remarkably good knowledge of 
 English. But the chief consideration was 
 that Myo knew well that portion of the Han 
 they especially desired to visit, which none of 
 
An American Girl in Korea 87 
 
 the other polemen did. Yes, it was quite out 
 of the question to part from Myo unless he 
 really was guilty of such conduct as would 
 cause them to lose confidence in him. 
 
 Margaret reported the result of this inter- 
 view to Arthur. It was really about what 
 they had expected. 
 
 “ I dare say they do think us a pair of 
 suspicious children,” said Margaret, “ but, 
 nevertheless, I can’t get over my uneasy 
 feeling concerning Myo, especially now when 
 he is acting so queerly,” and Arthur agreed 
 with her. 
 
 They each resolved to watch the poleman 
 more closely than ever, “ for who knows what 
 may depend on it ? ” was Margaret’s comment. 
 
 The next day Kang came to Dr. Griffin and 
 Mr. Vance with the startling information that 
 he believed Myo was going crazy ! 
 
 “ He talks loudly to the spirits,” added 
 Kang, “ and there is one that seems to hold 
 him fast. It is struggling with his mind, and 
 will carry it away if something is not 
 done.” 
 
 “ Nonsense ! ” exclaimed Dr. Griffin blithely. 
 “ The man seems to have a nervous affection 
 
88 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 which has been brought on quite suddenly. 
 It may be only some business trouble that is 
 tormenting him for the time. Relieve him 
 from work for a day or so, Kang. Let him 
 have entire rest. You know this part of the 
 Han quite well, I believe, and I am sure we 
 may depend on you forf a safe conducting of 
 the sampan.” 
 
 Kang bowed low and retired. 
 
 The rest seemed to do Myo good, though he 
 still sat in an abstracted manner in the stern 
 or along the narrow decks of the sampan, at 
 times murmuring to himself and striking his 
 hand upon his breast, where, as Margaret and 
 Arthur knew, the mysterious paper lay con- 
 cealed. The only thing in which he took a 
 lively interest was the sound of Margaret’s 
 guitar. 
 
 Almost at the last moment Margaret had 
 made up her mind that she would bring the 
 guitar, and whatever Margaret made up her 
 mind to do she usually did. The young girl 
 was passionately fond of music. She would 
 miss sorely this delightful every-day compan- 
 ion if it were left at home, so she resolved to 
 bring the guitar, even at some physical dis- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 89 
 
 comfort. “ It may give pleasure, too, to the 
 others,” Margaret commented. 
 
 “ What in the world are you going to do 
 with that thing, Meg ? ” Arthur asked with a 
 broad smile, as he noted the nature of her 
 burden. 
 
 “ You will see in time, Master Arthur,” she 
 replied gaily, “ and, in the end you’ll be glad 
 I brought it.” 
 
 Arthur had cause to remember those words, 
 though at the time he merely bestowed a 
 deeper smile upon Margaret because of their 
 extravagant sound. 
 
 Margaret never picked up the guitar, that 
 Myo did not leave what he was doing to come 
 at once and sit and gaze upon the instrument, 
 aroused to such sweet sounds under the touch 
 of the young girl’s deft fingers. At such 
 times his face had a rapt expression. It was 
 as though Myo had fallen into dreams, and 
 they were dreams that gave his face an intel- 
 ligent, refined expression that made those 
 marvel who saw it. 
 
 They had heard much of the beauty and 
 picturesqueness of the Han, but despite this 
 were not prepared for the exquisite loveliness 
 
go An American Girl in Korea 
 
 of the land and water scenery that hour after 
 hour was unfolded before them. During the 
 three days’ journey they passed through two 
 or three of the lake-like stretches of which 
 such glowing descriptions had been given 
 them. Arthur tried to secure a picture or two 
 to carry back with him, but the light was too 
 dim for a snap shot, and the sampan could 
 not be held steady enough to give a secure 
 setting for his tripod. He was chagrined that 
 he had to give it up. 
 
 “ Two or three scenes like these,” declared 
 Wilbur enthusiastically, “ would make an 
 artist’s fortune, provided he could transfer 
 them to canvas with any degree of realism.” 
 
 “ I know one young artist who hoped to do 
 that, yes, tried to do it,” remarked Dr. Griffin 
 sadly ; “ and he was enthusiastic enough to 
 believe that he had succeeded. But alas, his 
 work never came before any appreciative eyes 
 save his own ! For all I know it is at this 
 moment at the bottom of the Han. Poor 
 Walter! and he had hoped so much from it!” 
 
 There was an unsteadiness in his voice as 
 he concluded, and each of his hearers felt at 
 heart a responsive thrill. It was the first 
 
An American Girl in Korea 91 
 
 time the young people had heard Dr. Griffin 
 mention his brother since they had started on 
 the trip. 
 
 At the close of that third day’s journey 
 Mr. Vance made an announcement that was 
 hailed with joy by the younger members of 
 the party. 
 
 “ We’ll tie up here, not only through the 
 night, but we’ll remain to-morrow and the 
 next day and see something of the shore. 
 We need to lay in a supply of fowls, for one 
 thing, and I wish, besides, to ask some ques- 
 tions of the people concerning a village 
 further on, where I desire to begin efforts in 
 behalf of our mission venture. Day after 
 to-morrow being the Sabbath, we’ll hold 
 services here.” 
 
 They slept soundly that night, though 
 Chefoo, one of the polemen, had somewhat 
 shaken their nerves by the information that 
 not long before the place had been visited by 
 tigers. There was one village just below, he 
 added, where the people had had to move 
 away because of the frequency with which 
 tigers had carried off the inhabitants. 
 
 “ As for that,” exclaimed Arthur, “ I have 
 
92 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 heard some of the missionaries tell of a time 
 only a few years back when tigers made their 
 way over the walls of Seoul itself. ” 
 
 “ You had better quit talking about tigers,” 
 observed Wilbur, “ or our girls won’t sleep a 
 wink to-night for thinking of them.” 
 
 “ Well, perhaps Sarah won't,” laughed Ar- 
 thur, “ but I think you can’t scare Meg with 
 any talk about tigers. She would just as soon 
 meet one as not, if it came in the way of any- 
 thing she wanted to do. No, not even tigers 
 would turn Meg back.” 
 
 “ Well, I think they would, Arthur,” 
 confessed Margaret honestly. “ I wouldn’t 
 fancy meeting a man-eater under any circum- 
 stances.” 
 
 “ Arthur has a high opinion of your cour- 
 age,” smiled Sarah. 
 
 “ Oh, you don’t know what it is till you’ve 
 seen it tried ! ” declared Arthur enthusiastic- 
 ally. “ I’ve always asserted that Meg is 
 quite too fine a fellow to be a girl ! ” at which 
 bold assertion both Margaret and Sarah ran 
 after him, pelting him with twigs, gravel, and 
 such light missiles as were at hand. 
 
 They saw no tigers at this village, though 
 
An American Girl in Korea 93 
 
 they did have a view of the tiger hunters, 
 who obligingly donned their uniforms and 
 marched down to where the sampan was 
 moored, for the purpose of filling the specta- 
 tors with admiration. They did present a 
 smart appearance in their blue uniforms, 
 conical shaped hats, and equipment of long- 
 barreled match-lock guns. 
 
 Though the tigers did not annoy them, the 
 people did. They began flocking down to 
 the sampan at daylight. By the time the 
 young girls awakened the shore was crowded 
 with men, women and children, for the 
 women here, it seemed, were used to going 
 abroad. Very few of them had their faces 
 covered. 
 
 Every act of the little sampan party was 
 critically noted. The girls especially had had 
 a hard time undergoing inspection. Sarah’s 
 hair had called forth the most excited display 
 of curiosity. Men and women alike tried to 
 handle it, to feel its texture, to satisfy them- 
 selves that it was real. It was of a light 
 golden color, inclined to curl, and it stood 
 about her forehead in little fluffy masses. 
 For comfort’s sake she wore it on this trip 
 
94 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 woven in a thick braid which hung down 
 her back. 
 
 “ They’ll be wanting to cut it off next to 
 hang on the ridge-pole,” declared Arthur, 
 “ and they’ll try to get a part of the scalp 
 too, to insure better luck, see if they don’t. 
 Better look out, Sarah, or you’ll go home 
 shaven as bare as a Buddhist priest.” 
 
 “ O don’t even hint at such things ! ” cried 
 Sarah. “ You are real wicked, Arthur, to do 
 so.” 
 
 The words were no more than out, when 
 Sarah gave a sharp little scream. Turning in 
 astonishment, they saw that one woman, im- 
 pelled by a curiosity more consuming than 
 that of the others, had waded out into the 
 shallow water, and reaching over the side of 
 the sampan, was now fingering the braid of 
 hair most suggestively. She gave it a tighter 
 pull, and Sarah screamed again. 
 
 “ Be as still as you can, dear,” pleaded 
 Margaret. 
 
 She threw one arm about Sarah as she 
 spoke, in the effort to quiet her, but Sarah 
 was wriggling in such a manner, trying to 
 pull away from the woman, that her efforts 
 
An American Girl in Korea 95 
 
 only added to her discomfort. The more 
 Sarah tried to pull away, the more de- 
 termined became the woman’s hold. 
 
 “ Do let go,” Margaret begged of the 
 woman. “ You are hurting her very much. 
 If you will only release your hold, she will 
 show you her hair herself. Perhaps she will 
 even unbraid it for you.” 
 
 “ O no, I won’t ! ” cried Sarah, “ for then 
 she may try to do what Arthur suggested, cut 
 it off, and a part of my scalp with it.” 
 
 Sarah was in something of a panic now, 
 and her cries were renewed, despite Margaret’s 
 reassuring voice and Arthur’s words of en- 
 couragement. 
 
 “ Do hold out a moment or two longer, 
 Sarah, and I’ll make her let go,” he said. 
 
 Others were attracted now to the scene. 
 Wilbur and Stephen, who were in another 
 part of the boat, heard Sarah’s cries and has- 
 tened in the direction whence they came. So, 
 too, did Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin and two of 
 the polemen. The latter, however, ran only 
 a part of the way, then stood gaping with as- 
 tonishment. 
 
 The cries of Sarah and the commotion had a 
 
g6 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 strange effect upon the woman. Instead of 
 causing her to let go, they seemed to deprive 
 her of what little common sense she possessed. 
 She stood as one transfixed, her eyes bulged, 
 her jaws dropped, and clinging to the braid 
 for dear life. 
 
 Suddenly Sarah twisted away from Marga- 
 ret. A pan of water was near by in which 
 Min had cleaned the fish served for breakfast. 
 With a frantic clutch Sarah seized it, and 
 with little time to calculate the position of her 
 target, pitched the contents over her head full 
 into the woman’s face, partly drenching 
 Margaret and herself as she did so. 
 
 With a gasp of astonishment the woman re- 
 leased her hold, and went tumbling back- 
 wards into the stream, kicking and splashing 
 like a great fish. A moment later she arose 
 therefrom still gasping and sputtering, and 
 with a little shriek turned and sped toward 
 the bank. It would have been hard to tell 
 which had been given the greater surprise, 
 she or Sarah. 
 
 They spent that day and the next one pleas- 
 antly at the village, despite this and other 
 trying incidents that befell them through 
 
An American Girl in Korea 97 
 
 curiosity. They went ashore, and the people 
 were gathered for the services under two wide- 
 spreading walnuts. They listened attentively, 
 though every now and then they would in- 
 terrupt the speaker with a fire of questions. 
 
 Late that evening Myo asked Mr. Vance, 
 
 “ Have you paid your respects, Honorable 
 Sir, to the magistrate of the village ? ” 
 
 “ No,” replied Mr. Vance, “ I did not deem 
 that necessary. If there is anything about 
 which the magistrate desires to see us, he 
 would no doubt have communicated with 
 us.” 
 
 “ There you have made a mistake, I fear, 
 Honorable Sir, since no magistrate would pur- 
 sue this course. ’Tis you who should have 
 sought him. The magistrates greatly value 
 their authority. They expect due deference 
 to be paid to their station. Yes, most truly 
 do I believe, master, that you have made a 
 grievous mistake not to call upon the magis- 
 trate.” 
 
 “ What is that old crow croaking about ? ” 
 Arthur asked of Wilbur. He had not been 
 near enough to catch clearly Myo’s words. 
 
 “ He is telling uncle that he ought to have 
 
98 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 called upon the magistrate of the village be- 
 fore doing anything else.” 
 
 “ Oh, stuff ! I would as soon as not believe 
 that the magistrate in this case is a relative 
 of Myo, or what is more likely, our chief pole- 
 man is paid a fee to magnify the magistrate’s 
 greatness in the eyes of the traveling public.” 
 “ He seems very serious about it,” observed 
 Wilbur. 
 
 A few hours later they had cause to dis- 
 cover what a very good reason indeed Myo had 
 to be serious with reference to the matter. 
 
 The next morning as they were preparing 
 for a start up the river a company of yangban 
 soldiery quietly stepped forward from among 
 the crowd gathered on the river bank and in- 
 formed Mr. Vance that the sampan could not 
 be moved that day. It must stay where it 
 was until permission was given to move it. 
 Furthermore, the soldiers had orders to bring 
 without delay the sampan party, with the ex- 
 ception of its native members, before the mag- 
 istrate. It was their master’s command and 
 could not be disobeyed. 
 
 In vain were questions. What had they 
 done? What misdemeanor had they com- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 99 
 
 mitted ? The mouth of the commander of 
 the squad was as close as that of an oyster. 
 All the information they could get out of him 
 went no further than his first communication. 
 They were under arrest and must follow him 
 to the magistrate’s ! At Mr. Vance’s repeated 
 request it was finally agreed that Myo could 
 accompany them. 
 
 “ I fear we shall not be able to make our- 
 selves clearly understood by the magistrate 
 without Myo’s assistance,” Mr. Vance re- 
 marked to Dr. Griffin. 
 
 When, however, the matter was broached to 
 Myo, he declared with a doleful face that he 
 was quite too ill to venture on the trip to the 
 magistrate’s, so they had to fall back on 
 Kang. 
 
 “ I really am glad it fell to Kang’s lot to 
 go with us,” declared Arthur. “ I, for one, 
 don’t trust that old fox, Myo.” 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE RACE FOR THE KWAN-JA 
 
 All the members of the party were filled 
 with grave apprehension concerning the turn 
 affairs had now taken. What could the mag- 
 istrate be going to do ? Of what serious 
 charge were they to be accused ? And if ac- 
 cused, would it not amount to a sentence of 
 some kind ? Margaret and Arthur knew full 
 well that the Korean laws were a jumble of 
 absurdities and of flagrant violations of jus- 
 tice. The magistrates, especially those in the 
 remote country districts, did very much as 
 they pleased. Each was a law unto himself, 
 and dispensed the affairs of his court ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 However, they tried to be cheerful, and 
 even to joke with each other concerning the 
 situation. 
 
 “ Perhaps he will order us chopped up as 
 food for the gods / 7 observed Arthur. 
 
 IOO 
 
An American Girl in Korea 101 
 
 “ As if he would think us good enough for 
 that ! ” laughed Margaret. 
 
 Sarah tried to join in the laugh, but it was 
 a feeble effort. The truth was, Sarah was in- 
 wardly quaking. 
 
 “ No doubt I am the one,” she said with 
 unsteady voice, “ who has brought all the 
 trouble. I ought not to have been so hasty 
 in flinging the water over that woman, but I 
 didn’t know what else to do. Now that 
 woman has gone to the magistrate with her 
 complaints, I am sure, and there’s no telling 
 what he will do to all of us just to satisfy 
 her.” 
 
 Arthur gave her an encouraging smile. 
 
 “ Never you fear,” he said with assurance. 
 “ Very few, if any, Korean magistrates ever 
 bother themselves with complaints of women, 
 unless it be one of their own connection. So, 
 come along, Sarah, and do not look as though 
 your very last day of life had arrived. He 
 won’t kill us, rest assured of that ; for he dare 
 not. Neither will he put us in prison, for he 
 will be afraid to do that, too.” 
 
 “ Don’t be so sure of that, Arthur.” 
 
 It was his father’s voice that spoke, and 
 
102 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Arthur could see from the expression of his 
 face that he held far from a light opinion as 
 to the outcome of this summons before the 
 magistrate. 
 
 “ We have heard before, my son, of severe 
 sentence being imposed for the most trivial 
 offenses,” continued Mr. Vance, “ many of the 
 offenders having acted innocently. Some 
 of these magistrates in the interior towns still 
 cling to their bitter hatred of foreigners, and 
 it is their delight to oppress and humiliate 
 them, whenever occasion offers.” 
 
 “ They think nothing of imposing fines of a 
 hundred yen and from one to two months’ 
 imprisonment,” remarked Dr. Griffin, “ for 
 no other reason than to wreak their revenge.” 
 
 “ Revenge for what, sir?” asked Wilbur. 
 
 “ Revenge upon the foreigners for daring 
 to invade their country — Korea — 1 the chosen 
 spot of the earth for the chosen people,’ Korea 
 the secluded, ‘ the pearl of the earth.’ They 
 gave no sanction to the King’s treaty with 
 the nations. To them it is a contract made 
 to be repudiated.” 
 
 “ This is dreadful ! ” exclaimed Sarah, who 
 was listening attentively to every word. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 103 
 
 “ What a terrible ending our beautiful trip 
 may have ! ” 
 
 “ Let us keep up a brave heart,” urged 
 Margaret. “ The people are kind. They 
 have shown a friendly interest in us, and yes- 
 terday many of them listened attentively to 
 the words my father and Dr. Griffin spoke to 
 them. See how they are following us now ! 
 and evidently with sympathy. Sometimes 
 the people,” added Margaret in a whisper to 
 Sarah, “ rise in opposition to a magistrate’s 
 will. Even with his soldiers he could do 
 nothing against the mass of the people.” 
 
 As they marched up the street, escorted by 
 the squad of soldiers, they presented more the 
 appearance of a party being conducted in 
 state to some function of honor than a band 
 of culprits on their way to the magistrate for 
 trial. The soldiers had on spic-and-span uni- 
 forms. No doubt the wily magistrate had 
 preserved them for just such an occasion. 
 Their hats were bound around many times 
 with red. Their shining blue trousers were 
 extraordinarily voluminous ; so, too, were 
 their blouses of white slashed with blue. 
 Their muskets had been newly polished, and 
 
104 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 each was carried in a fashion to suit its 
 bearer. 
 
 They arrived at the yamen (home of the 
 magistrate) to find that worthy was yet em- 
 ployed in discussing his morning meal. He 
 sent them a cool message to the effect that 
 they were to wait in the outer enclosure until 
 he condescended to receive them. Though 
 they chafed exceedingly, both at the imperti- 
 nence and the delay, yet they found much 
 with which to occupy themselves during the 
 interval of waiting. The grounds were ex- 
 tensive and stood on a bluff overlooking the 
 river. There were runners idling about in 
 blue coats, wide trousers, padded stockings 
 and bowl-shaped hats, ornamented with red 
 tassels. There were other people, too, await- 
 ing the magistrate’s pleasure, and through 
 the openings in the stretch of bamboo palings 
 at one side, our party from the sampan saw 
 numerous women and children peering at 
 them in great curiosity. 
 
 After an hour or more the magistrate sent 
 word that he was ready to receive them. They 
 passed through many small rooms, in which 
 men were squatting on the floor, pretending 
 
An American Girl in Korea 105 
 
 to be very busy with certain writing materials, 
 but in reality scarcely making a stroke with 
 pen, but passing the hours in smoking in- 
 stead. They served the magistrate’s purpose, 
 however, of presenting a great show to the 
 people of the amount of work the magistrate 
 had on hand. 
 
 They found Mr. Chul-sa, the magistrate, 
 sitting on a small, slightly raised platform, 
 his legs crossed under him. He was smoking 
 a pipe with a long stem, the bowl of which 
 rested upon the floor. 
 
 He eyed them a moment curiously, one by 
 one, his gaze resting longest upon the faces of 
 the two girls, whose fresh, clear complexions, 
 blue eyes, and masses of fluffy hair seemed to 
 overcome him with astonishment. But Mar- 
 garet and Sarah did not see the astonishment 
 in his face. To them it was a dreadful frown 
 and it meant trouble for them all. 
 
 The magistrate could speak but little Eng- 
 lish, yet, strange inconsistency ! he seemed 
 extraordinarily proud of that little. He had 
 his interpreter at hand, and there, too, was Kang. 
 
 He waited many moments as though to 
 impress them by his appearance, eyeing first 
 
106 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 one and then the other, and making remarks 
 concerning them to his attendants. He was 
 magnificently arrayed in a pink silk gown, 
 and on his head rested a little shining black 
 cap of horsehair. When he felt they had had 
 time to be duly impressed both by himself 
 and his attire, he singled Mr. Vance out as 
 spokesman and motioned him to approach. 
 
 “ O poor father ! what can he be going to 
 do to him?” whispered Margaret to Arthur, 
 but she need not have had any fear. The 
 magistrate was simply on the point of reliev- 
 ing his curiosity, which by this time was 
 thoroughly consuming him. 
 
 “ Are you a married man ? ” asked Mr. 
 Chul-sa. 
 
 “ Yes,” replied Mr. Vance promptly. 
 
 “ How old is your wife? ” 
 
 “ She is thirty-nine.” 
 
 “ Has she good sense ? ” 
 
 “ I have always found that she has.” 
 
 “ How old are you ? ” 
 
 “ I am forty-three.” 
 
 “ Is your father dead ? ” 
 
 14 Yes.” 
 
 “ Was he an honorable man ? ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 107 
 
 “ Every one who knew him so declared.” 
 
 “ Have you ever stolen at any time of your 
 life?” 
 
 “ No ; never ! ” 
 
 “ Are you speaking the truth ? ” 
 
 “ Most assuredly I am.” 
 
 “ Have you been in prison ? ” 
 
 “ I have not.” 
 
 “ Have you a family ? ” 
 
 “ I have.” 
 
 “ How large is it?” 
 
 “ There are three of my children,” pointing 
 to Arthur, Margaret and Stephen, “ one other, 
 who is much smaller, is at home.” 
 
 Mr. Chul-sa made a point of eyeing each 
 in turn very impertinently and for some little 
 time. 
 
 “ Well, all that I have to say is that your 
 children are like yourself, horrid looking 
 creatures ! ” 
 
 “ Just hear him ! ” exclaimed Margaret in- 
 dignantly. “ Wouldn’t I like to pull the old 
 wretch’s ears ! ” 
 
 “ He deserves it, I am sure,” agreed Arthur. 
 “ The idea of being so blind to our good 
 looks ! ” 
 
io8 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Mr. Chul-sa, having taken a rest at his 
 catechizing, went on again. 
 
 “ Where do you reside? ” 
 
 “ In Seoul, the capital of your country.” 
 
 “ What business has such a creature as you 
 in Seoul, the capital of my country ? ” 
 
 “ I came as a messenger from One who sent 
 me with words of love and good will to your 
 people.” 
 
 “ You foreigners are always meddling with 
 our affairs,” complained Mr. Chul-sa. “Why 
 don’t you let us alone? Now see here, since 
 you have meddled so in the business of other 
 people, tell me if you are careful enough your- 
 self to appease the spirits of your father and 
 mother by making worship to them ? ” 
 
 Mr. Vance replied that he did not; that 
 such was not in accord with the customs of 
 his people. 
 
 “ Do not make worship to the spirits of 
 your father and mother? Miserable creature ! 
 If you do not take heed the demons will 
 destroy you from the face of the earth.” 
 
 At this Sarah sniggered ; more of a hys- 
 terical act on her part, than aught else, since 
 she was feeling any other way than at ease. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 109 
 
 The magistrate turned quickly in her direc- 
 tion, remarking severely that it would really 
 be a good thing if the demons would destroy 
 every foreign man and woman who dared to 
 set foot in the chosen country of the chosen 
 people. As for himself he had never been in 
 favor of having the tablets taken down, which 
 stood throughout the borders of the country, 
 and which declared that all foreigners were 
 cutthroats and thieves, and should be killed 
 on sight. These sentences, which his heat of 
 temper had compelled him to speak entirely 
 in his own language, the magistrate insisted 
 Kang should translate word for word, not only 
 once, but twice, and poor Sarah almost 
 dropped with fear lest her hysterical outburst 
 of amusement had cost them dear. 
 
 “ What is the name, anyhow, of that coun- 
 try of yours? ” he finally asked Mr. Vance 
 
 “ The United States of America,” was the 
 quiet answer. 
 
 The magistrate turned with a contemptuous 
 curl of the lip to a young man standing near, 
 who afterward proved to be his son. 
 
 “ Do you know whereabouts on the out- 
 skirts of Korea such a country is ? ” 
 
no An American Girl in Korea 
 
 The young man declared he did not, but 
 thought it must be somewhere over the 
 mountains. 
 
 Turning to Mr. Vance again the magistrate 
 demanded the name of the town to which 
 they were ultimately bound. 
 
 Mr. Vance gave it. 
 
 “ Very well then,” replied Mr. Chul-sa, 
 “ before you proceed any further, I will have 
 a look at your kwan-ja .” 1 
 
 Mr. Vance started. He hadn't the kwan-ja 
 with him. At that very moment it lay safely 
 locked within the little desk in his cabin 
 aboard the sampan. In the haste with which 
 they had been arrested and hustled off to the 
 magistrate, he had forgotten the kwan-ja. 
 Yet it was a most important thing, the very 
 thing, in fact, he ought to have remem- 
 bered. 
 
 “ Your honor,” he said quite humbly, “ I 
 have forgotten the kwan-ja. But it is aboard 
 the sampan, and with your permission I will 
 go and bring it.” 
 
 “ You will do no such thing,” declared the 
 magistrate, “ you will remain here.” 
 
 1 Passport. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 in 
 
 “ Then I’ll go and fetch it,” spoke Dr. 
 Griffin quickly. 
 
 Again the magistrate frowned and his little 
 beady eyes had a wicked leer. 
 
 “ You, too, will stay here,” he declared. 
 
 Wilbur, Arthur and Stephen in turn volun- 
 teered to be the messenger, but the magistrate 
 squelched each with a look and the positive 
 declaration that not one of them should stir 
 from the court room. At the same time he 
 kept asserting that the passport was necessary, 
 that their examination, in fact, could not pro- 
 ceed without it. Yet he would give not a 
 single one of them permission to go and 
 get it. 
 
 “ He has some object in detaining us,” whis- 
 pered Arthur to Wilbur. “ What the object 
 is, he alone knows. It may be, after all, only 
 spitefulness and the desire to put us to all the 
 inconvenience he can. But whatever it is, he 
 is prepared to carry matters with a high hand, 
 I fear.” 
 
 Here was indeed a pretty pickle ! How 
 were they to get out of it? 
 
 The little room in which they stood was 
 about twelve feet square. The walls were 
 
112 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 formed of bamboo work, hung with screens 
 of paper. The outer texture of the walls was 
 of stucco. There was one door leading into 
 the apartment through which they had passed 
 to reach the magistrate, an apartment where 
 five or six clerks sat pretending to write. 
 These had now crowded up about this door, 
 and were listening to the proceedings with the 
 most acute curiosity. Another door, just back 
 of where the magistrate sat, no doubt led into 
 his private apartments. There were two win- 
 dows protected by screens of bamboo which 
 could be slid back and forth at will. As the 
 morning was warm they were pushed back, 
 leaving exposed, in each case, an opening of 
 about two and a half feet wide by three in 
 depth. 
 
 During this last excited conversation con- 
 cerning the kwan-ja, Margaret had edged 
 gradually nearer her father. She was now al- 
 most opposite one of the window openings 
 and no more than three feet from it. 
 
 “ Father,” whispered Margaret, as the mag- 
 istrate was deep in the midst of a heated dis- 
 sertation with reference to the impudence of 
 foreigners in general and of this party of them 
 
An American Girl in Korea 113 
 
 in particular, “ father, do give me the little 
 key of your desk in the sampan. ” 
 
 “ What do you want with it, Margaret?” 
 he asked in surprise. 
 
 “ 0 don’t ask me, father, only trust me, 
 and do be quick about it, please. There, the 
 magistrate is going to turn this way again ! 
 O hurry, father, do hurry and give me the 
 key, there’s a dear.” 
 
 Almost mechanically he obeyed, though he 
 had no more than given her the key than, 
 divining her intent, he essayed to stop her. 
 But Margaret was too quick for him or for 
 any one else within the room who sought to 
 lay a detaining hand upon her. 
 
 Measuring her distance, she quickly sprang 
 through the window, so startling a small 
 group of idlers gathered without that they 
 scattered to right and left with sharp excla- 
 mations, believing some spirit had suddenly 
 appeared. 
 
 Margaret fell upon her knees, but suc- 
 ceeded in partly breaking the force of the 
 fall by means of her hands. The earth was 
 soft, and she was not bruised at all. Quickly 
 leaping up, she sprang away, and began the 
 
114 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 race for the gates, the direction of which she had 
 kept well in her mind. No sooner, however, 
 had she begun to run with full speed toward 
 the entrance, than three men of the group she 
 had scattered, realizing that she was flesh and 
 blood, and, moreover, that she was one of the 
 foreigners, started in pursuit. 
 
 A man, in earnest conversation with a 
 woman near a small pagoda in the grounds, 
 started forward to arrest her flight. No 
 sooner, however, had he recognized her, than 
 he stepped back with an exclamation of dis- 
 may. The man was Myo, and the woman to 
 whom he had been talking was the very one 
 over whom Sarah had thrown the water the 
 day before. Though she had but a hasty 
 glimpse of her as she passed, yet Margaret 
 was sure of this. 
 
 “ The old villain ! ” she said to herself. 
 “ What wickedness can he be up to now? 
 And to think how he deceived us about being 
 too sick to come to the magistrate’s with us ! ” 
 
 There was now a great hue and cry about 
 the gates as Margaret’s intent to escape from 
 the grounds became apparent. All the men 
 in the grounds, save the three who had started 
 
An American Girl in Korea 115 
 
 late in pursuit from the magistrate’s window, 
 had congregated at the gates, as though it 
 would take the combined force of them all to 
 stop this one fleeing girl. 
 
 But Margaret did not intend to pass out 
 through the gates. As they had entered the 
 grounds of the magistrate, she had noticed a 
 break in the wall some twenty-five or thirty 
 paces from the gateway, and in the direction 
 of the path leading along the river toward the 
 sampan. It had been torn apart for the pur- 
 pose of repairs, but, as is usual in Korea, the 
 laborers were working at it spasmodically, 
 only as they felt like it. 
 
 On ran Margaret apparently toward the 
 gates. But suddenly she swerved from her 
 course, turning directly toward the break in 
 the wall. The men were so sure she was 
 coming toward the gates that they simply 
 stood and waited for her there. Not one of 
 them gave a thought to the break in the wall. 
 
 When they did look up, Margaret was al- 
 most through the aperture. Four of the men 
 threw down their pipes and with harsh cries 
 darted through the gates and down the road 
 after the fleeing girl. But they were too late. 
 
n6 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Rendered heavy and slothful through indo- 
 lence and gluttony, they would never over- 
 take swift-footed Margaret, lithe of limb and 
 with the pure blood of splendid health cours- 
 ing through every vein. 
 
 There were still the people of the village to 
 encounter, yet she soon discovered she had 
 naught to fear from these. As the gluttons 
 from the magistrate’s yamen quickly gave up 
 the chase, Margaret’s race through the village 
 had no further effect on the villagers than to 
 cause them to congregate along the roadway 
 and to stare at her, their eyes distended, their 
 jaws dropped in astonishment. 
 
 On sped Margaret and never slackened pace 
 till she dropped exhausted upon the deck of 
 the sampan. She had just breath enough left 
 to tell the nature of her errand to Chefoo, 
 who had been left in charge of the boat and 
 its effects. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 PERSISTENCY REWARDED 
 
 Armed with the precious kwan-ja Margaret 
 set out on her return to the magistrates. She 
 walked now, although her heart was beating 
 fast with the desire to know how fared it with 
 those she had left behind. Another thought, 
 too, gave her some uneasiness. What punish- 
 ment would the magistrate mete out to her, 
 yes, to them all, because of her direct disre- 
 gard of his order to remain in the apartment ? 
 
 A number of the people had followed her to 
 the sampan out of curiosity, and they were 
 now walking along with her as she returned. 
 They made no movement, however, to molest 
 her, though they did ask queer questions of 
 each other concerning her. A few of them 
 touched her clothing, and one or two handled 
 her hair, but there was no effort to harm 
 her. 
 
 Half-way to the yamen she was suddenly 
 seized by two of the magistrate’s runners, who 
 
 117 
 
n8 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 looked very important over the fact of having 
 seized her at last. They compelled her to 
 start off in a jog trot between them for the 
 magistrate’s. As they went along they 
 shouted, yelled, and in other ways made a 
 terrible noise ; warning the people to keep 
 out of the path of such a dangerous person. 
 Despite her heavy heart, Margaret had to 
 smile to herself again and again over the ter- 
 rible picture given of her ferocious qualities. 
 They slackened their pace as the gates were 
 reached and went slowly and in great state 
 up to the door. Thus Margaret had some 
 breath left to reply to the avalanche of ques- 
 tions hurled upon her so soon as she returned 
 to the apartment. 
 
 “ Oh, Meg, how did you ever get out of 
 that window? ” asked Sarah. “ I nearly had 
 a fit for fear you had fallen on your head and 
 half killed yourself. And such a stir as you 
 made ! Are you sure you are all right? ” 
 
 “ I am all right,” smiled Margaret, and 
 gave her a hug. 
 
 “ You splendid girl ! ” exclaimed Arthur. 
 “ Who would have thought of that but you? 
 And did you get the kwan-ja ? ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 119 
 
 For answer she held it up with a little 
 triumphant flourish. 
 
 “ I declare, Margaret, you are worth a whole 
 regiment,” declared Wilbur. “ The idea of a 
 girl’s thinking to do such as that and we, two 
 trifling fellows, standing around like a pair of 
 silly-billies.” 
 
 “ O that was because you weren’t near the 
 window,” replied Margaret, a twinkle in her 
 eyes. “ That gave the inspiration, you see, 
 Wilbur.” 
 
 “ Your act was a rash one, Margaret,” her 
 father said, but there was no harsh chiding 
 in his voice. In truth, his eyes regarded her 
 with pride, and there was a tenderness unmis- 
 takable in his voice. 
 
 Meanwhile the magistrate was clamoring 
 for the kwan-ja. He seemed to think that 
 they hadn’t it ; but if they had, that it didn’t 
 amount to much. He was contemplating a 
 harsh sentence for Margaret. He was thor- 
 oughly provoked with her for defying him as 
 she had. He was more than angry with his 
 runners for permitting this slender girl to 
 outdo them. But when he saw the kwan-ja 
 and discovered that it was no common affair, 
 
120 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 but had the king’s own seal attached, was in 
 fact such as was given only to men of dis- 
 tinction, Mr. Chul-sa at once changed his 
 tactics. He became very affable, even solici- 
 tous, declaring he had sent for them only 
 that he might question them as to their pro- 
 posed route. He wished to give them such 
 information as he could with reference to the 
 dangers in the river, which he now proceeded 
 to do. 
 
 Mr. Chul-sa now not only pressed food 
 upon them of a really palatable sor|, loudly 
 applauding when both Mr. Vance and Dr. 
 Griffin showed how deft they were with the 
 chop-sticks, but he loaded them down with 
 gifts of fruit, rice, eggs and honey. Further- 
 more, he sent them back to the sampan in 
 great style, heralded by two drummers and 
 three trumpeters, who almost deafened them 
 with their unmusical efforts. 
 
 The people came running from every hut 
 in the village. The number of idlers had 
 been considerably increased by the coming in 
 of the workers in the rice-fields for the noon- 
 day rest and meal. They gathered so thickly 
 along the road-way that the runners had sev- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 121 
 
 eral times to stop and literally fight for a pas- 
 sage. Even after the sampan was reached, 
 the people continued to line the banks, an 
 eager, curious crowd. 
 
 “ It is humiliating to be made a show of, 
 especially when one gets nothing out of it I ” 
 declared Arthur. 
 
 “ I think I’ll go around and take up a col- 
 lection,” laughed Stephen, “ we surely ought 
 to have pay of some kind.” 
 
 It was now well past noon. They ought to 
 have been started up the river hours before, 
 but where was Myo? Yes, where was Myo- 
 Sang? Every one was asking this question. 
 
 “ I saw Myo in the magistrate’s grounds 
 when I was running for the kwan-ja,” said 
 Margaret slowly. 
 
 “ Why, Margaret Vance ! ” almost whistled 
 Arthur. “ Aren’t you mistaken about that? 
 He said he was sick and could not go with 
 us.” 
 
 “ Yes, I know ; but Myo was there just the 
 same. He was talking to a woman in the 
 magistrate’s grounds, and I almost ran over 
 them.” 
 
 “ Perhaps you were mistaken, Margaret,” 
 
122 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 said Mr. Vance at this moment. “ In your 
 haste you may not have seen clearly, and you 
 probably took some one else for Myo.” 
 
 “ No, father, I could not be mistaken. It 
 was Myo, and none other. I saw him quite 
 plainly. He started forward, as though to 
 stop me, and when he recognized me, he 
 stepped back in great surprise.” 
 
 “ Well, this is queer ! ” said Mr. Vance. “ I 
 have just learned that Myo left a message for 
 us with Chefoo to the effect that he had gone 
 up the river bank a short distance to get 
 treatment from a friend who understands 
 something of aches and pains, and that he 
 would return very shortly.” 
 
 “ He is an old rogue, sir,” declared Arthur 
 warmly, “ and you’ll find that out before we 
 go much further.” 
 
 “ Be careful, Arthur,” admonished his fa- 
 ther, “ or the other polemen may hear you, 
 especially Kang. We cannot afford to an- 
 tagonize Myo,” he concluded earnestly, “at 
 least, not at this time, yes, this time of all 
 others. Very shortly now we shall be utterly 
 dependent upon him for the safe navigation 
 of the river.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 123 
 
 “ But, father, it seems to me we could 
 easily find some other poleman this high up 
 the river who would know about the rapids.” 
 “ But they might say they did, Arthur, 
 when they did not. The Korean nature is so 
 tricky ; it would be dangerous to risk our- 
 selves in the hands of any hastily acquired 
 poleman, unless we knew well his ability.” 
 
 It was toward late afternoon ere Myo ap- 
 peared. He came limping and dejected look- 
 ing. He had fallen and hurt his knee and it 
 had been some time ere he could trust him- 
 self to its support. The first delay had been 
 caused by the absence from home of his 
 friend. The search for him had led Myo to 
 the premises of the very magistrate before 
 whom his honorable friends from Seoul had 
 recently appeared. Here Myo bestowed upon 
 Margaret a look which said most eloquently 
 that he implored her to believe the truth of 
 his assertion. 
 
 “ I don’t believe he is telling the truth,” 
 declared Arthur. “ You can see that by the 
 hang-dog expression of his face. I tell you 
 what, Meg, I am beginning to think that we 
 have undertaken a risky piece of business in 
 
124 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 coming up the Han and trusting ourselves to 
 the mercy of its native polemen.” 
 
 “ Surely, Arthur, you don’t include Kang. 
 He seems a nice, straightforward young man, 
 and Chefoo, too, appears a well-meaning and 
 honest fellow.” 
 
 “ O Kang is all right ; and so, too, is 
 Chefoo, I’m certain. But then neither Kang 
 nor Chefoo knows the Han above Nang-chon. 
 I tell you what, Meg, I am beginning to see 
 more and more plainly just what poor Mr. 
 Walter had to endure from his polemen, for 
 they were treacherous fellows, as it afterward 
 appeared.” 
 
 “ I think they acted more from greed, 
 Arthur. They coveted some of poor Mr. 
 Walter’s effects, especially the gold nuggets it 
 is believed he possessed.” 
 
 “ But there is one man who seemed to have 
 been faithful to him, Margaret, his servant 
 Won-su, or so Mr. Walter’s letters indicated. 
 What a pity no trace of him could ever be 
 found.” 
 
 “ O but, Arthur, have you forgotten how 
 his battered body was picked up out of the 
 Han?” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 125 
 
 “ It was only supposed so, Margaret. You 
 may remember that there were two or three 
 men who asserted most positively that the 
 body was not that of Won-su? If he did 
 escape, however, his persistent keeping out of 
 the way is assuredly very queer of him, for 
 there would be no reason why he should do 
 so. Mr. Walter had nothing but praise for 
 Won-su in every communication forwarded 
 to Seoul.” 
 
 There was no thought of trying to make 
 any further headway up the river for that 
 day. Thanks to the magistrate and to Myo’s 
 idling the day had been as good as lost. 
 There was nothing to do but to remain tied 
 up at that point for another night. 
 
 Myo was moody and silent through all of 
 the next day. More than once his attention 
 had to be called to certain important details 
 by Kang. There were in the course several 
 swirling spaces of water with rock-ribbed 
 channels, and it was altogether inexcusable 
 in Myo to be so absent-minded. 
 
 That day a part of the contents of the 
 sampan, especially portions of their bedding, 
 got pretty badly soaked. They were glad 
 
126 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 enough to tie up all day as well as all 
 night at the next village and to give their 
 effects time to dry in the sun. Moreover, 
 it was at this village that Mr. Vance de- 
 sired to gain certain information concerning 
 the outlook for the new mission venture. 
 His reception by the people was such that 
 he decided to remain two days instead of 
 one. 
 
 Services were held twice at this town. At 
 night the people flocked again to the banks 
 to pay their respects and to satisfy their 
 curiosity. Hundreds of queer little lights 
 began to twinkle along the shore. They 
 looked not unlike big fireflies, darting here 
 and there. 
 
 “You would never guess what it is they 
 have,” Arthur said to Margaret and Sarah. 
 He had just been ashore with Wilbur for an 
 inspection. 
 
 “ They have long wisps of twisted straw, 
 five or six feet long,” continued Arthur. “ It 
 is these wisps that serve as torches. The ends 
 are lighted. When it chars, this charred end 
 is taken off by pressing it against the ground. 
 Then in order to make the straw torch come 
 
An American Girl in Korea 127 
 
 alive again, they swing it until it breaks into 
 a fresh flame.” 
 
 The next day Myo was moodier than ever. 
 He poled very little, though he gave many 
 directions to the men. He had long periods 
 of abstraction during which he sat in the 
 stern, gazing out toward the river banks or 
 down at the water by turns. Then he would 
 mutter and gesticulate. Occasionally he would 
 throw his hands above his head in violent 
 movement, as though in pain. 
 
 Margaret had watched him from time to 
 time all through the morning, and at last she 
 saw her opportunity. Myo had taken out the 
 mysterious paper and was bending over it. 
 No one was near but Kang, and he was stand- 
 ing up with his back turned toward Myo, and 
 busily poling. 
 
 “ Now or never ! ” said Margaret to herself, 
 and began cautiously to make her way toward 
 Myo. 
 
 “ I feel like a thief or a burglar,” she added, 
 “ but I can’t stand back for that now. I must 
 find out all about the paper.” 
 
 Myo’s head was lowered and the paper was 
 spread out on his lap. Suddenly he raised it, 
 
128 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 just as Margaret had seen him do before, and 
 held it suspended while he moved his head 
 up and down within the circle made by his 
 curved arms. 
 
 Hastily Margaret crept nearer ; then she 
 did not know whether to berate Myo for the 
 concern and trouble he had caused her, or to 
 blame herself for her folly. The paper held 
 aloft by Myo in this tragic manner was nothing 
 more than a pen and ink sketch of himself, 
 much crumpled and soiled, yet so well done 
 that the likeness was still perfect despite the 
 wear to which the paper had been subjected. 
 
 It was this same excellency of execution 
 that caused Margaret to give it a second and 
 a much more careful look. Then she stepped 
 back with a suddenness that almost threw 
 her overboard. It was no wonder that she 
 was thus affected, for there, clearly visible at 
 the lower right hand corner of the sketch 
 were the initials in bold, graceful outline, 
 “W. H. G.”I 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 A DISAPPEARANCE 
 
 Myo turned suddenly to see Margaret gaz- 
 ing at him, with a face that must have clearly 
 shown him her emotion. He gave a quick 
 start, muttered something unintelligible, and 
 hastily restored the paper to the bosom of his 
 blouse. Then he sprang up and became very 
 closely engaged with the poling. 
 
 Margaret was not slow in telling the others 
 of her discovery, and a very earnest consulta- 
 tion was held shortly afterward in the little 
 cabin occupied by Dr. Griffin and Mr. Vance. 
 
 The heart of the young medical missionary 
 began to beat rapidly at the prospect of what 
 might prove additional news of his brother. 
 Perhaps this man might even have been with 
 him in his last hour, who knew? What 
 pathetic revelations would he hear ? 
 
 When, however, it came to the examination 
 of Myo, it was a complete disappointment. 
 He vowed and vowed again that he knew 
 
 I2p 
 
130 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 nothing of those last days of the young artist 
 and writer. It was several weeks prior to his 
 death when Myo had last seen him. Young 
 Griffin had been at Myo’s village. Myo had 
 been so happy as to have given him lodging 
 for a night or two. In return he had made 
 Myo’s picture. As to that matter, he had 
 drawn the pictures of others in the village 
 and no doubt in more villages besides this 
 one. It seemed, in fact, to have been a 
 favorite pastime of the young man. 
 
 “ He was after all the Korean types he 
 could procure. I remember that well/’ ad- 
 mitted Dr. Griffin. 
 
 A strange thing in connection with this 
 picture, however, was the fact that Myo could 
 not be prevailed upon to part with it for any 
 consideration named. 
 
 “ He must be desperately in love with 
 his own phiz,” remarked Arthur. “ I really 
 didn’t suspect him of vanity, among his other 
 failings.” 
 
 When they had first begun catechizing him 
 Myo had shown a considerable amount of 
 nervousness. He displayed reluctance, too, 
 in answering their questions. He had heard 
 
An American Girl in Korea 131 
 
 of the tragedy on the Han whereby the young 1 
 artist and newspaper man had lost his life, 
 and he was aware that his death had caused 
 considerable excitement and inquiry. He 
 was therefore afraid that this sudden exami- 
 nation of himself, following the discovery that 
 he had one of the pictures executed by young 
 Griffin, might cause him to fall under suspi- 
 cion, despite his innocence. When, however, 
 he became convinced that the present exami- 
 nation was merely for the purpose of gaining 
 all the information possible, Myo grew more 
 at ease and showed no further opposition to 
 being questioned. But Mr. Vance and Dr. 
 Griffin, after a careful examination of Myo, 
 asserted that it was very clear to them that 
 their chief poleman knew no more than he 
 had told them of Walter Griffin. Yet Mar- 
 garet was not satisfied. 
 
 “ Meg’s persistence would pull down a stone 
 wall,” Arthur often declared. But Margaret 
 was convinced that Myo knew more of Mr. 
 Walter than he would tell. Rigid question- 
 ing had failed to bring to light the knowl- 
 edge she firmly believed he possessed. If this 
 knowledge were ever wrested from him, it 
 
132 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 would have to be done warily. Margaret de- 
 termined to watch him more closely than ever. 
 
 They spent the next day at a small village, 
 where, as usual on the Sabbath, religious serv- 
 ices were held. 
 
 During the next two days the scenery 
 changed considerably, growing wilder and 
 more rugged. The river made many abrupt 
 turns, running through narrow, rocky chan- 
 nels, with steep cliffs rising almost perpendic- 
 ularly upon either side. Anon it widened 
 out into a lake-like expanse, where the water 
 was not only deep, but remarkably still. Yet 
 there were at many places, Myo told them, 
 great heaps of upheaved boulders, lying just 
 below the surface. If the sampan ran sud- 
 denly upon one of these, it would assuredly 
 come to grief. But Myo was an old Han 
 poleman. He knew just where these sub- 
 merged rocks lay, and could thus avoid them. 
 
 “I am satisfied,” declared Mr. Vance more 
 than once, “ that if we did not have Myo we 
 would come to grief.” 
 
 At the next village where they tied up, 
 Myo told them that they were now nearly 
 eight hundred feet above sea level. They 
 
An American Girl in Korea 133 
 
 were glad enough to creep under double 
 blankets that night. 
 
 The scenery was so beautiful, the air so 
 vigorous and bracing, and the people appeared 
 so pleasant and good-natured, that Mr. Vance 
 and Dr. Griffin decided to spend two or three 
 days here. They were first led to this deci- 
 sion through the glowing pictures painted by 
 Myo of the wonderful sights to be seen in the 
 vicinity. For one thing, there was a tall hill 
 which was said to be literally crammed full 
 of gold. Many people had been known to 
 get nuggets out of it, though Myo somewhat 
 reluctantly confessed he had never been one 
 of the fortunate ones. 
 
 “ Mr. Walter wrote us of some nuggets of 
 gold he had found ! ” said Margaret suddenly. 
 “ He was quite gay about it, and declared he 
 was going to bring enough home with him to 
 make us all rich for the rest of our lives. 
 Perhaps he may have secured them at this 
 very hill about which Myo has told us. Did 
 you ever hear him say that he had been 
 there, Myo?” asked Margaret pleasantly. 
 
 Myo looked down for a moment as though 
 to give the matter due thought, then slowly 
 
134 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 raised his head again to announce that he 
 was quite sure the young man with the pic- 
 tures in his head had never led him, Myo, to 
 believe that he had ever been at the hill with 
 the golden heart. 
 
 There was another question Margaret de- 
 sired to ask, and she asked it now, smiling 
 sweetly at Myo. 
 
 “ Whereabouts in the neighborhood is your 
 old home, Myo? Am I not right in believ- 
 ing, from what I have been told, that it is 
 somewhere not far from here ? ” 
 
 After a moment Myo confessed that it was 
 at a village further on, though he did not 
 state how much further. There was a reluc- 
 tance very evident about Myo to give infor- 
 mation concerning his old home up the Han. 
 
 They had not much more than eaten break- 
 fast that morning when another sampan 
 arrived. It had put in for supplies, as was 
 soon evidenced. 
 
 “ It is young Ernest Warren,” said Dr. 
 Griffin, “ engineer at the gold mines above 
 Nang-Chon, and his polemen. I must go' 
 around and speak to him. I want you to 
 know him. He is a bright, clever fellow. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 135 
 
 Besides, we can no doubt get some points 
 from him about the river, and the monastery, 
 too, perhaps,” he added in a lower voice. “ It 
 is true his company hasn't been operating 
 long in that territory — only about a year. 
 Still, he is a young man who picks up much 
 as he goes along.” 
 
 “ Why, he must be something of a jackdaw,” 
 remarked Margaret laughingly to Sarah. 
 
 “ Or like a vender of old clothes,” laughed 
 Sarah back. 
 
 The young man, however, didn't come any- 
 where near to filling either of these suggested 
 rbles, as both girls speedily discovered. He 
 was quite young for the position he occupied, 
 not more than twenty-five. He had a bright, 
 frank face which lighted up wonderfully when 
 he was talking upon any subject that particu- 
 larly interested him, and his manner was very 
 affable and cordial. 
 
 He gave them many valuable hints con- 
 cerning the Han. 
 
 “ The worst of the rapids are above Nang- 
 Chon,” he told Mr. Vance. “ Unless you 
 have well-informed and thoroughly reliable 
 polemen, don’t attempt it, or you will come 
 
136 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 to grief. The wisest way, if you are not sure 
 of your polemen, would be to complete the 
 journey by means of ponies. It would not be 
 hard to hire at Nang-Chon as many as you 
 would desire.” 
 
 “ Oh, we have the utmost confidence in Myo, 
 Kang, and the other polemen, especially in 
 Myo,” Mr. Vance assured him. 
 
 “ Don’t forget that you are to come and 
 pay me a visit on your way to the Diamond 
 Mountain region,” he called out gaily to 
 Margaret and Sarah as the sampan was being 
 pushed off shore. “ Your elders have made 
 the promise, and I’ll await your coming with 
 considerable anticipation. I think the sights 
 might repay you. Besides, there is the added 
 inducement of a handkerchief full of gold 
 nuggets to be carried home with you.” 
 
 “ O we’ll come, never fear,” cried Margaret 
 cheerily, “ especially after that last induce- 
 ment. I suspect, however, you’ll find us so 
 greedy we will not be content with the 
 handkerchief, but will want a sack full.” 
 
 “ Oh, you are welcome to all you can carry 
 away,” was the laughing response. Then as 
 the sampan was about to pass out of sight be- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 137 
 
 yond some overhanging boughs, he lifted his 
 hat and bowed. 
 
 Little idea had any of them of the circum- 
 stances under which they were to meet again. 
 
 The sampan party spent the remainder of 
 that day in sight-seeing under the guidance 
 of Myo. They found the scenes fully as 
 beautiful as he had pictured them, and the 
 hill, believed by the natives to have a solid 
 heart of gold, threw quite a spell of fascina- 
 tion over them. 
 
 “ I wish we could bore right through, and 
 carry off a big part of its treasure,” said 
 Margaret. 
 
 “ Well, some one has been trying to do 
 that,” replied Wilbur. “ Just look here ! ” 
 
 Sure enough there was every evidence of a 
 crude attempt to enter the hill in the search 
 for the gold. 
 
 “ I wonder how far this tunnel extends,” 
 said Stephen. “ I have the mind to explore 
 it for a short distance.” 
 
 As he spoke he produced a match, and 
 began to search for a bit of dry wood to serve 
 as a torch. 
 
 “ Don’t do anything so rash,” remonstrated 
 
138 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Margaret. “ You don't know where the 
 tunnel may lead." 
 
 “ If you don't mind the demons will get 
 you," laughed Sarah. 
 
 “ Wait until Myo comes around this way 
 and we'll ask him about it," suggested Ar- 
 thur. 
 
 But Myo did not seem to be in the mood to 
 give them information concerning the tunnel. 
 He really knew nothing about it, he asserted. 
 'Twas said some foreigner had done it years be- 
 fore. Whether or not he had obtained much 
 for his trouble was not known, though it was 
 believed he had gone away quite a rich man. 
 As to the natives, they had never dared to 
 enter the tunnel for an examination, since 
 the very day he departed there had been a 
 violent shake of the hill, felt through all the 
 region round about, and the tunnel had been 
 closed up several feet from its mouth. The 
 people of the neighborhood had declared the 
 demons were angry because the man had be- 
 gun at the base of the mountain to bore his 
 tunnel, instead of going to the top, where all 
 might see. 
 
 There was one question Margaret desired to 
 
An American Girl in Korea 139 
 
 ask Myo, but had thought of it too late, that 
 is, too late for that time. She must wait now 
 for the next opportunity. The question was : 
 How did Myo know that the tunnel had 
 closed up several feet from its mouth ? Had 
 he been in to see ? 
 
 “ I will ask him early to-morrow,” was 
 Margaret's decision, as she was preparing to 
 retire for the night. But when she enquired 
 for Myo the following morning it was to 
 learn that he had asked permission to spend 
 the day with a friend a little beyond the 
 village. He had departed shortly after sun- 
 rise. 
 
 While they were eating breakfast Mr. Vance 
 remarked, 
 
 “ We will take a portion of to-day to lay in 
 some supplies. Young Warren told me we 
 would find it a capital place. The farmers 
 are well to do and the prices far more reason- 
 able than in the larger towns further on.” 
 
 “ Do let us help you, father,” spoke 
 Stephen. 
 
 “ That I will, my boy. I was just going to 
 propose that we divide into two parties. 
 Each party can take a certain portion of the 
 
140 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 village, even going into the country beyond, 
 if necessary.” 
 
 “All right, father. Now let us hear how 
 the parties are to be made up, that is, who 
 shall compose them.” 
 
 “ Well, you, Stephen, may go with me and 
 Kodong,” motioning toward one of the young 
 polemen, “ and I’ll send Chefoo with Arthur 
 and Wilbur.” 
 
 “Why, isn’t Dr. Charles going?” asked 
 Stephen quickly. 
 
 “No, he must stay here to see that these 
 two young women don’t get into mischief,” 
 nodding toward Margaret and Sarah as he 
 spoke. 
 
 “ And a terrible responsibility I shall find 
 it ! ” cried Dr. Griffin. “ Don’t you envy 
 me ? ” and he tried his best to look like a 
 martyr. 
 
 “ Oh, Dr. Charles, how mean of you ! ” cried 
 Margaret. “ But never you mind, we’ll pay 
 you for that yet.” 
 
 “ I feel quite confident that you will,” re- 
 plied Dr. Griffin, his eyes twinkling. “ I am 
 living in anticipation of it.” 
 
 The two parties set off after supplies in gay 
 
An American Girl in Korea 141 
 
 spirits, each with a large basket or other re- 
 ceptacle. 
 
 “ You must expect to lay bare the whole 
 countryside,” said Margaret merrily. “ Poor 
 people ! they will no doubt have a famine 
 after this.” 
 
 “ O we expect to come back completely 
 filled up,” replied Arthur, “ and for the next 
 week or two we’ll fare like nabobs. You’ll 
 see if we don’t, Miss Margaret.” 
 
 In three hours’ time Mr. Vance, Stephen, 
 and Kodong returned. They had had splen- 
 did luck, and were burdened with all they 
 could well carry. Another hour passed, but 
 there was no sign of Arthur, Wilbur, or Chefoo. 
 
 It was now the time for their noonday meal. 
 Min had been busy with his brazier for over 
 an hour, and among other appetizing viands 
 there were the fish caught in the river, all 
 nicely browned and smoking hot. 
 
 Another hour, and still the second party 
 sent for supplies remained away. Mr. Vance 
 began to look troubled and Dr. Griffin had 
 risen two or three times in a nervous 
 manner and walked down the pathway in the 
 direction taken by the boys. 
 
142 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ I fear they went much further than they 
 intended/' Dr. Griffin said at length. 
 
 “ What I fear chiefly," remarked Mr. Vance, 
 “ is that they have lost their bearings and are 
 wandering about aimlessly. We’ll eat our 
 meal anyhow, for it will spoil if kept longer. 
 We can put aside the boys’ share.’’ 
 
 Four o’clock in the afternoon, and still no 
 sign of the boys and Chefoo. Mr. Vance be- 
 gan to pace nervously back and forth. Mar- 
 garet and Sarah looked anxious and worried. 
 Dr. Griffin stepped aside for an earnest con- 
 versation with Kang. Would he please go 
 and bring Myo ? 
 
 Kang was no more than out of sight, when 
 down the river path from the opposite direc- 
 tion, there came the sound of swiftly running 
 feet, of a body fairly tearing through the un- 
 derbrush. The next moment Chefoo, wild- 
 eyed, disheveled, and panting for breath, 
 threw himself at Mr. Vance’s feet. As soon 
 as he could recover speech, he had a startling 
 story to tell. The boys had disappeared sev- 
 eral hours before, and he had not the remotest 
 idea where they were ! 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 IMPRISONED 
 
 Bit by bit they succeeded in getting Che- 
 foo’s story from him. He was not only ex- 
 hausted from hard running, but he was greatly 
 excited. He did not know how much he 
 would be blamed in the matter. 
 
 The boys and Chefoo had not been success- 
 ful at first in their search for supplies, as the 
 inmates of many of the homes at which they 
 had called were away in the rice-fields. Fi- 
 nally, they decided to push on to another vil- 
 lage, of which they had heard, lying four 
 miles further up the river. Here, their in- 
 formants assured them, they would without 
 doubt procure all the supplies they wished. 
 Feeling in splendid trim, the boys did not 
 demur at the long walk, though Chefoo did, 
 and advised going back to get ponies. He 
 knew where a man lived who would let them 
 have the ponies cheap for a few hours. But 
 the boys were used to walking, they declared, 
 
 *43 
 
i44 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and wouldn’t mind the tramp at all. Besides, 
 there was much more to see afoot. 
 
 The village had been reached and their in- 
 quiries for supplies well rewarded, when the 
 trouble suddenly overtook them. Like a bolt 
 from a clear sky it fell. There was a group 
 of mirioks and of totem poles near the centre 
 of the village. They were grotesquely carved 
 and painted, and made hideous by the numer- 
 ous streamers of old clothes, twisted wisps of 
 straw, and the remains of old shoes that 
 dangled from them. Thoughtlessly the boys 
 began to laugh and to make remarks concern- 
 ing them. Chefoo spoke warning words, but 
 they would not heed him. Slowly a crowd 
 began to gather, unnoticed by the boys, but 
 painfully apparent to Chefoo. There were 
 scowling faces and now and then a threatening 
 sentence. The mirioks and totem poles were 
 the guardians of the village, set there to avoid 
 the evils the demons would otherwise do. 
 What business had these impertinent young 
 strangers to find subject for humor in them? 
 
 Suddenly something that was streaming 
 out to the breeze from near the top of one of 
 the mirioks seemed to attract their attention 
 
An American Girl in Korea 145 
 
 irresistibly. There was a quick exclamation 
 from Arthur, an answering one from Wilbur, 
 then, ere Chefoo could so much as divine 
 their intention, much less prevent it, both 
 boys started off at full speed toward the 
 mirioks. The crowd, now thoroughly aroused, 
 set out to follow them. So, too, did Chefoo. 
 
 The poleman did not know how it had hap- 
 pened. There was a scramble, a sudden 
 scuffle as though they playfully contended 
 with each other. Then Arthur lost his bal- 
 ance. He careened toward one of the mirioks, 
 and over it went, with Arthur on top of it 
 and Wilbur clutching wildly at Arthur. The 
 miriok, which was of wood, was no doubt 
 well rotted from a long standing in the moist 
 earth, Chefoo admitted, and required but 
 little force to send it toppling over. But the 
 crowd did not take this into consideration. 
 As they looked at it, the boys had maliciously 
 committed mischief. They had dared to 
 desecrate the sacred charms, had not only 
 wilfully made fun of them, but had also laid 
 one of them low. 
 
 Instantly the two boys were seized, and 
 despite their own explanations and remon- 
 
146 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 strances, and Chefoo’s entreaties and promises, 
 they were carried off in the direction of the 
 magistrate’s. Chefoo had attempted again 
 and again to follow, but each time had been 
 driven back. His next effort was to make a 
 detour of the village and to try to gain some 
 point of vantage from which he might take 
 note of what happened to them. But the 
 only points of information he had been able 
 to obtain were to the effect that the magistrate 
 of the district, who resided at the town in 
 question, was on a journey to Seoul and would 
 not return under ten or twelve days. His 
 son, who had been left in charge of affairs, 
 declared he would have nothing to do with 
 the matter, as it was quite too serious for him. 
 He had therefore ordered the boys imprisoned 
 until his father’s return, but as to the location 
 of their prison Chefoo could learn nothing 
 definite. It was not on the magistrate’s 
 premises, as the son had declared he would 
 not have them there. 
 
 “ Poor lads ! I fear they will pay dearly 
 for their momentary folly, if they have not 
 already done so,” said Mr. Vance. 
 
 “ The question now is how best to proceed 
 
An American Girl in Korea 147 
 
 without making matters worse,” replied Dr. 
 Griffin. “ If the magistrate were only here, 
 we might buy or intimidate him. But in his 
 absence we are handicapped, especially if the 
 son is inclined to be puffed up with his own 
 importance.” 
 
 “ The first move assuredly is to get nearer 
 the village,” said Mr. Vance again, “ and the 
 next to find out just where our poor lads are 
 being held as prisoners. So soon as Myo 
 comes, which ought to be shortly, we will 
 push off.” 
 
 But Myo did not come as expected. In 
 truth, Kang, after considerable delay, returned 
 without him. He had succeeded at last in 
 coming up with Myo, who, it seemed, had 
 been making a succession of visits to old 
 friends. Myo had informed Kang that it 
 would simply be out of the question for him 
 to return that evening to the sampan. There 
 was some business to which he must attend. 
 It was no matter if the sampan was held an- 
 other day at the village. Those aboard it had 
 plenty of time to spare. 
 
 Kang's sympathies were sincere and deep 
 when he returned to learn of the true state of 
 
148 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 affairs. He agreed readily with Mr. Vance 
 that the first important move was to take the 
 sampan up the river, at least to the outskirts 
 of the village where the boys had been seized 
 and confined. But there was not daylight 
 enough to do it now. They must wait until 
 morning, for there was a very bad rapid in 
 the way. If Myo did not return in the morn- 
 ing, as there was some hope he would do, he, 
 Kang, would get the assistance of one of the 
 village polemen, who knew the currents, and 
 the sampan could no doubt be taken safely to 
 the proposed destination. 
 
 The joyous spirit that had so recently per- 
 vaded the hearts of those aboard the sampan, 
 especially the young members of the party, 
 had now given place to one of deep appre- 
 hension. 
 
 “ I cannot see what possessed the lads,” Mr. 
 Vance said. “ Arthur, at least, ought to have 
 known better. I am truly shocked by his 
 behavior.” 
 
 “ Father,” said Margaret earnestly, “ I can’t 
 believe that Arthur or Wilbur really behaved 
 in the manner described by Chefoo, though 
 at the same time, I must say, I am not ques- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 149 
 
 tioning Chefoo’s honesty in the matter. It 
 really appeared to him as he described it, I 
 am sure. Only Arthur or Wilbur can ex- 
 plain it ; that they can explain it, I am cer- 
 tain.” 
 
 “ Your opinion is very much my own, Mar- 
 garet,” her father replied. “ I have had the 
 very same thoughts concerning the conduct 
 of the lads. They may perhaps have laughed 
 at the grotesque appearance of the mirioks ; 
 you know how easy it is for Arthur to see an 
 amusing side. If Wilbur went further it was 
 through ignorance. But that either lad could 
 contemplate or carry out the design of doing 
 harm to the mirioks, I cannot for one moment 
 believe.” 
 
 This was the opinion shared by all. The 
 boys had fallen into trouble, it was evident, 
 but it was not through any malicious act on 
 their part. 
 
 “ They will no doubt put them in some 
 loathsome place,” said Margaret, the tears in 
 her eyes, “ where they cannot get a breath of 
 pure, sweet air ; and they will feed them on 
 all manner of horrible food. O poor Arthur ! 
 poor Wilbur ! Would that you and I were 
 
150 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 boys, Sarah/’ her eyes suddenly flashing, “ so 
 that we might go and search for them and 
 fight for them until they were released.” 
 
 Stephen heard these remarks, and they 
 stung him no little. He was a boy and he 
 had both a brave and a willing heart, yet 
 what was he able to do under the exasperat- 
 ing circumstances ? Had not even his father 
 and Dr. Griffin failed in the quest on which 
 they had gone? What, then, could Meg or 
 Sarah do if they were boys? 
 
 “ You think, Meg, that you would be able 
 to accomplish something if you were really a 
 boy and could go out to look for Wilbur and 
 Arthur,” he said. “ But father and Dr. Griffin 
 both say that it isn’t strength but cunning 
 that is going to win in this trouble. The 
 Koreans are wily and full of tricks. If we 
 are to succeed in liberating Wilbur and Arthur 
 as speedily as we hope, we must meet cunning 
 with cunning.” 
 
 “ Why, Stephen ! ” cried Margaret suddenly, 
 as she turned toward him, her lips suspi- 
 ciously near a smile, “ you dear old sensitive 
 plant you ! Why, no one had a thought of 
 you in what was said. There was never a 
 
An American Girl in Korea 151 
 
 question of your courage and loyalty, never ! 
 never ! We are too well aware of that. Sarah 
 and I were only bemoaning our helplessness, 
 that was all.” 
 
 Apart from the lighter vein in which she 
 had replied to Stephen’s speech, there was 
 that in it that had given Margaret food for 
 thought. Was the only way left open to them 
 to meet cunning with cunning? Yet how 
 was it to be done ? 
 
 Myo had not appeared in the morning, but 
 Kang, making his promise good, had obtained 
 one of the village polemen and safely con- 
 ducted the sampan to the point desired. 
 
 Mr. Vance, however, had not waited for the 
 morning ere making search for Wilbur and 
 Arthur. Taking Chefoo and Kodong he had 
 started for the village shortly after the return 
 of Kang. He searched long and patiently, 
 but was baffled at every point. Those of 
 whom he enquired either could not or would 
 not give him the information desired. The 
 boys had been taken for better security to the 
 house of one of the prominent men of the 
 village. Just who this man was, and where 
 he resided, no one appeared to know. 
 
152 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 The next day Dr. Griffin and 'Kang, set 
 forth on the quest. They, too, searched ear- 
 nestly and with painstaking care but without 
 avail. The boys were imprisoned somewhere 
 within the village but where, they were un- 
 able to learn. The chief reason for the failure 
 lay in the fact that they were not permitted 
 to enter any of the dwellings, save two or 
 three of the humbler class. They were met 
 without, and persistently held there through 
 all the time of questioning. This had been 
 the experience of Mr. Vance and also that of 
 Dr. Griffin. Neither were Chefoo, Kodong or 
 Kang more successful. They had been spotted 
 as the servants of the foreigners and as such 
 were regarded with suspicion and kept at a 
 distance. The only satisfaction that could be 
 obtained was to the effect that when the 
 magistrate returned the boys would be pro- 
 duced and the trial take place. 
 
 Mr. Vance thought of appealing to the au- 
 thorities at Chong-chon, the largest town on 
 the river above them, but hesitated to do 
 this, fearing a complication that would make 
 matters worse instead of better. Another 
 thought that presented itself was a telegraph 
 
An American Girl in Korea 153 
 
 message to the American Consul in Seoul, 
 urging him to present the matter at once to 
 the king. There was a station at Chong- 
 chon, though he had heard that messages 
 were sent in only once a week. By the time 
 the king’s ear had been gained and the 
 message from him had arrived, what might 
 not have happened ? Yet Mr. Vance resolved 
 that if by the evening of the morrow no 
 clearer light had been shed upon the perplex- 
 ing matter either he or Dr. Griffin, on pony 
 back and with a guide, would start up the 
 river to Chong-chon. 
 
 Another plan that had been tried was com- 
 munication with the magistrate’s son. After 
 much maneuvring and an endless amount 
 of trouble, Mr. Vance at last obtained an 
 audience with him. He found him a dissi- 
 pated young idler, too indolent to really 
 care which way the matter went. He had 
 promised certain of the villagers that the 
 lads should be punished, and he meant to 
 keep his promise. He had stability enough 
 for that, it seemed, though none to be turned 
 toward a good purpose. When Mr. Vance 
 entreated that he be permitted to communi- 
 
154 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 cate with the boys, the young glutton, whose 
 face was puffed from the effects of high liv- 
 ing, arched his brows as well as he could, de- 
 claring that he really did not know where 
 the boys were confined. It had been too 
 much bother to charge himself with the 
 knowledge. There was nothing to do save 
 to await the return of his father. He really 
 hadn’t time for such things. 
 
 “ The young villain ! ” said Margaret when 
 she heard of the result of this interview. 
 “ Wouldn’t I like to get my hands on him, 
 though, and shake him.” 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE MOURNING STRANGER 
 
 The fourth morning after the disappear- 
 ance of the boys, and still Myo did not re- 
 turn ! Messengers sent to communicate with 
 him failed to locate him. He had disap- 
 peared as completely as had Wilbur and 
 Arthur. 
 
 “ Could he, too, have met with foul play ? ” 
 asked Mr. Vance. 
 
 But Dr. Griffin did not think so. Myo had 
 some private matters of his own, he was 
 assured, which had not as yet been adjusted 
 to his satisfaction. Besides, Myo, no doubt, 
 was tired of the work of poling, and this 
 business gave him the excuse he wanted to 
 obtain a period of rest. 
 
 “ He might at least communicate with us 
 and let us know his intentions/’ complained 
 Mr. Vance. 
 
 Truth' to tell, he was beginning to have 
 some very queer feelings about Myo. Marga- 
 ret had her own opinion concerning Myo, 
 
 i55 
 
156 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 which, for a very good reason, she kept to 
 herself. 
 
 On the morning of this fourth day which 
 was Monday, Margaret’s nerves had reached 
 their highest tension. She felt that she 
 could not possibly let another hour pass 
 without some effort on her part to effect 
 Wilbur’s and Arthur’s release. If she could 
 only find out where they were, it would 
 afford some relief to the terrible strain. She 
 entreated her father that she and Sarah, ac- 
 companied by Kang, be permitted to make 
 one more trial in the effort to locate the 
 boys’ prison. Surely if they managed care- 
 fully, they might be able to learn something 
 through the women and children. 
 
 The same baffling circumstances, however, 
 confronted them as before. They were met 
 coldly and treated rudely. In some instances, 
 they where driven off the premises. Heart- 
 sick, Margaret returned to the sampan ; but 
 she had not yet given up. “ Margaret had a 
 persistency that would level stone walls,” 
 Arthur had declared, and truly was Margaret 
 proving it. Plan after plan passed through 
 her mind, then suddenly Margaret saw light. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 157 
 
 “The only way is to meet cunning with 
 cunning,” Stephen had quoted her father and 
 Dr. Griffin as saying ; but as yet no one had 
 formed an idea as to how that plan was to be 
 carried out ; then suddenly Margaret felt that 
 she saw the way. 
 
 In Korea, often called the “ Nation of big 
 hats,” there is one that exceeds them all in 
 dimensions, especially in the extent of its 
 brim. This is the “ mourning hat,” often as 
 large as the average umbrella. The face of a 
 mourner, covering his head with one of these, 
 is completely shut off from view. In addition 
 he arrays himself in a gown of light gray 
 with voluminous sleeves, into which his hands 
 after his arms have been crossed, are thrust. 
 Thus no portion of his person is exposed to 
 view. Should such happen at any time, he is 
 considered to be lacking in that extreme mod- 
 esty and humility with which all mourners 
 should be endowed. 
 
 Everywhere throughout Korea this mourn- 
 ing costume is treated with the highest re- 
 spect. No one would think of molesting a 
 mourner thus arrayed. He must not even be 
 accosted ; and during this period of mourn- 
 
158 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 in g, which extends throughout three years for 
 a parent, he cannot be approached upon any 
 subject, not even for the purpose of collecting 
 a bill. 
 
 Among Mr. Vance’s effects, as Margaret 
 knew, was one of these mourning hats and 
 gowns, even the straw sandals. He had 
 brought it along with the half serious, half 
 laughing remark that no one of them knew 
 just what emergency might arise to give them 
 a need to use it. ' 
 
 “ The only drawback in it,” he added with 
 a merry twinkle, “ is that neither Dr. Griffin 
 nor myself could be successfully disguised by 
 it. In the first place, it is quite too short, and 
 in the second, our beards are altogether too 
 much in evidence. A genuine mourner is 
 supposed to have a smooth face.” 
 
 It was of this mourning costume that Mar- 
 garet now thought in her desperation. Her 
 plan was to don it, to mingle with the vil- 
 lagers, to listen to their conversation, and in 
 this way, if possible, gain an idea as to the 
 whereabouts of Wilbur and Arthur. Once 
 she had located them, she would dare almost 
 anything to communicate with them. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 159 
 
 The young girl was tall and slender, just 
 about the height of the average Korean man. 
 She was almost sure the costume would fit her. 
 Indeed, she had once tried it on in response 
 to a laughing dare from Arthur. The only 
 portions of it that gave her concern were the 
 hat and sandals. They would assuredly prove 
 too large. 
 
 “ I can stuff them with paper,” she said as 
 the question of their fit presented itself. 
 
 She had to do some skilful maneuvring to 
 extract them from among her father’s effects 
 without his knowledge ; but finally, with 
 Sarah’s aid, she accomplished it. With 
 Sarah’s aid, too, she made further preparations 
 for the undertaking. 
 
 As great as was her courage and assurance, 
 Margaret had not dared to risk the daylight 
 on the proceedings she had planned. In the 
 first place it would have been next to impos- 
 sible to get away from the sampan unobserved, 
 even with Sarah’s help ; and in the second she 
 could not trust to the dye on her hands to pass 
 muster in the daylight. 
 
 The moon rose early, Margaret knew, and it 
 was almost a full moon. She would slip away 
 
i6o An American Girl in Korea 
 
 from the sampan just as its first rays appeared, 
 ere the light had become clear enough to be- 
 tray her as she slipped over the side of the 
 sampan. 
 
 “ O my dear, how will you ever get to the 
 bank from this side ? ” asked Sarah, who was 
 in the secret. 
 
 “ I shall have to wade as the natives do,” 
 declared Margaret laughing, “ but 111 take 
 care to hold up my skirts, and I’ll not put on 
 stockings and sandals till I am safe ashore.” 
 
 With many kisses and sighs from Sarah, 
 and a few piteously sobbed out sentences at the 
 last, Margaret arrayed herself for the under- 
 taking she had planned with so stout a heart. 
 There was only one weapon she allowed her- 
 self, and this was not designed for her own 
 use. In a stout belt belonging to Arthur, 
 w r hich she buckled around her waist under the 
 folds of the mourning gown, she placed the 
 big knife with which Min carved his fowls. 
 Hugging her guitar tightly, and concealing it 
 by the folds of her robe, Margaret stood ready. 
 She knew just how to reach the shore through 
 the shallowest water. She had given attention 
 to that at the very beginning of her plan. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 161 
 
 At one time Margaret feared she would be 
 discovered ere she left the sampan. Attracted 
 by some noise, doubtless the splash she made 
 as she went into the water, her father appeared 
 suddenly in the door of his little cabin. She 
 could see him plainly, and he was looking 
 straight at her. Would he suspect anything 
 was wrong? Would he call to her? Worse 
 still, would he send one of the boatmen to in- 
 vestigate ? 
 
 As she moved away, her heart thumping so 
 she could count every beat, she heard her fa- 
 ther remark as he turned to Dr. Griffin, 
 
 “ One of those fellows in his mourning 
 costume is out there, and when I first saw 
 him I think he was coming toward the boat 
 and for no good purpose. He is going away 
 now, however, and I hope he will stay away. 
 It is surprising what rascals some of these 
 people can be, whether in mourning costume 
 or otherwise. Now wouldn't you think this 
 fellow would be too busy with his grief to 
 come prowling around here thinking of 
 what he might lay his hands on to carry 
 away ? ” 
 
 Despite her loudly thumping heart Marga- 
 
162 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 ret almost laughed out as she heard these 
 words. 
 
 “ Dear old daddy ! ” she ejaculated to her- 
 self, “ he little dreams how near to the facts 
 he is speaking ! ” 
 
 The path from the river to the village lay 
 deep in shadow, for the moon had not yet 
 come sufficiently above the tree-tops to flood 
 it with light. The trees were quite dense 
 at this point. There were ash, birch and 
 walnut, and further on groups of umbrella 
 pine, with now and then a wide-spreading 
 persimmon. 
 
 Except for a few houses scattered about, the 
 village lay along the principal street, which 
 ran almost parallel with the river. The most 
 of the houses were of mud thatched with 
 straw. Around each was a high fence made 
 of bamboo. Now and then a more preten- 
 tious dwelling was seen with tiled roof, and 
 in the midst of a larger enclosure. 
 
 On walked Margaret slowly, deliberately, 
 as became the costume she wore. She was 
 quite calm now, and her heart had ceased its 
 rapid beating. As she desired to gain knowl- 
 edge of the lay of the path before her, she 
 
An American Girl in Korea 163 
 
 would lift her head for a moment, then drop 
 it again until her face became concealed 
 beneath the immense brim of the hat. 
 
 As Margaret neared the first group of huts 
 two great dogs, gaunt and hungry looking, 
 rushed from an opening in the enclosure 
 and began to assail her with furious barking. 
 
 “ Korean dogs are much given to barking, 
 but to little biting/’ she had heard her father 
 and Dr. Griffin say, and the proof of the 
 assertion had been given them many times 
 on this trip. Armed with this knowledge 
 Margaret stood her ground boldly. She 
 threw up her arms and then twanged her 
 guitar at them. In a twinkling they dropped 
 their war-like front, turned tail, and sneaked 
 back to the enclosure. 
 
 With a courageous step Margaret ap- 
 proached and entered by the same opening 
 through which she had seen the dogs dis- 
 appear. The noise of the dogs’ barking had 
 drawn all the inmates of the hut into the 
 yard. They regarded Margaret curiously as 
 she approached. She raised her head long 
 enough to discover that, with the exception 
 of one very old man, the group consisted of 
 
164 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 women and children. She made them the 
 greeting she had so often seen others do, then 
 dropped to the ground as though from ex- 
 haustion, her feet crossed under her in 
 excellent native fashion. 
 
 At once their sympathies were aroused, and 
 Margaret felt “ as mean as a do g,” as she 
 afterward expressed it to Sarah, when food 
 and drink were pressed upon her. She made 
 a great show of paying her respects to both, 
 eating with all the noise she could command, 
 which is the custom in Korea when one 
 desires to show his appreciation of food. The 
 louder the lips are smacked, then the higher 
 the enjoyment, and the greater, too, the com- 
 pliment to your host. All this time, how- 
 ever, when she appeared to be eating with 
 such relish, Margaret was conveying the 
 larger portion of the viands to a place of con- 
 cealment in the thick grass about her. It 
 might be discovered in the morning, but what 
 mattered it then ? 
 
 “ What little I did eat almost choked me .! ” 
 she afterward declared, “ and the gags I made 
 in the effort to get it down were the only real 
 parts of the noises made / 7 
 
An American Girl in Korea 165 
 
 While eating Margaret took care to display 
 her hands as little as possible. The guitar, 
 too, she kept hugged up against her under 
 the folds of her robe. The time had not yet 
 arrived to make use of it. 
 
 Once in the midst of the repast a little 
 child ran forward and curiously peeped up 
 under the hat. Involuntarily Margaret 
 threw her head up and smiled. For just 
 one instant the moonlight flashed upon her 
 face. The glimpse was enough to delight the 
 child. Where was there a rarer smile than 
 Margaret’s ? The little one clapped her 
 hands and drew nearer still. 
 
 Margaret’s heart gave a rapid beat as she 
 realized her imprudence. Had others had a 
 glimpse of her face? Fortunately, they had 
 been too occupied to notice. A woman now 
 called the child away. 
 
 As Margaret was finishing her repast, the 
 most of the food having gone into the grass, 
 two men entered the enclosure and stood 
 looking at her. As much as she dared she 
 raised her head to get a view of them. They 
 seemed to be well satisfied with the treatment 
 their women had given her, and nodded ap- 
 
1 66 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 proval. They bowed to her respectfully, then 
 went and squatted in the midst of the group 
 about the doorway. 
 
 Margaret was sure now she would hear 
 something that would give her a clue. The 
 men had no doubt been away in the village 
 and would have bits of news at their tongues' 
 end. But the sequel proved that she was 
 mistaken. She caught no word to indicate 
 that Wilbur, Arthur, or other member of the 
 sampan party was the subject of conversation. 
 Feeling convinced after a time that she would 
 learn nothing here, she got up to go. The 
 men also arose. They were on the point of 
 escorting her to her next stopping place, as 
 was the custom, though she did not know it. 
 At that moment, however, three men came in 
 hurriedly and in evident excitement. They 
 quickly made known their errand. They 
 had come to summon the men of the family 
 to a conference at Mr. Kat-see’s, where the 
 matter of the hated foreigners was to be dis- 
 cussed. 
 
 Margaret’s heart gave a great bound. At 
 last she had -the clue for which she had 
 longed, and for which she had risked so much ! 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE CONFERENCE AT KAT-SEE’S 
 
 The men made haste to depart. Each 
 bowed to Margaret with much deference as he 
 passed out. 
 
 So soon as she dared, Margaret got up to 
 follow. Her movements, however, were very 
 deliberate, despite that her heart was fairly 
 bounding with the desire to be away, close 
 upon the heels of the men who were going to 
 Kat-see’s house. There she would surely 
 learn something of the whereabouts of Wilbur 
 and Arthur. But dared she follow ? Dared 
 she mingle with the crowd of men gathered 
 at Kat-see’s ? 
 
 Margaret’s manner was composed, though 
 her heart was now pounding away under the 
 folds of the gray mourning gown in such a 
 manner that it seemed to her others must 
 hear it besides herself. 
 
 Her desire was to keep the men in sight so 
 that she could find the way to Kat-see’s with- 
 out loss of time. Yet she must not seem 
 
 167 
 
168 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 anxious to follow them. Mourners in Korea 
 are expected to take no lively interest in any- 
 thing, but to preserve that mournful and de- 
 jected air in keeping with one whom the 
 demons have seen fit to afflict. 
 
 The men walked rapidly. But even if 
 Margaret had lost sight of these, she could 
 still have found the way to Kat-see’s, for 
 other men were seen coming from their huts, 
 and all turning in the same direction. Truly 
 the gathering at Kat-see’s would be no small 
 affair ; and more and more evident it became 
 that Margaret would have need of all her 
 courage. 
 
 Kat-see’s was reached at last. The prem- 
 ises were almost at the upper end of the vil- 
 lage and were of such appearance as at once 
 showed that Kat-see was a person of no 
 small importance. Indeed, he had once been 
 magistrate of the district. The house con- 
 sisted of several rooms, and there was a tiled 
 roof, and actually two tiny panes of glass set 
 in above two of the window openings. 
 
 The men’s apartments, which in all Korean 
 houses are at the front, were not far away 
 from the gates, set, with some pretensions to 
 
An American Girl in Korea 169 
 
 ornamentation, in the bamboo fence. They 
 stood wide open, and everything about the 
 premises had a hospitable appearance. Men 
 were seen within the apartments, while others 
 were squatting outside within the circle of 
 light from the openings, and vigorously puff- 
 ing away on their long-stemmed pipes. 
 
 Two or three men jostled Margaret as all 
 tried to enter the gateway at the same time. 
 She trembled, but with one accord they 
 stepped back, each bowing profoundly. 
 
 “ Now,” Margaret said to herself, “ if ever 
 you needed grit, it’s now.” 
 
 Stepping within the shadow of some shrub- 
 bery, she threw her head up for a moment to 
 get the lay of the path before her and the 
 situation of the groups of men squatting in 
 front of the apartment. Then with slow and 
 resolute step she passed, stopping at last near 
 to a group she had singled out. She sank 
 with apparent ease to her knees, crossing her 
 feet under her, and had reason to bless her- 
 self that she had insisted on Mok-po’s giving 
 her again and again training in this art. 
 
 Almost the first words Margaret caught 
 made her heart bound. Six years in Seoul 
 
170 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and a close mingling throughout that time 
 with native servants and with the women and 
 girls of her father’s mission had given Mar- 
 garet a fair understanding of the language. 
 
 They were talking about the young for- 
 eigners, and, as they talked, several grew 
 much excited. 
 
 “ We have treated them too kindly. They 
 should have had severer punishment,” de- 
 clared one. 
 
 “ So I have said,” was the answer. “ They 
 have made it child’s play so far, merely keep- 
 ing them in confinement.” 
 
 “ You would have them punished in addi- 
 tion to the confinement? ” 
 
 “ Yes ; I would.” 
 
 “ But the magistrate is not here, and no 
 one has the authority but his son, and he will 
 not act.” 
 
 “ He would not before, but he will now, for 
 he has sent word to Kat-see that he will agree 
 to anything that is decided on to-night.” 
 
 “ He does not want the trouble of deciding 
 for himself? ” 
 
 “ Yes ; that is it exactly.” 
 
 There was something of a stir now, and the 
 
An American Girl in Korea 171 
 
 men began getting up and moving toward the 
 house. At first Margaret thought she dared 
 not follow, but after a moment’s thought she 
 decided that it appeared the most natural 
 thing to do. So she arose and went after 
 them, though at a becoming distance. 
 
 Kat-see had called the conference to order 
 and was now addressing them. Margaret 
 pressed as near to the apartment as she could 
 get. She had not as yet quite screwed up 
 her courage to the point of entering. As she 
 stood, she almost touched elbows with a man 
 on her left. 
 
 All sorts of fears began to assail Margaret. 
 Suppose that a strand of her hair should take 
 a notion to straggle down from under the hat ? 
 She thought she had put it up carefully, but 
 somehow it began to feel very loose. She 
 dared not put up her hands for an investiga- 
 tion, lest she make some movement decidedly 
 feminine. What further doubts and fears 
 might have assailed her were completely 
 driven from her mind by words she heard 
 Kat-see speak. 
 
 “ The punishment to be meted out to these 
 young foreign devils has been decided upon 
 
172 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 by Chun-san and myself, to be carried out 
 until the return of his father, the magistrate, 
 which may not be until many days yet.” 
 
 The men pressed nearer, eager to hear. 
 Margaret scarcely dared to breathe, so afraid 
 was she that she might lose a word. 
 
 “ The boys shall be kept in their present 
 safe place of confinement, which so far seems 
 to have completely baffled those other foreign 
 devils. But every morning,” continued Kat- 
 see, and now he smiled grimly, “ they shall 
 be taken to the top of the hill known as 
 Nippoo-san and made to toil in the digging 
 of the tunnel till the going ^own of the sun. 
 And what these slaves find in the way of 
 golden nuggets shall be given to the men 
 of the village who care not themselves to 
 bother with the labor of seeking for the 
 treasure in the heart of Nippoo-san.” 
 
 A storm of assents greeted this proposal. 
 There was much wagging of heads and re- 
 peated grunts of approval. It was evident 
 that Kat-see had made quite a hit. The 
 young foreign devils were to dig the treasure 
 out of Nippoo-san, and all for them. 
 
 Margaret almost betrayed herself in her ex- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 173 
 
 citement. Wilbur and Arthur, neither one of 
 whom, she was quite sure, had ever handled 
 pick or shovel for more than an hour or so at 
 a time, who in short knew nothing of hard 
 physical labor, were to be put to the severe 
 task of digging for gold in the rocky heart of 
 Nippoo-san. She remembered now how Myo 
 had told them that a tunnel had been started 
 from the brow of the hill by some people of a 
 near by village, but abandoned when it was 
 discovered what hard work it was. Now Wil- 
 bur and Arthur were to be set to this task and 
 made to keep at it from early morning till set 
 of sun. 
 
 Suddenly Kat-see paused, and, addressing 
 some words to two men standing near, which 
 Margaret did not hear, waved his hand in the 
 direction of an inner apartment. 
 
 Margaret did not note this movement either, 
 as she dared not raise her head sufficiently to 
 look at Kat-see. She was merely standing and 
 listening to him. Attracted now by a strange 
 commotion within the room and by the sound 
 of a voice, then of voices that made her heart 
 give a sudden bound as though it would jump 
 out of her throat, Margaret stepped back 
 
*74 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 within the shadow and raised her head cau- 
 tiously. 
 
 There in the centre of the room stood Wil- 
 bur and Arthur. She could see them plainly, 
 as nearly all the Koreans were squatting upon 
 the floor. How pale and dejected the poor 
 fellows looked, and how Margaret’s heart 
 ached for them. Truly had they paid dear 
 for any boyish folly of which they had been 
 guilty. That they had wilfully committed a 
 wrong, Margaret still would not believe. 
 
 The boys were questioned as to their be- 
 havior of four days before, and Margaret’s 
 heart gave a bound of joy when she heard 
 each disclaim with manly air any intention to 
 do harm to the mirioks. The breaking of the 
 post had been merely an accident. 
 
 Evidently the men squatting about did not 
 believe them. Scowls were on the faces that 
 every now and then peered around at the two 
 youths. 
 
 Kat-see proceeded to acquaint the two boys 
 with the decision of the conference. For one 
 brief instant each bowed his head as though 
 overcome, but the next it was raised proudly, 
 and no young soldier could have borne him- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 175 
 
 self with a braver air than was in the carriage 
 and poise of the head of each lad as he left 
 the room. Yet as Arthur passed in front of 
 the opening near which Margaret stood, he 
 looked out for one brief moment, and she 
 alone saw the sudden despair in his eyes, the 
 quivering of his lips. 
 
 Margaret had accomplished her purpose. 
 She had found where the boys were confined. 
 They were in the house of Kat-see, doubtless 
 brought here for the purpose of going through 
 the farce of appearing before the conference 
 in their own behalf. But now she was so near 
 them she couldn’t bear to go back without 
 trying to speak to the boys, and let them 
 know that help would be brought to them. 
 
 Margaret had noted carefully the direction 
 taken by those who had the boys under guard. 
 She had seen them pass through an opening 
 into an adjoining apartment, and now had a 
 clear idea as to its situation. Her knowledge 
 of the appointments of Korean homes was 
 such that she knew the men’s apartments 
 were always at the front, while women and 
 girls occupied the rear of the premises. 
 Therefore she was almost sure that Wilbur 
 
176 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 and Arthur had been carried no further than 
 the apartment which lay immediately behind 
 the right hand one of the two apartments in 
 which the men were now gathered. 
 
 Slowly Margaret moved away from the 
 front of the house. Nearly all the men had 
 gone within on the appearance of Wilbur and 
 Arthur, being eager to hear what they had to 
 say. Only two or three were squatting about 
 on the grass, and these paid little heed to 
 Margaret as she stole cautiously away toward 
 the side of the house. 
 
 Margaret’s great fear now was of dogs. If 
 they discovered her, they might bark and thus 
 betray her movements ere her design was more 
 than begun. But she need not have been 
 afraid, for Kat-see, out of consideration for the 
 feelings of his guests, had had his dogs safely 
 shut up for this evening. 
 
 Margaret picked her way cautiously. 
 Though the moon was still shining brightly 
 at the times it came out from behind the 
 clouds, the shrubbery was thick and in the 
 shadows cast beneath the objects were not very 
 distinctly seen. Once Margaret almost ran 
 upon a servant busy with some task, but 
 
An American Girl in Korea 177 
 
 fortunately drew back ere she was discov- 
 ered. 
 
 Margaret was sure now she was near the 
 outside wall of the room. She could hear 
 considerable noise within as of several Ko- 
 reans busily eating. The next moment she 
 caught plainly a command that caused her 
 heart to beat more quickly. It was addressed 
 to the boys, informing them that if they did 
 not condescend to eat what was tossed to them, 
 they would get nothing. 
 
 Even more distinctly than the command 
 she caught Arthur’s words as he replied that 
 they did not propose to be fed like dogs : they 
 would starve first. 
 
 Margaret almost betrayed herself by an ex- 
 clamation. How near Arthur’s voice sounded ! 
 how close, too, it was to the ground. Why, he 
 must be lying on the floor of the room right 
 up against the wall. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 music's entrancing power 
 
 Suddenly Margaret's eye caught a glimmer 
 of light upon a branch of the syringa bush 
 near which she stood. It was like a tiny star 
 twinkling there. Of course, it came from the 
 room, which, to all appearances, had every 
 window shut hard and fast. 
 
 Margaret pressed nearer, running her fingers 
 carefully along the wall. To her joy she dis- 
 covered that a bit of the plastering had fallen 
 away, and that she could see straight into the 
 room through the splints of bamboo. There 
 were Arthur and Wilbur, both plainly to be 
 seen, and Arthur, sure enough, was stretched 
 out upon a mat tying close against the wall. 
 Near by on another mat was Wilbur, but he 
 was sitting up, his head bowed dejectedly upon 
 his hands. 
 
 Over in one corner, not far from the door 
 by which they had entered from the front 
 apartments, three men were squatting about 
 as many little tables, and evidently enjoying 
 
 178 
 
An American Girl in Korea 179 
 
 to its fullest extent a repast, which for some 
 reason had been served late. They were 
 smacking their lips at a great rate and talking 
 loudly to each other. Margaret was thankful 
 for this noise. She slowly moved along the 
 wall till she was sure she was at that portion 
 of it against which Arthur lay. 
 
 “ Arthur,” she called cautiously, “ Arthur ! 
 It is Margaret. If you hear me, don’t make 
 any exclamation.” 
 
 She was too late, however, with this caution. 
 Arthur exclaimed sharply, though fortunately 
 not very loudly. The next instant he spoke 
 in a voice somewhat smothered in his effort to 
 obey her injunction to be cautious. 
 
 “ Margaret ! How did you ever get here ? ” 
 
 He had now rolled over so that his face was 
 toward the wall. Fortunately, the men, busy 
 with their meal, paid no heed to him. The 
 boys were safe here for the time being, the 
 guards were sure. At midnight they would 
 be escorted back to their more secure 
 prison. 
 
 “ Arthur,” spoke Margaret again, and using 
 the same cautious tones, “ if Wilbur hears us, 
 try to tell him as quickly as you can, so that 
 
180 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 he will not arouse the suspicion of the guards 
 by his actions.” 
 
 “ I think there is no prospect that he will 
 hear us, Margaret, especially so long as we use 
 our present low tones and the guards are mak- 
 ing such a noise.” 
 
 “ Bless the guards ! ” ejaculated Margaret, 
 “ for giving me this chance. Do you think 
 they will be much longer at the meal, Ar- 
 thur?” 
 
 “ At least twenty minutes or more. They 
 have only begun.” 
 
 “ Get as near to the wall as you can, Arthur, 
 and press your ear against it.” 
 
 “ All right, but are you alone? ” asked Ar- 
 thur anxiously. “ I have heard no other 
 voice as yet.” 
 
 Margaret answered evasively. It would 
 never do to let Arthur know that she was 
 here alone in the midst of these dangers and 
 at this hour of the night. He might do 
 something rash to get to her. So, she has- 
 tened to add, 
 
 “ Now, Arthur, don’t worry about me. I 
 have sufficient protection. I am in capital 
 disguise. Do you remember the mourning 
 
An American Girl in Korea 181 
 
 costume father brought along? Well, I am 
 in that, and I have been among scores of 
 Koreans to-night and not one has detected me.” 
 
 Arthur came dangerously near to whistling 
 out in his amazement. He checked himself 
 barely in time. 
 
 “ Well, Meg, if you aren’t a trump ! ” he 
 whispered. 
 
 “Now listen closely to me, Arthur,” con- 
 tinued Margaret in somewhat rapid tones. 
 Truth to tell, Margaret was growing not a lit- 
 tle nervous. But a great plan was coming to 
 her — a plan that might save the boys. “ I 
 have Min’s big carving knife,” she said. “ I 
 am going to work it beneath the wall right at 
 the point where the latter joins the floor. As 
 soon as you see the blade, help me all you 
 can to get it through without letting them 
 see you. 
 
 “ When you have it,” went on Margaret, 
 “ be sure you hide it well until the time comes 
 to use it. 
 
 “ Have you the knife ? ” was asked anx- 
 iously some moments later. 
 
 “Yes, and safely hidden,” came the quick 
 reply. 
 
182 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Well, now listen. When you see the 
 
 guards hastily leave the room ” 
 
 As if they would do that.” 
 
 “ But they will do it very soon, I hope. 
 When you hear, you will understand. Now 
 when you see the guards go out of the room,” 
 repeated Margaret, “ you must make haste to 
 tell Wilbur of the chance to escape. So 
 soon as you are convinced that no one is look- 
 ing, go to the window and cut the fas- 
 tenings. Then jump out and make your way 
 through the shrubbery to the back of the 
 garden, and run as fast as you can to the 
 sampan. But don’t, under any circumstances, 
 attempt to escape by way of the front ; you 
 understand me, don’t you ? ” 
 
 “ Yes. But, Meg, what are you going to 
 do? What is to become of you in the mean- 
 time ? ” 
 
 “ I shall be safe enough,” came the brave 
 response, “ and if you do not mind, I shall 
 beat you to the sampan. Now, Arthur, 
 please, please do just as I have said, and don’t 
 stop for me or anything.” 
 
 Margaret had barely arisen when she was 
 startled to see a woman approaching through 
 
An American Girl in Korea 183 
 
 the shrubbery from the rear of the premises. 
 Margaret tried to conceal herself within the 
 shadow of the wall, but it was too late. The 
 woman had seen her and gave a stifled 
 scream. She evidently had not expected to 
 find a man prowling about this portion of the 
 premises. The first cry would no doubt have 
 been followed by a louder and more prolonged 
 one, but for the instant action of Margaret. 
 
 She drew the guitar from its hiding-place, 
 and swept her fingers across the strings in a 
 chord of melody, stepping at the same time 
 fully into the moonlight, where her gray 
 gown and mourning hat could at once be 
 distinguished. 
 
 The woman gazed astonished. She no 
 longer had the desire to summon those who 
 would eject the intruder. The sweet notes of 
 the music had caught her ear and now her 
 heart. She was listening as one entranced. 
 Besides, she had noted the mourning garb, 
 and respect for it helped to prevent further 
 outcry. 
 
 Slowly Margaret moved away, playing as 
 she went, soft, low notes of melody which 
 took on louder and fuller tone as she neared 
 
184 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 again the front of the premises. The woman 
 followed her as far as she dared, pausing at 
 last under a clump of shrubbery almost 
 within the light that fell from a window of 
 the men’s apartment. 
 
 Louder grew Margaret’s music ; more vig- 
 orous the spirit she threw into it, until it be- 
 came a tinkling flow of melody that reached 
 with full volume the ears of the men in 
 Kat-see’s apartments. There were many 
 quick exclamations, and a hurried rising of 
 numerous squatting forms. With one accord 
 they hastened to the doorway, then out into 
 the yard. 
 
 Protected by an overhanging bush, Mar- 
 garet threw her head up long enough to note 
 the effect of the music and to see them com- 
 ing. She had placed herself where she could 
 look into the apartment whenever she chose 
 to run the risk of raising her face. This first 
 view, however, did not show her what she 
 most desired to see, but the second glance did. 
 The notes of the music had reached the room 
 where Wilbur and Arthur were confined. The 
 guards had risen hastily to come and see what 
 it could mean. Margaret saw them plainly 
 
An American Girl in Korea 185 
 
 as they came through the inner doorway. 
 She knew them by their bare heads and by 
 the trimmings of red on their blouses. She 
 dropped her head again, feeling as though 
 she could cry aloud in her thankfulness. 
 
 But she was not yet assured. Might they 
 not quickly remember their trust and return 
 to the room ? More and more alluring grew 
 the music under Margaret’s skilled fingers. 
 It was as though she were putting all her 
 power of persuasion into it in order to draw 
 those grim guardians further and further 
 away from their charge. When she dared 
 look again they were in the outer doorway ; 
 and then for the first time Margaret felt that 
 she had conquered. 
 
 The Korean’s love for music is well-nigh 
 universal. Scarce can one be found whose 
 soul is not responsive to it. Margaret’s 
 knowledge of this had enabled her to arm 
 herself with the strongest weapon of con- 
 quest she could have chosen, the sweet-voiced 
 guitar. 
 
 They swayed to and fro around her, their 
 bodies keeping time to the rhythm. There 
 was a chill of terror at her heart every time 
 
j 86 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 she thought of the possibility of her hat’s 
 being knocked off. 
 
 The greater part of the throng, however, 
 kept at a respectful distance. They still re- 
 membered the consideration due her mourn- 
 ing costume. It was only the few carried 
 away by enthusiasm for the music who pressed 
 up nearer to her. They had, too, consuming 
 curiosity to take a closer look upon the instru- 
 ment whence issued these entrancing sounds. 
 Yet these few made Margaret nervous, and 
 kept her on the strain of watching them 
 closely. At any moment one overcome by 
 curiosity might bend down and peer up under 
 her hat ; then — but Margaret would not per- 
 mit herself to think of that. 
 
 Air after air the young musician played 
 with all the fervor and skill she could com- 
 mand, pausing only long enough between 
 each one to give arm and shoulder a short 
 rest from their strain. During the pauses 
 she could hear comments of a varied na- 
 ture passed from one squatting figure to an- 
 other. 
 
 “ He plays as though the spirits dwelt with 
 him.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 187 
 
 “ Tis no doubt the spirit of an ancestor 
 who was a great musician.” 
 
 “ I have not heard one in Seoul play as this 
 one does, nor seen so wonderful an instru- 
 ment.” 
 
 “ Truly the demons are not so angry with 
 him, or they would drive away the sweet- 
 voiced spirits.” 
 
 “ This is no doubt why the music has no 
 doleful air. He had done nothing to deserve 
 the punishment the gods of mourning have 
 inflicted.” 
 
 In her anxiety to catch and hold their at- 
 tention, Margaret had not remembered that 
 as a mourner, her music ought not to be lively 
 and gay. Now as she caught these expres- 
 sions she realized that but for the spell of 
 her music she might have made a fatal mis- 
 take. 
 
 Minute by minute sped on. It was surely 
 ten now, fifteen, twenty. Wilbur and Arthur 
 had had ample time to escape, even to get 
 beyond pursuit. During the intervals, when 
 she had stopped to gain the moments of rest 
 necessary, she had strained her ears to catch 
 any sounds of commotion. So far, there had 
 
188 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 been none. The guards were still squatting 
 about the doorway, leaning partly out of it in 
 their intense desire to lose no strain of the 
 music. If any one of those in authority 
 noticed them, there was no sign of ordering 
 them back to duty. The indications were 
 that the thrall of the music had completely 
 banished for the time being all thought of 
 the boys. The women and girls, too, had 
 abandoned their quarters and were now hang- 
 ing about the doors and windows of the front 
 apartments, all under the wonderful spell of 
 the music. 
 
 Suddenly Margaret’s music changed to low, 
 mournful notes. She bowed her head still 
 lower over the instrument. Her body swayed 
 as one in the throes of painful recollection. 
 But this was not all acting on Margaret’s 
 part. She was exhausted in body and anx- 
 ious in mind. The strain was telling upon 
 her nerves. 
 
 With the same mournful air she returned 
 the guitar to its case. Those about her began 
 to move further back. The others who were 
 squatting around in a little circle got up. The 
 grief of the mourner had now returned in 
 
 o 
 
An American Girl in Korea 189 
 
 full force to the player, they realized. He 
 must again be on his sad way, wandering 
 aimlessly to and fro, devoid of pursuit, denied 
 intercourse with his fellow men, and all be- 
 cause the gods were yet angry with him. 
 
 Respectfully they stood aside to let her 
 pass, all but one, and this one, to Margaret’s 
 uneasiness, showed no disposition to leave her. 
 Indeed, as she walked slowly onward toward 
 the opening in the bamboo palings, he fol- 
 lowed her. Margaret could see his gown 
 moving along beside her own and but a few 
 inches apart. As she passed into the open 
 pathway beyond the gate, he turned suddenly 
 and clutched her sleeve. Margaret’s heart 
 gave a bound like a frightened deer’s when 
 the hounds are about to leap upon it. What 
 was about to happen ? After all that brave 
 struggle, when victory seemed almost assured, 
 was it really discovery that awaited ? 
 
 Instinctively she drew away from the man’s 
 touch. He noted the movement, and then, to 
 her inexpressible joy, he spoke an humble 
 apology, and as though he addressed one of 
 his own race. 
 
 With faster step Margaret moved on, for the 
 
190 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 moment forgetting the part she was playing. 
 Her one desire now was to reach the sampan. 
 Perhaps she had already delayed too long. 
 At any moment the hue and cry over the 
 escape of the boys might be raised. If they 
 failed to get off with the sampan ere an angry 
 crowd reached the banks, then this last state 
 of affairs would no doubt be worse than the first. 
 
 Faster and faster grew Margaret’s steps, yet 
 the man kept beside her. She had purposely 
 refrained from walking along the pathway, 
 not caring to encounter the groups of men re- 
 turning from Kat-see’s. 
 
 Suddenly the man began to mutter, and 
 Margaret’s chilly sensation considerably in- 
 creased. She caught a sentence now and then. 
 He was asking pardon of and invoking the 
 aid of some one of the many gods and demons 
 worshiped by his people. Was his mind af- 
 fected ? Had the music turned his head ? 
 Verily this last seemed to be the case, for he 
 now seized her sleeve again and pointed to the 
 guitar which she was carrying in its green 
 baize bag. He appeared determined to ad- 
 dress her to the full extent desired, despite 
 her mourning garb, to relieve his mind of 
 
An American Girl in Korea 191 
 
 what was burdening it. In a little while his 
 real desire was apparent to Margaret. There 
 was one for whom he wanted her to play, one 
 upon whom the demons had been very hard 
 of late, tormenting him in many ways. If 
 she would only come and play for him, it 
 would surely drive away the spell of evil. 
 This one was his father. 
 
 There seemed nothing else but for Margaret 
 to comply, since the man had her sleeve in a 
 tight clutch and was already urging her in 
 the direction he wished her to take. Marga- 
 ret tried to release herself, but in vain. Fear- 
 ing that if she struggled more forcefully with 
 him her hat would slip off, Margaret yielded 
 with what grace she could to the inevitable. 
 She was now in an agony of suspense, listen- 
 ing for those telltale sounds. Her wonder 
 was great that she had not already caught 
 them. Had the boys failed after all to make 
 their escape ? 
 
 The man drew her persistently on, till, 
 when a little more than midway of the town, 
 he pulled her suddenly to one side, and she 
 could see that they were entering another 
 gateway very similar to that at Kat-see’s. 
 
192 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 The dwelling, too, which they now approached 
 was almost as pretentious as that of the ex- 
 magistrate. Two men were within the front 
 apartment. They were talking earnestly, and 
 from their tones there seemed to be a great 
 weight upon the mind of each. One, at the 
 very moment Margaret reached the doorway 
 was bemoaning some dread happening that 
 seemed imminent. Something in the tones 
 of this voice caused Margaret’s heart to go a 
 little faster ; so, too, did a peculiar mark on 
 the sandals near by which he had removed 
 from his feet. It really needed not that side- 
 wise, cautious glance to convince Margaret. 
 The man was Myo-Sang. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 Margaret’s startling discovery 
 
 Should she run or stand her ground ? This 
 was the supreme question of the moment in 
 Margaret’s mind. Ere she could answer it to 
 her satisfaction, the privilege of decision was 
 taken away from her. The young man 
 grasped her sleeve still more firmly, while at 
 the same time he made vehement gesture to- 
 ward the guitar. 
 
 “ Play ! play ! ” he begged. “ Drive the 
 evil spirits away ! ” 
 
 Furthermore, at that moment she felt her- 
 self propelled forward until, despite her ef- 
 forts, she was within the room. 
 
 As Margaret threw her head up to recover 
 her balance she had a view of the other man’s 
 face. Where had she seen it ? It looked de- 
 cidedly familiar. Fortunately, he did not 
 gain a view of her own face. He was too in- 
 tently staring at his son, whose behavior in 
 thus familiarly, even roughly treating one in 
 mourning garb had completely astounded 
 
 193 
 
194 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 him. He began to protest, then to use cen- 
 sure, but the young man paid no heed. He 
 was still repeating his vehement plea, “ Play ! 
 Play ! ” 
 
 Suddenly Myo turned and addressed the 
 older man. A few sentences were spoken, 
 urging that he await the development of the 
 son’s request of the mourner to play upon 
 his instrument. Ere the sentences were 
 finished Myo had used a name that made 
 Margaret’s heart leap. The name was Pop- 
 hung. Now she knew why the face had 
 been familiar. Myo’s companion was none 
 other than the owner of the junk from which 
 they had purchased the charcoal that day on 
 the river — the man who had acted so queerly 
 at sight of their head poleman. Myo’s 
 actions, too, Margaret recalled, had partaken 
 of the mysterious. Now here they were to- 
 gether, and very plainly they had some con- 
 cern in common. 
 
 For the second time that night Margaret 
 felt that her nerve would surely fail her. 
 With an unsteady hand she drew the instru- 
 ment from its green baize bag, but no sooner 
 had she touched the strings than she felt 
 
An American Girl in Korea 195 
 
 that she was mistress of the situation, for the 
 time being, at least. She recalled vividly 
 Myo’s intense love for music, the emotion he 
 displayed whenever she played. With a 
 prayer on her lips and a sudden flame of 
 courage at her heart, Margaret began to play, 
 even as she had played before on this event- 
 ful night. A hush pervaded the apartment 
 for the first few moments. Then she could 
 hear each man in turn begin to murmur to 
 himself, the muttered words growing louder 
 and louder as the music proceeded. Marga- 
 ret purposely gave herself a rest between 
 certain of the bars that she might hear more 
 clearly. 
 
 Deeper and deeper grew the spell of the 
 music and more pronounced the actions of 
 the men. Myo had risen and was walk- 
 ing restlessly about. Pop-hung had reached 
 for certain little bags of rice and wisps of 
 straw that hung from the rafters, and was 
 fingering them and talking to himself and to 
 Myo, in turn, in a most excited manner. 
 Such portions of the sentences as Margaret 
 could catch had reference to something in 
 which both the men had been engaged, a 
 
196 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 something not at all to the credit of either 
 one. Ever since this happening the spirits 
 had been angry with them, and had shown 
 their anger by visiting them with all manner 
 of bad luck. Now if the spell of this spirit 
 of wondrous and beautiful music could drive 
 the demons from their plans of evil, what joy 
 would fill the hearts of the twain ! and deep, 
 indeed, would be their gratitude to the 
 mourning stranger. 
 
 In one of the pauses of the music Marga- 
 ret moved a little further away from Myo, 
 who in the path he was pursuing back and 
 forth across the floor, passed too near her to 
 suit Margaret. As she drew nearer the wall, 
 Margaret became conscious that her left 
 elbow was brushing some object that rested 
 upon the floor like the slender leg of a table, 
 yet that slanted upward in a manner that in- 
 dicated an object of a different character. 
 Furniture, beyond the foot and a half high 
 dining- tables, was so rare a thing in Korean 
 homes that Margaret, in the next pause of the 
 music, glanced upward so far as she dared, 
 curious to see what the unusual piece of 
 furniture could be. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 197 
 
 “A porter’s frame/’ she said to herself, 
 after the first hasty examination. 
 
 Yet this decision did not satisfy her. A 
 porter’s frame was a much more clumsy look- 
 ing article, and it had more woodwork about 
 it. Curiosity led Margaret to look again as 
 she had opportunity, and more closely now. 
 A smothered exclamation escaped her as she 
 made this second examination. But for the 
 preoccupation of the men about her, they 
 must have noted it. Not only did Margaret 
 give vent to this exclamation, but her heart 
 almost stood still ; then it went to beating 
 again furiously. 
 
 The object that had engaged her attention 
 was unmistakably an artist’s easel ! despite 
 the fact that its outlines were somewhat dis- 
 figured by innumerable charms of straw, 
 heads of rice, bits of broken pottery and the 
 like that were hanging to it. 
 
 An artist’s easel ! Margaret almost dropped 
 the guitar as the realization came to her. 
 What other artist, of whom they had heard, 
 save Mr. Walter had ever been along this 
 Han River section with paint tubes and 
 easel ? There might have been one or more 
 
198 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 with sketch book and pencils ; but he had 
 essayed a much more elaborate equipment. 
 His heart had been set on reproducing some 
 of the glorious Han River and Diamond 
 Mountain scenery in the colors Nature gave 
 it. How well Margaret remembered the day 
 he had set off from Seoul on that last 
 journey ! the one from which he had never 
 returned. He had bought and equipped the 
 sampan himself. It had been fashioned after 
 a plan of his own. Old boatmen had warned 
 him that she was of too light a build for the 
 more dangerous shoals and rapids. But he 
 was in love with his gay little craft and 
 would exchange her for no other, especially 
 since she had already received her christen- 
 ing, at which hands fairer than his own had 
 officiated. There was no craft on all the 
 Han, he had enthusiastically declared, that 
 could compete with the Philippa. She was 
 small, it was true, but she was staunch, and 
 she had an airy grace that would carry her 
 through the currents with the ease a duck 
 would go. So away he had sailed gaily, with 
 many a handkerchief waving him an adieu 
 from the bank, many a fervent “ Godspeed ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 199 
 
 sent after him, and with the pennant of the 
 Philippa curling proudly from the staff he 
 had erected for it at the bow. 
 
 Margaret turned so that the next time she 
 raised her head she would have a still more 
 satisfactory view of the easel. All this while 
 the brave fingers were bringing chords of 
 melody from the guitar. She was watching, 
 too, as well as she could, the movements of 
 the other occupants of the room. There had 
 also been a stir in the direction of the women’s 
 quarters, and after sounds which gave the 
 evidence that their occupants had pressed as 
 near as they dared to the outer apartments in 
 the desire to hear the music. 
 
 Drawing her fingers across the strings in a 
 slow, deliberate movement that made the 
 notes throb upon the air in a lingering ca- 
 dence, Margaret let her eyes travel slowly up 
 the dimensions of the easel until now they 
 had scanned it from top to bottom. As her 
 gaze went slowly down again, this time it was 
 arrested by a ^mall silver plate, somewhat 
 tarnished, but still unmistakably silver, which 
 was set into the easel about midway of the 
 support on the side next to her. Suddenly 
 
200 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Margaret drew herself upon her knees. All 
 this while she had been sitting. Her eyes 
 were now much nearer the plate on the easel. 
 Then, as the great hat went still further down 
 over the guitar, and she threw renewed energy 
 into the swelling chords that filled the little 
 apartment, Margaret’s eyes were greedily de- 
 vouring the letters of the name, the tracings 
 of which she had caught upon the silver plate. 
 
 W. H. Griffin. Yes, there it was plain 
 enough ! No need to study those letters one 
 by one. The outlines were distinct enough 
 when once she caught them in a proper light. 
 And fortunately the flame of the rushlight 
 shone full upon them. 
 
 The suddenness of it lost Margaret her com- 
 posure. No doubt the strain had told upon 
 her to the extent that the limit of her en- 
 durance was reached. 
 
 With a sudden, sharp cry, Margaret clutched 
 the guitar against her, and making straight 
 for the doorway, sprang through it and into 
 the yard, ere the astonished Myo, Pop-hung 
 or the latter’s son could fully realize what 
 had happened. Margaret did not pause an 
 instant after the outside of the apartment was 
 
An American Girl in Korea 201 
 
 reached, but went speeding along the path to 
 the gate and thence into the street so fast as 
 her limbs could carry her. Another moment, 
 and there was a commotion in the room from 
 which she had fled. 
 
 “ The spell of the spirits is too great ! ” 
 young Pop-hung said sympatheticalty. 
 
 Pop-hung senior bent over his rice-bags and 
 wisps of straw, muttering more vehemently 
 than ever and gesticulating, too, most vio- 
 lently. Had the wretched mourner left a 
 spell of evil instead of dissipating the one al- 
 ready there ? 
 
 But Myo neither sat down again nor made 
 comment. Instead he stopped only long 
 enough to recover his sandals, then he set off 
 at the top of his speed after Margaret. 
 
 The younger Pop-hung looked aghast. 
 “ Have the spirits seized hold of the mind of 
 this worthy man ? ” he asked himself. He 
 sat for a moment deeply thinking, then all of 
 a sudden he came to the decision that he, too, 
 would set off at top speed in the direction 
 taken by Myo and the mourning stranger. 
 He wished to see j ust how this queer affair 
 was to terminate. 
 
202 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 On sped Margaret, the one desire upper- 
 most to reach the sampan in the quickest 
 possible time. Apart from the fear that lent 
 her wings, there was the spur of the astonish- 
 ing discovery she had made. How intense 
 was the desire to make it known to the others. 
 As she slackened pace somewhat, to recover 
 her breath, there came a mingling of sounds 
 that sent her forward again with renewed 
 speed. The village was unmistakably aroused. 
 Noises as of pursuit were very evident, but 
 whether the disturbance had arisen from the 
 discovery of Wilbur’s and Arthur’s escape, or 
 had occurred through her own flight, she 
 could not say. At any rate, there came dis- 
 tinctly to her ears, though yet at a distance, 
 the yells and shouts as of men who had been 
 outwitted in some way. 
 
 She paused again to take breath, and now 
 she became conscious that some persons were 
 following her, and that the}' were not far 
 away. She could plainly hear the noise of 
 running feet. With a prayer for help, Mar- 
 garet sprang forward once more. But the 
 strain and fatigue of the night had had their 
 effect. She felt her steps growing heavier 
 
An American Girl in Korea 203 
 
 and heavier, her breath was coming in gasps. 
 O, how far it seemed to the sampan ! Her 
 hat came off. She dared not stop to regain 
 it, for there almost up with her were the 
 sounds of those dread footsteps. 
 
 Suddenly a hand seized her. “ All is in- 
 deed lost I ” thought Margaret. But not so. 
 A voice spoke hurriedly in her ear. 
 
 “ Run faster ! ” it urged. 
 
 It was Myo ! and instead of pulling her 
 back, he was entreating her to run faster in 
 the direction of the sampan. Indeed, he was 
 helping her along by means of his own sturdy 
 arm. What could it mean ? 
 
 * # ❖ * * * 
 
 In the meantime, Wilbur and Arthur had 
 made good their escape from the room. It 
 had not taken them long to sever the fasten- 
 ings of the window, which they had done as 
 noiselessly as possible. They ran upon no 
 one at the rear of the premises. Thanks to 
 Kat-see’s caution in behalf of his friends, not 
 even a dog contested their passage through the 
 grounds. Once out of the grounds they went 
 more cautiously, avoiding the main street, and 
 
204 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 all other streets, so much as they could. They 
 made the circuit of the town in safety. 
 
 “ I wonder where Margaret is ? ” Arthur 
 said as they were nearing the sampan. “And 
 who could have been with her? No more 
 than one other, I am sure, else would they not 
 have been able to pass muster in their dis- 
 guises. But wasn’t it a nervy thing of Meg, 
 though ? ” he added, his eyes in a glow. 
 “ Did you ever before see such a trump of a 
 girl, Wilbur, as Meg is?” 
 
 “ She is indeed one in a thousand,” was 
 Wilbur’s hearty response, while his own eyes 
 answered the glow in Arthur’s. 
 
 The two boys rushed on board the sampan 
 with the velocity of a miniature typhoon. 
 
 “ Margaret ! Margaret ! ” Arthur shouted ; 
 “ here we are, you dear girl ! ” 
 
 But instead of either the appearance of or 
 a reply from Margaret, both Mr. Vance and 
 Dr. Griffin stuck their heads from the little 
 cabin, crying in joyful surprise, 
 
 “ Why, Arthur ! Why, Wilbur, is it in- 
 deed you? ” 
 
 Then Mr. Vance added, 
 
 “ But how did you get here? and at this 
 
An American Girl in Korea 205 
 
 hour of the night? Have you really suc- 
 ceeded in escaping from your prison, and 
 without aid? We did not dream that you 
 could accomplish anything so fortunate as 
 that.” 
 
 “Escaping without aid?” echoed Arthur, 
 and looking from one to the other in aston- 
 ishment. “ Why, of course, sir, we haven’t 
 done anything of the kind. It was Margaret, 
 as you know, who helped us.” 
 
 “But where is Margaret?” asked Wilbur 
 suddenly as he looked around. “ Has she not 
 come yet, uncle, and who was with her? ” 
 
 By this time Stephen, too, had appeared, 
 and was looking at them in astonishment. 
 
 “Margaret?” repeated Mr. Vance. “Mar- 
 garet aiding you two to escape ? Why, truly 
 you boys are out of your senses.” 
 
 “ Margaret,” echoed Stephen. “ Margaret 
 in the village? Oh, say, you two are dream- 
 ing ! ” 
 
 “ No, sir ! ” declared Arthur stoutly. “ She 
 was there, I tell you, and she talked to me 
 through the wall of Kat-see’s house. And she 
 pushed this knife into the room to us and with 
 it we cut our way out by the window.” 
 
2 o 6 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 He held up the great carver as he spoke. 
 There was a shout from Min, for by this time 
 all aboard the boat were aroused. Min sprang 
 forward and seized his knife with a 
 “ whoope-e-e ! ” that awoke the echoes. 
 
 “But who was with Margaret?” cried Ar- 
 thur, a quiver in his voice as he looked around 
 to see every familiar face but hers, for Sarah, 
 too, pale and woe-begone, had pushed aside 
 the curtains of their little nook to peep out 
 upon the excited group. 
 
 “ There was no one,” said Stephen, a strange 
 tremor in his tones. 
 
 “ We will call Margaret to speak for her- 
 self,” exclaimed Mr. Vance. 
 
 His nervousness was now apparent to all. 
 Could it, by any possible chance, be true ? 
 
 “ Margaret ! Daughter ! ” he cried. 
 
 Sarah’s cry answered his. 
 
 “Are you two boj^s really safe? Then 
 where is Margaret ? She went to the village 
 looking for you. Oh, where is Margaret?” 
 
 That was sufficient. 
 
 Mr. Vance had his answer. He swayed for 
 a moment, then steadied himself against a 
 support of the awning. Margaret gone ! 
 
An American Girl in Korea 207 
 
 He turned and asked a question of Sarah, 
 then another and another. Bit by bit the 
 story of Margaret's hazardous plan came out. 
 Every hearer stood aghast as Sarah sobbingly 
 revealed it. 
 
 “Oh, how could Margaret have done it?” 
 cried Stephen. 
 
 “ It is a most astonishing thing for a young 
 girl to have undertaken ! ” exclaimed Dr. 
 Griffin. 
 
 “ The girl is our Margaret, sir,” replied 
 Arthur, as though this answered everything. 
 
 “ We must go at once in search of her,” de- 
 clared Mr. Vance. 
 
 “ You are right, uncle,” said Wilbur. 
 “ We have delayed too long already.” 
 
 “ Let us start now,” urged Stephen. 
 
 “ How could we have waited all this 
 time ? ” cried Arthur remorsefully, “ when 
 every moment is so precious.” 
 
 He was about to spring upon the plank to 
 rush ashore, and the others were on the spur 
 of following, when there came the sound of 
 swiftly moving feet along the river path. The 
 next moment three forms were seen running 
 with all speed toward the sampan. Two were 
 
208 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 in advance, keeping almost abreast, while the 
 third was no more than a half dozen yards 
 behind. 
 
 “ My ! I hope that is Margaret now ! ” 
 cried Arthur. 
 
 “ It is Margaret ! ” he added joyfully in the 
 next breath ; “for I can see her face and her 
 hair. But look, sir,” this to his father, “ one 
 of those men is helping her along.” 
 
 It was indeed Margaret, for as Arthur 
 sprang out upon the plank, she fell half faint- 
 ing against him, thoroughly exhausted. He 
 was not long in getting her aboard the 
 sampan. To their astonishment he who had 
 been assisting her in her flight proved to be 
 Myo. 
 
 “ Push off!” Myo shouted to the boatmen. 
 “ Don’t waste a moment ! ” 
 
 Then he turned his attention to the man 
 who had so closely followed them. He was 
 none other than young Pop-hung. 
 
 Bending down Myo filled his hat with 
 water, and dashed it full into the young 
 man’s face. Gasping and sputtering, Pop- 
 hung fell over into the stream. This was 
 Myo’s golden opportunity. While Pop-hung 
 
An American Girl in Korea 209 
 
 was splashing and floundering like a minia- 
 ture whale, Myo dragged the plank aboard. 
 Then he seized the pole from Chefoo’s hand 
 and sent the sampan gliding with the swift 
 and graceful movement of a swan into deeper 
 water. 
 
 He was none too soon, for they were no 
 more than a dozen yards from shore, when 
 other forms appeared upon the bank they had 
 just quitted. Quickly were they joined by 
 others, till it seemed that half the village 
 must be gathered there. And now broke 
 forth a pandemonium of sounds, cries, yells, 
 and hoarsely shouted threats. But for the 
 fact that the sampan was beyond the centre 
 of the river, and between it and the shore so 
 recently quitted a deep channel ran, they 
 would assuredly have been followed. 
 
 “ Fire a gun ! ” cried Myo to Arthur. 
 “ Fire in the air ! one ! two ! three times ! ” 
 and though wondering greatly as to Myo ; s 
 sudden hostile attitude toward these, his own 
 people, Arthur obeyed. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE FLAG OF THE PHILIPPA 
 
 “ Well, that is what I call a close shave ! ” 
 said Arthur, as soon as he could get his 
 breath. 
 
 “ But how did you deceive them so long, 
 Arthur ?” asked Margaret. “ It was such a 
 long time before they found out you had 
 gone.” 
 
 “ Oh, that was Wilbur’s idea. We rigged 
 up a couple of dummy figures, under a cloak 
 of Kat-see’s, and they no doubt thought we 
 were asleep.” 
 
 “ Well,” said his sister, “ it was lucky for 
 me. But I think we owe a good deal to Myo, 
 too.” 
 
 “ So we do,” said Arthur heartily, and he 
 turned and shook warmly the hand of the 
 poleman. 
 
 Myo looked pleased, and quickly murmured 
 his appreciation of Arthur’s hearty words. 
 
 Mr. Vance also spoke to the chief boatman. 
 He, too, had words of praise, but so soon as 
 
 210 
 
An American Girl in Korea 211 
 
 these were spoken, he began to question Myo 
 a little anxiously. 
 
 “ Is it safe to proceed up the river at 
 night ? ” 
 
 “ It will be so for three or more miles, hon- 
 orable sir. There are no bad rapids near by.” 
 “ But the moon will soon be down. How 
 then, can you see your course ? ” 
 
 “ The moon, most worthy master, will last 
 long enough for the sampan to be carried to a 
 point on the opposite shore, about five miles 
 away. A village is near by, and there we will 
 tie up till the daylight comes.” 
 
 “ But will not those people,” pointing back- 
 ward, “ find us out and trouble us there ? ” 
 
 “ I think not, honorable sir. They are not 
 likely to go to the bother of it. Besides, 
 there are demons on the river at night which 
 they will not care to encounter.” 
 
 Myo said this in a hushed voice, as though 
 he did not himself feel altogether easy about 
 the demons. 
 
 “ I noticed but few sampans about the 
 village,” spoke Wilbur reassuringly, “ and 
 the most of those were rotting and were half 
 sunken.” 
 
212 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Besides, those shots which Myo made me 
 fire / 7 said Arthur, “ will, I am sure, have a 
 wholesome effect.” 
 
 Margaret had now recovered from her ex- 
 haustion, and was sitting with Sarah’s arm 
 about her, replying as fast as she could to an 
 avalanche of questions. Soon the story of the 
 brave girl’s deeds and experiences of the 
 night was out entire, with the exception of 
 one incident. This Margaret was reserv- 
 ing. 
 
 “ And now, my boy,” said Mr. Vance, “tell 
 us how you and Wilbur happened to get into 
 this trouble. Is it true that you knocked 
 over one of the mirioks ? ” 
 
 “ Yes, father, it is.” 
 
 “ But it was through some accident, per- 
 haps. I am sure you could not be so thought- 
 less, so rash, as to ” 
 
 “No, indeed father,” Arthur assured him 
 as Mr. Vance paused, “ we had no intention of 
 doing any harm.” Arthur glanced quickly 
 at Wilbur, and then at Dr. Griffin. “ I — we,” 
 he began again — “ we have something to tell 
 you, sir,” he said to the latter. “ When we 
 first saw the mirioks and totem poles we both 
 
An American Girl in Korea 213 
 
 laughed because they really looked so ridicu- 
 lous. I am afraid that was thoughtless, and 
 it probably started the trouble, too, for the 
 people looked angry. But I really didn’t 
 pay much attention to them, for just then 
 I saw something waving from one of the 
 mirioks. I started toward it at once, and 
 Wilbur after me. He had seen it just when 
 I did. I reached it first, and grabbed it, but 
 Wilbur grabbed for it, too, and as we were 
 struggling for it good-naturedly and laughing 
 over it we must have pushed against the 
 pole. I suppose it was rotten, for it went 
 right over before we knew we had touched 
 it, and then they pounced on us, and hustled 
 us off.” 
 
 “ But what was it you took from the 
 miriok, Arthur? ” 
 
 The boy put his hand into the bosom of 
 his flannel blouse, and brought out a care- 
 fully folded piece of blue and white cloth, 
 which he shook out to its full length. 
 
 “ It was this ! ” he said. 
 
 Dr. Griffin gave a sudden exclamation, and 
 seized it from the boy’s hand. Wind and 
 rain had played havoc with the once gay 
 
214 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 fabric, but the letters embroidered on it could 
 still be read plainly. 
 
 It was the flag of the Philippa ! 
 
 There could be no mistake. It was indeed 
 the flag of the Philippa, or, that is, what was 
 left of the gay little pennant that had floated 
 so proudly from its staff the morning young 
 Walter Griffin’s sampan had left Seoul on 
 that last and fatal journey. The upper por- 
 tion was torn away as though it had been 
 suddenly rent from the staff. But the letters 
 were plain enough, embroidered in Aunt 
 Philippa’s most beautiful stitch, aided by 
 suggestions from each of the young Vances, 
 in turn. How pleased Mr. Walter had been 
 with it ! as pleased as a child. How his eyes 
 had glowed as Aunt Philippa displayed her 
 handiwork. It would be an omen of rare 
 good luck, he enthusiastically declared. He 
 would need no mascot now. Hans, the little 
 terrier, who persisted in following him every- 
 where, might as well be left at home, since 
 the flag worked by love’s hand would bring 
 all the good luck needed ; but Hans himself 
 showed that he thought otherwise. Alas, never 
 had gay expedition come to sadder ending I 
 
An American Girl in Korea 215 
 
 A deep silence followed the exclamations 
 with which Arthur’s revelation was received. 
 Margaret broke the silence at last. Turning 
 to the young physician she said, “I, too, have 
 something to tell you, Dr. Griffin. I made 
 a most surprising discovery while at Pop- 
 hung’s. There was an unusual piece of 
 furniture there that attracted my attention.” 
 
 “ What was the piece of furniture, Mar- 
 garet ? ” asked her father quickly. 
 
 There was something in her tone that im- 
 pressed him. 
 
 “ It was an artist’s easel, sir,” promptly 
 replied Margaret, and looking straight at 
 Dr. Griffin. 
 
 “ An artist’s easel ? ” repeated the young 
 physician nervously. “ Can you mean now, 
 Margaret, that ” 
 
 He could go no further. The words died 
 in his throat. Margaret took pity upon him, 
 and answered without further delay. 
 
 “ There was a silver plate on the easel. I 
 bent near enough to read the name plainly. 
 The plate was somewhat tarnished, but the 
 outline of the letters was quite distinct. The 
 name was Mr. Walter’s.” 
 
216 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ My brother’s easel ! 0 Margaret ! ” 
 
 It was no shame to him that tears had 
 sprung to his eyes. 
 
 “ How did my brother’s easel come in that 
 house?” Dr. Griffin asked, his excitement 
 plainly evident. “Can it be now, that this 
 man, Pop-hung, knows something of my 
 brother’s last days ? ” 
 
 “ It is more than likely,” replied Mr. Vance. 
 Then he paused a moment, as if in thought, 
 ere he added, “ But I cannot understand 
 about the easel. I thought, Charles, that all 
 your brother’s effects were wrecked when the 
 sampan went down in the rapids near Nang- 
 chon.” 
 
 “ So I was told again and again. Indeed, I 
 was given certain broken and battered bits of 
 wreckage about which there could be no doubt.” 
 
 “ But was the remains of the easel among 
 them?” asked Mr. Vance. 
 
 “ That I cannot now state positively ; but 
 it seems to me not. Indeed, I am certain 
 now that it was not.” 
 
 “ I am sure I am not mistaken, Dr. Griffin,” 
 said Margaret, with a positiveness that left no 
 room for doubt. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 217 
 
 “ I must speak at once to Myo,” declared 
 Dr. Griffin, rising in some agitation. 
 
 “ Do not disturb him now,” begged Mr. 
 Vance. “ He is engrossed with the task of 
 getting the sampan safely up the river. Wait 
 at least until he has it at the anchorage pro- 
 posed ; and then, my dear friend,” he added 
 in low, earnest tones, “ we must go at it gently. 
 We cannot afford now, for many reasons, to 
 lose Myo.” 
 
 “ Well,” said Arthur, “ for my part I think 
 Myo has acted very strangely about all this. 
 I’m beginning to wonder if we can trust him 
 at all.” 
 
 “ It seems we must, Arthur, for a time at 
 least. There is no other course open to us at 
 present. I think,” he added after a moment, 
 “ there is something on Myo’s mind that 
 causes him to act in this way. It has plainly 
 appeared to me during the last few days that 
 Myo is restless concerning some matter he is 
 anxious to have adjusted. It may be that 
 some plan on which he greatly depends has 
 gone awry, or there is other business trouble 
 of a perplexing nature.” 
 
 “ Very likely,” agreed Dr. Griffin. “ They 
 
2j 8 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 told me in Seoul that the old poleman is a 
 man of many interests ; in fact that he is 
 hastening to get rich.” 
 
 “ I believe, uncle,” commented Wilbur, 
 “ that this business is in some way connected 
 with old Pop-hung. You remember how curi- 
 ously they both acted that day on the river? ” 
 
 “ We remember it very well,” said Mr. 
 Vance, speaking for Dr. Griffin and himself. 
 
 “ Then,” continued Wilbur, “ Myo’s pro- 
 longed stay in this village, which is the home 
 of Pop-hung, and Margaret’s finding them 
 together under such suggestive circumstances ; 
 both these facts, uncle, point very clearly to a 
 connection of some kind between Myo and 
 Pop-hung.” 
 
 “ The matter seems clear enough, Wilbur,” 
 agreed his uncle. 
 
 They had been talking in low tones, for the 
 head poleman was not many feet away, though 
 they could see that he was very intently 
 engaged with the business of getting the sam- 
 pan safely through the currents. 
 
 “ It is strange,” remarked Arthur suddenly, 
 “ how indifferent Myo was to our imprison- 
 ment.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 219 
 
 “ He declared to me,” said Margaret, “ as 
 we were running toward the sampan that he 
 knew nothing about it until this very even- 
 ing, no more than an hour or so, in fact, prior 
 to the time I appeared at Pop-hung’s. He 
 had been miles away from the village and had 
 not returned until the set of the sun on this 
 evening.” 
 
 Arthur gave a prolonged whistle. Myo 
 surely must have heard that. But as he was 
 used to Arthur’s whistles he paid no attention. 
 
 “ What a fishy story ! ” exclaimed Arthur. 
 “ I knew the old rogue was pretty bad r but I 
 didn’t think he was as wicked as this.” 
 
 “ The truth is,” said Wilbur, “ we both had 
 the thought at one time that Myo had had 
 something to do with our arrest and imprison- 
 ment.” 
 
 “ That we did,” assented Arthur, “ but since 
 we have seen how ready he was to help Mar- 
 garet, and how promptly he came to our aid 
 in getting us away from that trouble just a 
 little while ago, my opinion has changed.” 
 
 “ I am glad to hear you give Myo that jus- 
 tice,” said Margaret. “ But for him I am 
 sure I never could have reached the sampan 
 
220 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 in time. I am also fully convinced now that 
 he recognized me at Pop-hung’s almost so 
 soon as I began to play.” 
 
 “ Myo is really good when you know him 
 well,” declared Stephen earnestly. “ He has 
 been about a great deal, and has so many in- 
 teresting things to tell.” 
 
 “ Oh, but he has such dreadful eyes ! ” in- 
 terposed Sarah with a shudder. “ I am sure 
 I never could get to the place where I could 
 trust him.” 
 
 “ But, my dear,” reasoned Margaret, “ the 
 poor man can’t help the appearance of his 
 eyes. I must admit, though, that their effect 
 on one is rather trying. But I cannot believe 
 he will do us any harm, and he certainly has 
 come to our rescue this time.” 
 
 “ Well,” said Dr. Griffin, “ I must have a 
 talk with him in the morning, and if possible 
 I will go back to the village. I can’t rest till 
 I have seen old Pop-hung myself.” 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A CATASTROPHE 
 
 Mr. Vance fully agreed with Dr. Griffin 
 that they should not only return, but should 
 search the village thoroughly. “ But,” he 
 said, “ we cannot get the necessary papers 
 until we reach the prefecture of Nang-chon, 
 where we can have telegraphic communica- 
 tion with Seoul. And we must remember, 
 Charles, the slowness with which Korean law 
 machinery moves. But one thing is certain, 
 we must give up all thought of further prog- 
 ress up the Han until this matter of a return 
 to the village for a thorough examination re- 
 ceives our attention.” 
 
 “ You are right, father,” spoke Arthur 
 quickly. “ We can't think of our own pleas- 
 ure until we know more definitely how these 
 effects of poor Mr. Walter came to be in that 
 village.” 
 
 But it was now long past the time that they 
 ought to have been in bed. All felt the need 
 of rest. Three of the party, at least, were 
 
 221 
 
222 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 worn out from the trying experiences through 
 which they had so recently passed. 
 
 “ I shall speak to Myo very early in the 
 morning,” Dr. Griffin remarked to Mr. Vance 
 as they entered their cabin. 
 
 The young physician slept little that night. 
 His mind was in a tumult. Shortly after 
 daybreak, he arose, dressed himself, and 
 sought Myo. 
 
 The head poleman was just awaking from 
 his own nap, for he had brought the sampan 
 to a safe mooring two or three hours before, 
 and had then turned the remainder of the 
 watch for the night over to Kang. 
 
 Myo met Dr. Griffin’s adroit questionings 
 with replies equally adroit, though so far 
 as the artist’s easel was concerned, he told a 
 very straight story. Young Griffin had been 
 in the village. He had spent a week or more 
 at Pop-hung’s. Ostensibly he had been 
 sketching in the neighborhood, but Myo 
 knew, and so did others, that he was really 
 digging for treasure in the side of the hill, 
 Nippoo-san. When he had gone away further 
 up the stream he had asked Pop-hung’s per- 
 mission to leave the easel until his return, as 
 
An American Girl in Korea 223 
 
 he did not wish at that time to be bothered 
 with it. 
 
 As to the pennant of the Philippa, Myo did 
 not seem so assured. Indeed, he almost 
 broke down when this was mentioned. He 
 was overcome with astonishment to learn that 
 the boys had taken it from the miriok and 
 brought it aboard. He began to prophesy all 
 manner of dire calamity that would overtake 
 them in consequence. 
 
 He did not know that the pennant was at- 
 tached to the miriok, he declared, but since 
 it was, it ought to have been left there. He 
 trembled when it was shown to him, crying 
 out that the demons would surely be angry 
 and that naught but misfortune would befall 
 them. He begged to be allowed to go back 
 to the village and restore it to the miriok ; 
 but, of course, this petition was not for a mo- 
 ment considered. 
 
 “ That would be very silly , ” Margaret 
 reasoned with him. “The pennant has no 
 right there. It belonged to Dr. Griffin’s 
 brother, who is dead, and the doctor alone 
 has the right to say what shall be done with 
 
224 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 But this did not by any means convince 
 Myo. He continued to moan that the spirits 
 were angry, that one in particular could not 
 be appeased. To add to their dismay, Myo 
 now returned to his former habit of sitting in 
 the stern with bowed head, while he muttered 
 to himself and beat himself in the breast. 
 Two or three times also Margaret and Arthur 
 saw him looking at the picture of himself 
 which young Walter Griffin had drawn. 
 
 “ He surely can’t be making a fetish out of 
 his own picture,” remarked Arthur in disgust. 
 Yet it did look so. 
 
 Early in the morning of the second day fol- 
 lowing this one Kang came to Mr. Vance in 
 great distress. Something was wrong with 
 Myo. He seemed to have lost his nerve en- 
 tirely and was now declaring there were rapids 
 not far away through which he was sure they 
 would never get safely. The sampan would 
 go to pieces on the rocks, and the spirits would 
 have them all ere the day was done. There 
 was one spirit in particular, he kept crying 
 out, whose face was constantly looking at him 
 from the water. When they reached the 
 rapids the spirit would be there. It would 
 
An American Girl in Korea 225 
 
 cling to the rocks and would swing long arms, 
 forbidding them to go by. 
 
 Kang was himself shaken by Myo’s be- 
 havior. Yet he said quite bravely that if the 
 occupants would leave the sampan after the 
 noon meal and take to the path along the 
 river, which was a very good one for some 
 distance in the neighborhood of the rapids, 
 he, Kang, would do the very best he could to 
 get the sampan through under Myo’s direction. 
 
 It was now definitely decided that, after the 
 noon meal, they would go ashore at a spot 
 just below the rapids, that had been desig- 
 nated by Kang. If the sampan went safely 
 through, they would have a walk of only 
 about three miles. They could then return 
 to the boat and proceed on the way to Nang- 
 chon, which they hoped to reach at dusk that 
 evening. 
 
 “ We must each take a change of under- 
 clothing,” declared Mr. Vance, “ and such of 
 our personal effects as we can conveniently 
 carry.” 
 
 “ Why, father,” laughed Margaret, “ you 
 talk as though everything we leave here was 
 surely going to the bottom.” 
 
226 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Well, my dear, one never knows what is 
 to happen ; and I have learned, even in my 
 peaceful life, to prepare for the conflict, which 
 fortunately, so far has never arrived. Even 
 with this happy record to fall back upon, I, 
 nevertheless, advise that we prepare ourselves 
 for an emergency, which I can plainly see 
 from Kang’s conduct he anticipates.” 
 
 The boys did not take very cheerfully to 
 the idea of carrying the goods from the sam- 
 pan. Almost unconsciously Arthur scowled 
 at Myo in passing, and even Wilbur did not 
 look very good-natured as he nodded to him 
 an adieu. Stephen alone of the boys faced 
 cheerfully the new turn in affairs. He was 
 longing to get on shore for a sight of 
 the mountains which Kang had told him 
 presented such a magnificent view from a 
 bluff along the river bank. 
 
 “ But for that old Myo we would never have 
 had to go to all this bother,” grumbled Ar- 
 thur. “I do wish he could have behaved 
 himself like a sane being instead of going on 
 in this wild way about spirits, demons and 
 such nonsense. I declare, I could shake all 
 that silliness out of him.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 227 
 
 “ As if such a thing would be possible,” 
 commented Wilbur, who, truth to tell, was 
 himself thoroughly provoked with Myo. 
 “ You might shake and shake forever for all 
 the good it would do. I didn’t know he could 
 be so idiotic.” 
 
 “ 0 but, Arthur, Wilbur,” remonstrated 
 Margaret, “ the poor man can’t help his super- 
 stitions. We ought really to pity him, poor 
 thing ! Then have you so soon forgotten what 
 he did for us two nights ago ? ” 
 
 No, they had not forgotten. They felt 
 ashamed now of their hasty speaking, and so 
 admitted. 
 
 Dr. Griffin was unusually sad this morning. 
 They were now, he had reason to believe, not 
 many miles from the spot where his brother’s 
 sampan had been wrecked. It was some- 
 where in the neighborhood of Nang-chon ; 
 he did not know positively where. There 
 was a conflicting opinion on the part of the 
 villagers he had examined, with reference to 
 the locality where the calamity had occurred, 
 though the most of them had agreed in 
 saying that it had . happened near Nang- 
 chon. 
 
228 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 He for one was glad enough to go ashore. 
 The river had only haunting suggestions. 
 Perhaps deep down in some dark pool over 
 which they might pass, his brother’s body 
 lay entombed. 
 
 All noted his sad and dejected air, and 
 Margaret had whispered to Wilbur and Sarah 
 the cause of it. 
 
 “ Poor Dr. Griffin ! ” murmured Sarah ; 
 “ how I do wish he could find out something 
 definite about his brother. If he could only 
 know where he is buried it would be some 
 satisfaction, though a melancholy one.” 
 
 They bade cheerful good-bye to their pole- 
 men, then stood for a moment watching the 
 sampan as, under Kang’s and Chefoo’s deft 
 strokes, it was poled again toward the cur- 
 rent, some twenty feet or more off shore. 
 Min had elected to go with the sampan, de- 
 claring that, as he couldn’t possibly carry all 
 the cooking utensils and eatables ashore, he 
 intended to stand by them. 
 
 At the spot where the } 7 had landed the 
 river widened out considerably, to contract 
 into a channel of no more than forty feet in 
 width a half mile further on, where it ran 
 
An American Girl in Korea 229 
 
 between high bluffs and over masses of up- 
 heaved rock. 
 
 The party ashore turned aside from the 
 path, at the point Stephen indicated, to climb 
 the bluff along the river’s bank for the 
 magnificent view Kang promised. He had 
 not seen it himself, but Myo had told him 
 of it. They were not disappointed, for it was 
 indeed a glorious view of valleys shut in by 
 mountain ranges that rose one above the 
 other, till the furthermost of all seemed to 
 pierce their way into the very dome of heaven. 
 
 “ There is nothing in our Rockies to sur- 
 pass that ! ” declared Wilbur. 
 
 “ Oh, look ! ” cried Stephen excitedly ; 
 “ they are having a dreadful time with the 
 sampan ! ” 
 
 They all turned in the direction indicated. 
 The bluff was almost bare of vegetation at 
 this point. It did not rise sheer from the 
 water, but sloped somewhat gradually. The 
 sampan was in plain view some fifty or sixty 
 feet below them. 
 
 There seemed to be a succession of rapids. 
 The sampan had passed through two of these, 
 which, to the unpracticed eyes looking on, 
 
230 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 appeared to be the very worst of all. It was 
 now approaching a third crest, and its present 
 precarious situation, it seemed, was caused by 
 the counter flow of currents. Kang and 
 Chefoo were doing heroic poling, while 
 Kodong was steering and bending to his task 
 with earnestness and determination. 
 
 Myo was standing by Kang. He seemed 
 to be giving directions, but every now and 
 then he would throw his arms up gesticulat- 
 ing wildly ; then look around upon the 
 stream and move his shoulders from side to 
 side, as though he were going through some 
 incantation to evoke the aid of spirits. 
 
 Almost as they looked they saw the sampan 
 spin round violently as if all control of it had 
 been lost. Then it reared upward like a 
 frightened horse. It stood almost perpendic- 
 ular for a moment, to come down upon the 
 rocks the next with a sickening crash plainly 
 heard by the startled group upon the bluff. 
 
 Margaret and Sarah closed their eyes, their 
 hearts faint with horror. When they dared 
 open them again, through an irresistible im- 
 pulse to learn the worst of what had hap- 
 pened in the river, parts of the wrecked 
 
An American Girl in Korea 231 
 
 sampan were being tossed hither and thither 
 by the violent current. Strewn amid the 
 wrecked timbers were portions of bedding 
 and of clothing, boxes of supplies, camp- 
 chairs, and other articles of the sampan’s 
 cargo. 
 
 It was indeed a catastrophe, and all thought 
 of the sore straits in which they would be 
 left by the wreck of the sampan was for the 
 time lost sight of in their keen anxiety for 
 the lives of those aboard. 
 
 The men were now seen struggling in 
 smoother water. The force with which the 
 sampan had leaped upward had thrown it 
 partly over the rocks, and the boatmen, with 
 the instincts of their training, had taken ad- 
 vantage of their opportunity to spring into 
 the less violent current ere the boat came 
 down again with a crash upon the rocks. 
 
 Suddenly a shout from Arthur broke the 
 terrible strain. 
 
 “ Do look at Min ! If he isn’t swimming 
 after the coop of fowls, instead of trying to 
 get himself out of that whirlpool ! ” 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE FACE IN THE MOONLIGHT 
 
 With varied exclamations those who had 
 witnessed the wreck of the sampan from the 
 bluff began to make their way as quickly as 
 they could toward a depression in the bank a 
 hundred yards or so away. It was very 
 likely that those struggling in the current 
 would try to land there. 
 
 One by one they came ashore, dripping and 
 well-nigh exhausted, yet each had managed 
 to save a small portion of his effects, while 
 Min triumphantly dragged ashore the coop 
 of chickens, the inmates of which were, like 
 himself, gasping for breath. Boy and fowls 
 had alike come near to drowning. 
 
 “ Got to go to monastery now,” said Min to 
 Arthur between his gasps, “ Half starve 
 there, for monks have no fowl, no fish, no 
 flesh. Min save fowls one, two, three, four, 
 five, six,” holding up a finger for each as he 
 counted. “ Three good meals anyhow before 
 starve ! ” and he grinned delightedly. 
 
 232 
 
An American Girl in Korea 233 
 
 “ Give me your hand, Min,” cried Arthur 
 enthusiastically. “ You are the sage of this 
 crowd, and no mistake. Your wisdom isn’t 
 to he questioned. But is it true the monks 
 will starve us? What will they feed us on, 
 anyhow ? ” solicitously. 
 
 “ Pine nuts and honey,” declared Min with 
 a doleful shake of the head. 
 
 “ No more than that?” asked Arthur 
 aghast. 
 
 “ No more ! ” and Min’s expression was even 
 more gloomy. 
 
 But where was Myo ? All had come ashore 
 now but the head poleman. A close search 
 failed to locate him. 
 
 “ I fear he went down in the rapids, honor- 
 able sir,” said Kang sorrowfully to Mr. Vance. 
 “ He did not seem to have heart for any- 
 thing. All the way he kept declaring that 
 the demons would surely wreak vengeance on 
 us ; and once or twice he cried out sharply 
 that there was a face in the water and long 
 arms that beckoned to him.” 
 
 Kang shivered as he said these words, but 
 it may have been from the chill of his wet 
 clothing. 
 
234 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ I saw him as the boat was about to crash 
 down again,” Chefoo added. “ He had his 
 arms flung upward as though he were going 
 to leap. I fear he failed to make the leap 
 safely,” and he, too, shivered. 
 
 “ Poor Myo,” said Margaret, her eyes filling 
 with tears ; “ how dreadful if he really came 
 to his death in the Han ! ” 
 
 “ Let us hope not,” spoke Sarah earnestly. 
 “ Perhaps he escaped to the opposite shore.” 
 
 Others shared this hope, until Kang gave it 
 as his opinion that this would have been well- 
 nigh impossible. The banks were entirely too 
 precipitous on that side. 
 
 They lingered many moments, glancing up 
 and down the stream, searching every point 
 within reach of their vision, but without 
 result. 
 
 “ He may have found a landing some yards 
 below this,” remarked Wilbur. 
 
 Again Kang showed the futility of the 
 hope. Had Myo drifted down stream he 
 would have been carried again through the 
 rapids. * 
 
 “ I am afraid he is gone, poor fellow ! ” said 
 Mr. Vance with feeling. Despite the suspi- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 235 
 
 cions he had begun to have of late of Myo, the 
 head poleman’s personality was such it had 
 made a deep impression on him. 
 
 “ Min spoke of a monastery,” said Dr. Grif- 
 fin as he turned to Kang. “ Is there one near 
 at hand ? ” 
 
 It was no more than two miles away, he 
 was assured. 
 
 “ But must we go to the monastery ? ” asked 
 Arthur dubiously, as a look of commiseration 
 passed between him and Min. “ Why not go 
 to the next village, father ? ” 
 
 “ Because that is more than four miles 
 away,” replied Mr. Vance, who had been in 
 further conversation with Kang, “ and on the 
 opposite side of the river.” 
 
 Arthur whistled. 
 
 “Well, I suppose that settles it. We shall 
 have to take the monastery.” 
 
 “ This is the second one, I understand,” 
 said Dr. Griffin to Mr. Vance, “ in the chain 
 of monasteries, forty-eight in all, that termi- 
 nates in the very heart of the Diamond 
 Mountain region. It cannot be so far from 
 here,” he added in lower tones, “ that the one 
 we desire particularly to visit is situated.” 
 
236 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Only some eight or ten miles, I believe,” 
 replied Mr. Vance. 
 
 “ Do you think the monks will receive us, 
 uncle ?” asked Wilbur anxiously. 
 
 “ We can go and try them, my boy,” his 
 uncle replied somewhat evasively. “ They 
 are said to treat kindly all strangers whom 
 misfortune has stranded, and as we are now 
 in that condition, I think they will not turn 
 us away. I have heard,” he continued, “ that 
 the monks are really benevolent, and that 
 each monastery maintains a horde of hang- 
 ers-on of every description, many who are 
 sick and in other conditions of helplessness, 
 while a number seek alms of the monks 
 through indolence.” 
 
 “ But these are natives, no doubt,” said 
 Arthur quickly. “ Will they receive us as 
 readily ? ” 
 
 His father did not reply. He was anx- 
 iously debating in his own mind this same 
 question. 
 
 “ The monks do not like foreigners any 
 more than some of the people in the villages 
 do,” declared Stephen. “ Have you forgotten, 
 father, how badly Mr. Epting was treated ? ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 237 
 
 “What do you think about it, Kang?” 
 asked Arthur, suddenly turning to the boat- 
 man. 
 
 Kang appeared confused. No doubt he had 
 not expected so direct a question. 
 
 He was sure they would receive no ill-treat- 
 ment, he managed to say at length. 
 
 From the manner in which Kang spoke, it 
 was quite apparent that he and his associate 
 boatmen did not intend to seek the hospitality 
 of the monasteries. 
 
 “ Why, hear him ! ” Arthur said somewhat 
 indignantly to his father. “ Is he going to 
 send us where he won't go himself? ” 
 
 “ Hush, Arthur,” his father said reprov- 
 ingly. “ You must not allude in so rough a 
 way to Kang. He has scruples which he can- 
 not overcome,” he added in still lower tones. 
 “ Most Koreans despise heartily Buddhism 
 and its shaven priests. I think Kang would 
 prefer to spend the night on the river bank 
 rather than go to the monastery for shelter.” 
 
 “ But, father, if they are going to the vil- 
 lage, why cannot we go, too? ” 
 
 “ For the very good reason, Arthur, that it 
 is twice as far as the monastery, and there is a 
 
238 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 deep ford between. Have you not heard that 
 the settlement is on the other side of the 
 river ? ” 
 
 “ I am sure we shall not find it so dreadful 
 at the monastery,” spoke Margaret blithely. 
 “ Kang has just told me that foreigners have 
 been there before and were fairly well treated. 
 Besides, it is a Red Arrow monastery.” 
 
 “ Why, what do you mean by that? ” asked 
 Sarah quickly. 
 
 “ One where the Government has some 
 supervision. The red arrow is the King’s 
 token of approval. The chang-sop, or head 
 abbot, is elected by the Board of Rites in 
 Seoul, and has to answer to them for any con- 
 duct they would not approve.” 
 
 “ 0 bother the Board of Rites in Seoul ! ” 
 exclaimed Arthur. “ If they don’t take any 
 more trouble to investigate the conduct of the 
 abbots than they do to look into other matters 
 they are supposed to attend to, you may rest 
 assured that these old chang-sops have things 
 pretty much their own way.” 
 
 It was now decided that they would seek 
 the monastery without delay, especially as 
 those who had been in the river were shiver- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 239 
 
 ing in their wet clothing, “ and ought to be 
 moving on,” as Dr. Griffin stated most em- 
 phatically. 
 
 Kang conducted them to the foot of the 
 pathway leading upward along a winding 
 course to the monastery, known as “ Chang- 
 an-sa (The Temple of Eternal Rest).” The 
 natives, however, call it “ Tan-pa ” or crop- 
 hair, because of the shaven heads of its 
 monks. There were other Chang-an-sas, they 
 knew, on the Han, one more notable than all 
 the others, far up among the rugged peaks of 
 the Diamond Mountain section. This Chang- 
 an-sa both Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin had ar- 
 dently desired to reach, but now realized that 
 the hope must be abandoned. But the near-by 
 monastery, where they hoped to gain informa- 
 tion of Walter Griffin, they must visit so soon 
 as they could. 
 
 Shortly after starting on their climb, Kang 
 told them, they would come to a narrow bridge 
 spanning a foaming torrent. Here they were 
 to turn to the right, and from this point they 
 would have no trouble in keeping the path- 
 way, as it was very well defined. 
 
 The monastery, he further informed them, 
 
240 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 stood upon a plateau a mile or so from the 
 river bank. After crossing the fifth bridge 
 they would come to a regular roadway which 
 led downward to another point on the river. 
 
 They found it a tortuous climb and many 
 times had to pause for breath. All about 
 them were evidences of volcanic upheaval. 
 
 “ Years ago this slope has been in the throes 
 of a mighty earthquake/’ said Dr. Griffin, as 
 he paused to examine more critically a mass 
 of jagged boulders. 
 
 “ Is Korea much of an earthquake coun- 
 try?” asked Wilbur. 
 
 “ Well, we have a considerable shake now 
 and then,” replied Mr. Vance, “ and once in a 
 while we have an upheaval that does much 
 damage, destroying not only property, but 
 life.” 
 
 “ Oh, it is nothing like so bad as it is in 
 Japan,” said Stephen quickly. “ Think of 
 living in Tokio, where they have, on an aver- 
 age, one earthquake shock every day.” 
 
 “You wouldn’t get me to live in Tokio,” 
 announced Sarah emphatically, “ nor even to 
 visit it.” 
 
 Margaret smiled at her. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 241 
 
 “You would be very foolish, Sarah, not to 
 go if ever you have the chance, for it is truly 
 one of the most beautiful cities in the world, 
 and there are so many wonderful things to 
 see.” 
 
 “ But I would be so afraid of the earth- 
 quakes, I wouldn’t enjoy a single thing,” per- 
 sisted Sarah. 
 
 The way grew wider and more beautiful at 
 every step. A forest of pines and firs stretched 
 all about them. In some portions of it, 
 though the sun was yet more than two hours 
 high, the light was like that of twilight. 
 Every bridge seemed to span a spot more pic- 
 turesque than the last. Each of these bridges 
 consisted of no more than a single huge log, 
 roughly hewn to a flat surface, with a rude 
 hand-railing of slender saplings knotted to- 
 gether with ropes of wistaria. All about the 
 edges of the chasm grew tall, graceful ferns, 
 while many feet below the torrent leaped and 
 foamed. They could hear, too, the far-away 
 murmur of other streams and the muffled 
 boom of leaping cascades. 
 
 “ From all appearances,” Dr. Griffin re- 
 marked to Mr. Vance, “ this hill would present 
 
242 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 tempting opportunities for the subterranean 
 action of streams.” 
 
 “ Oh, that reminds me,” cried Arthur sud- 
 denly. “ What do you think Kang told 
 me? He said that if our sampan had not 
 been wrecked, and we had been of the mind 
 to do it, we could have reached the monastery 
 by way of a subterranean passage, a real un- 
 derground waterway. It is entered from the 
 river through the mouth of a cave, not far 
 from the point where the wreck of our sampan 
 occurred. The only difficulty, as Kang ad- 
 mitted,” Arthur concluded with a whimsical 
 smile, “ is that only the priests know its intri- 
 cacies, and that the landing-place at the mon- 
 astery is also a mystery. So in order to have 
 made this underground journey successfully, 
 we would have been compelled to have secured 
 one of the monks for our guide.” 
 
 “ Of course we could have done that easily,” 
 remarked Wilbur sarcastically. 
 
 About half way up they struck the broad, 
 smooth roadway of which Kang had told 
 them. It was a fine piece of work, and showed 
 not only patience, but skill. 
 
 “ These monks are surely fine road build- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 243 
 
 ers,” declared Arthur admiringly. Then the 
 rest of his sentence was finished in a growl, 
 “ But I don’t see why they couldn’t have built 
 down to the river on this side while they were 
 about it.” 
 
 “ O you greedy fellow ! ” cried Margaret, 
 “ you are always wanting more than is at 
 hand. You should be satisfied with the gifts, 
 not the gods, that the monks have provided, 
 and not be, like Oliver Twist, crying for 
 more.” 
 
 “ I hope this is not the only gift they’ll pro- 
 vide,” said Wilbur, nodding toward the road- 
 way. “ I hope there’ll be the gift of some 
 sort of supper. I must say this climb has 
 made me altogether forget that I had anything 
 like a lunch at noon.” 
 
 “ Oh, don’t you despair,” sang out Arthur 
 blithely. “ Here is Min close behind with the 
 coop of fowls.” 
 
 True enough Min had hung bravely to his 
 coop through all the steep and arduous climb. 
 As though to give indisputable evidence of 
 their fitness to be turned into a most appetiz- 
 ing meal, the fowls had now set up a loud 
 squawking. 
 
244 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Three cheers and a tiger for Min ! ” cried 
 Stephen. 
 
 “ Now don't you be calling down the tiger,” 
 warned Margaret. “You know Kang told us 
 there were tigers in the forests about the monas- 
 tery ? I am sure we wouldn't relish meeting 
 one at this lonely spot, even if it were in- 
 tended as a prize for Min.” 
 
 “ Min no want tiger,” declared the young 
 Chinese with a vigorous shake of his head. 
 
 “ He is satisfied with the fowls at present,” . 
 declared Stephen, which remark Min proved 
 quite true by grinning broadly and shaking 
 the fowls again, till they set up another loud 
 squawking. 
 
 They passed numerous shrines by the way 
 before which offerings of fruit and food were 
 set. The path, winding along a course that 
 gave gradual access to the summit, passed 
 under numerous arched gateways. The last 
 of all was the lofty and magnificently-carved 
 Hang-sal-mun, or Gateway of the Red Arrow. 
 Beyond it lay a wide-stretching grassy plateau, 
 with towering mountain peaks walling it in 
 on every side. 
 
 In the centre of the plateau stood the mon- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 245 
 
 astery, an immense building of stone, heavily 
 tiled, with carvings of woodwork covering it 
 here and there, freshly tinted and gilded. 
 The monks had scores of workmen at their 
 command, it was said, and almost daily some 
 renovation was going on. 
 
 Temples large and small clustered about. 
 There was also a pavilion, where religious 
 dramas were enacted, several bell houses, any 
 number of shrines covered by quaint, carved 
 roofs, additional dormitories, a nunnery, a 
 refectory for the abbot, and various outbuild- 
 ings of all sizes and appearances. 
 
 “ We have here,” said Mr. Vance in low 
 tones to Dr. Griffin, “ full evidence of the 
 declaration that ‘ Buddhism knows well how 
 to possess itself of all the most beautiful in 
 nature/ The place is a paradise.” 
 
 A crowd of monks and boys curiously eyed 
 their approach. There was another feeling, 
 too, very evident in the faces of several as our 
 travelers drew near. One or two of the priests 
 were fat and good-natured looking, but the 
 most of them had forbidding countenances. 
 
 An elderly monk, rather haughty in his 
 appearance, which they took as an evidence 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 of his rank, now stepped out from among the 
 others, and demanded their business. 
 
 Mr. Vance, in response to Dr. Griffin’s re- 
 quest, replied politely that they were ship- 
 wrecked travelers and had come beseeching 
 the hospitality of the monastery for a short 
 time. He then gave a detailed account of the 
 recent destruction of their sampan in the 
 rapids and of the departure of their boatmen 
 to a neighboring town, where it was hoped 
 another sampan could be secured. Until this 
 arrangement was made the monks of Chang- 
 an-sa were most humbly besought to care for 
 the stranded travelers. 
 
 The monk eyed them critically for a few 
 moments, and then made answer in tones that 
 were fully in keeping with the haughtiness of 
 his appearance. 
 
 He really had naught to do with a case of 
 this kind. The plea must go to the san-tong, 
 or sub-abbot, who was acting in the absence 
 of the abbot, or Father Superior. If they 
 would produce their passport, he supposed the 
 matter of their entertainment for a day or so 
 might be arranged. 
 
 These last words he spoke in a manner 
 
An American Girl in Korea 247 
 
 which said quite plainly that he was of the 
 opinion that they had no such valuable article 
 as a passport in their possession, or if they 
 had, it was not of the class to carry much 
 weight. 
 
 But the kwan-ja was at hand this time, 
 and, having dispatched it by a messenger to 
 the sub-abbot, the haughty looking priest 
 turned away as though he had completely 
 washed his hands of the affair. Two or three 
 followed his example, but by far the larger 
 number remained, still eyeing curiously the 
 group of travelers. They pointed toward 
 them every now and then, following these 
 movements by remarks among themselves 
 which evoked both amusement and earnest 
 discussion. Especially did the two young 
 girls serve as targets for their curiosity. Their 
 fair skins, which exposure to the sun on the 
 Han had but slightly tanned, their luxuriant, 
 glossy hair and novel style of dress, each alike 
 served to arouse both curiosity and excite 
 comment. 
 
 It was an embarrassing situation for our 
 friends, and they were indeed rejoiced 
 when the messenger from the sub-abbot ar- 
 
248 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 rived and there was relaxation from the 
 strain. 
 
 The san-tong sent a very courteous reply. 
 The passport was of such a character as to in- 
 sure them the hospitality of the monastery. 
 His special representative, who had returned 
 with the kwan-ja, instead of the messenger 
 dispatched by the haughty priest, was empow- 
 ered to show them every courtesy. In the 
 morning he, the san-tong, would grant them 
 a special audience. Meanwhile, they were to 
 be housed in the best quarters the monastery 
 afforded. 
 
 “ Well, this is indeed a most unexpected 
 change from the disagreeable to the agreeable,” 
 said Arthur in an undertone to Wilbur. “ I 
 began to think we were going to be stampeded 
 from the place like a herd of cattle. That old 
 sub-abbot must indeed be a gentleman. I feel 
 like telling him so if I ever get the oppor- 
 tunity/ ’ 
 
 “ I heard the young priest tell father that 
 he was to conduct us to the royal pavilion/ 1 
 said Stephen. “ That is where the representa- 
 tives of the King stay when they come on 
 business.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 249 
 
 “ Phew ! ” Arthur gave a prolonged whistle 
 under his breath. “Well, we are stepping 
 up ! I shall expect to hear next that we have 
 been mistaken for members of the royal 
 family.” 
 
 “ Hardly/’ remarked Wilbur dryly, “ with 
 our complexion and cropped hair.” 
 
 It was indeed true. They were conducted 
 by the young priest to apartments in the pa- 
 vilion, where heretofore none but distin- 
 guished guests had ever been housed. This 
 young man, who was a Japanese, O-to-ri by 
 name, as they afterward learned, had a very 
 intelligent and pleasing face, which inspired 
 them with trust, and gave them a more as- 
 sured feeling than any they had had since 
 starting for the monastery. 
 
 They had found considerable change in the 
 temperature since ascending the slope. As 
 night approached, it grew quite chilly. They 
 were pleased, therefore, when O-to-ri, return- 
 ing with two bearers who brought their even- 
 ing meal, informed them that he would have 
 some fires kindled in the brick ovens that 
 warmed the pavilion. They were pleased to 
 hear it then, but when the promise was ful- 
 
250 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 filled, the result was by no means the enjoy- 
 ment anticipated. Either O-to-ri was lavish 
 with fuel, hoping to please them, or the cold 
 was not so great as imagined ; at any rate the 
 small apartments soon became almost unbear- 
 able with heat. 
 
 “ I think they must intend to roast us and 
 serve us as a meal for the haughty monk ! ” 
 exclaimed Arthur, as he mopped away with 
 his handkerchief at the perspiration trickling 
 down his cheeks. 
 
 “ You must keep your windows closed, hon- 
 orable sirs/’ had been O-to-ri ’s parting injunc- 
 tion. “ There are tigers on the mountains, 
 and they sometimes are bold enough at night 
 to make visits to the monastery.” 
 
 Sarah greeted this announcement with a 
 nervous little squeak, and after it began to 
 grow so uncomfortably warm declared to 
 Margaret that she would never consent to have 
 their window opened if she turned to a puddle 
 of grease. Despite the temperature of the 
 room, Sarah dropped off to sleep. She was 
 thoroughly exhausted by the excitement of 
 the day and the hard climb of the hill. 
 
 But Margaret could not sleep. The atmos- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 251 
 
 phere of the apartment was almost stifling. 
 She heard the boys open their window, 
 and was sure her father and Dr. Griffin had 
 done the same. She felt that she must have 
 a few breaths of pure air, tigers or no 
 tigers. 
 
 “ But I will not leave the window unguarded 
 after it is opened,” she resolved. “ I will keep 
 careful watch until it is closed again.” 
 
 The night was now well advanced. The 
 bell, which they had been told rang at nine 
 o’clock for the retirement of the monks, had 
 sent forth its warning boom fully two hours 
 before. All was now silent in and around the 
 monastery. 
 
 The rush of pure, cold air as Margaret 
 opened the window was delightful. She 
 leaned far out, desiring to have its full re- 
 freshment. As she did so, a noise startled 
 her. Some one, it seemed, had stumbled 
 against a pile of blocks the carpenters had left 
 from a great pine they had been sawing into 
 lumber. Margaret’s first thought was natu- 
 rally of tigers, and she was about to close the 
 window hastily, thinking that one of the 
 dreaded beasts had really come, when a second 
 
252 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 glance showed her that the form, now right- 
 ing itself, was that of a man. 
 
 The moon was shining clearly and there 
 were no shadows falling upon this particular 
 spot. As the man recovered his balance and 
 turned his face toward the window, Margaret 
 almost cried out in her astonishment. The 
 face was that of Myo-Sang ! There could be 
 no mistake about it. He was no more than 
 five paces from the window. His hat had 
 fallen off, and he was looking straight at 
 Margaret. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE STARTLING EFFECT OF A NAME 
 
 It was Myo beyond a doubt. For one mo- 
 ment he stood gazing fixedly at Margaret. 
 Then he started forward as though he would 
 approach the window and address her ; but, 
 seemingly haying changed his mind, he turned 
 hastily away, muttering, “ Wait ! Wait ! ” 
 
 Margaret was so startled by this sudden ap- 
 pearance of Myo, whom she had fully believed 
 dead, that she stood motionless and voiceless, 
 though longing to call out to him. How had 
 he managed to escape when no trace of him 
 had been seen, and all believed him dead? 
 But ere she could address Myo, he had dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 “ He will no doubt come to us in the morn- 
 ing,” she said to herself as she closed the 
 window. “ He must have met with very try- 
 ing experiences, and has been greatly delayed 
 in reaching the monastery. I hope he will 
 find a comfortable shelter for the night, poor 
 fellow ! ” 
 
 2 53 
 
254 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Sarah was sleeping soundly. The outside 
 air, entering by the open window, had cooled 
 the room considerably. The fires, too, must 
 have abated, for the temperature was decidedly 
 more endurable. 
 
 Margaret, however, could not sleep, though 
 her eyelids were heavy and her limbs ached. 
 Her mind was filled with exciting thoughts 
 and suspicions. But she hesitated to mention 
 them to the others, especially to Arthur. He 
 would be sure to exclaim, as he had done on 
 other occasions, “ Such vivid imagination as 
 girls do have ! ” 
 
 She had but little more than dropped into 
 fitful slumber, when the great booming of the 
 monastery bell, rung at four o’clock for the 
 arousing of the priests, awakened her with a 
 start. Sarah, too, awoke with a sharp scream. 
 
 “ Oh, what is that ? ” she cried, wildly clutch- 
 ing Margaret. “ Has the roof fallen in, or is 
 it an earthquake? ” 
 
 “ Neither,” smiled Margaret reassuringly. 
 “ It is the bell calling the priests to services in 
 the temple. Buddhism, you know, is very 
 devotional. Even the boys are taught to re- 
 member that * prayer is better than sleep.’ ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 255 
 
 The bell had no sooner ceased its booming, 
 than a number of other bells of varied sizes, 
 and running the full gamut of tone, took up 
 the chorus. As though to add as much as 
 possible to the din, numerous cymbals and 
 gongs were being beaten. 
 
 Margaret heard the boys grumbling in the 
 next apartment and Arthur’s voice raised 
 high above the others in vigorous protest. 
 
 “ What an outrageous din ! How can a 
 fellow sleep? ” 
 
 After this commotion ceased and all was 
 quiet again, save the far-away droning of 
 the priests as they chanted the praises of 
 Buddha, Margaret fell into heavy slumber, 
 and did not awaken therefrom until the sun 
 was slanting full through the window, which 
 Sarah had opened. 
 
 Margaret arose and dressed hastily, then 
 made her way to the apartment where the 
 others were already assembled for breakfast. 
 
 “ Here is our sleeping princess at last ! ” 
 cried Arthur. “ It is something unusual, 
 Meg, for you to be the last one up.” 
 
 “ I did not sleep at all the first part of the 
 night,” said Margaret somewhat wearily as 
 
256 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 she passed her hand over her eyes, the lids of 
 which still had a dull, heavy ache. 
 
 “ Came near being roasted, I suppose,” ex- 
 claimed Arthur again. “ Now, why didn’t 
 you girls have courage enough, yes, and com- 
 mon sense, too,” he added somewhat patroniz- 
 ingly, “ to have opened your window, for a 
 while at least, tigers or no tigers.” 
 
 “ I did open it,” replied Margaret quietly ; 
 “ and kept it open until the room became con- 
 siderably cooled.” 
 
 Sarah started up with a little protesting 
 cry. 
 
 “ Oh, Meg, how dared you ? And to think 
 I didn’t know it ! Now suppose the tigers 
 had come? ” 
 
 “ But as you did not know it, but slept 
 soundly through it all, and no tigers appeared, 
 why should you care now ? ” asked Margaret 
 
 slyly. 
 
 “ I am sure you two girls are hungry enough 
 this morning,” remarked Wilbur with a smile, 
 “to do justice to the fowls which Min has 
 prepared.” 
 
 “ Min is a jewel ! ” declared Arthur, his 
 eyes in a glow. “ The way he clung to that 
 
An American Girl in Korea 257 
 
 coop of fowls through everything, the stares 
 and protests of the priests, and their refusal to 
 allow him to come through the temple 
 ^grounds — compelling him to go around by the 
 back way — deserve our unbounded gratitude. 
 Min, old fellow,” making a profound bow to 
 the smiling young Chinese, “ if I were the 
 king, you should be invested with the highest 
 insignia of rank before night/’ 
 
 “ Min declares that the priests themselves 
 keep fowls and goats,” said Stephen, “ that he 
 saw them as he went around the premises ; in 
 pens and coops at two or three places, as 
 though they were waiting to be killed.” 
 
 “ I knew those fat, well-fed looking old 
 monks could not subsist on fare like this 
 alone,” declared Arthur, as he pointed to the 
 fruit, honey and wheaten cakes that had been 
 served them for breakfast. 
 
 “ I am sorry you did not sleep well, my 
 daughter,” Mr. Vance said solicitously to Mar- 
 garet, as he made a place for her on the mat 
 beside him. 
 
 “ I am afraid my brain was too active,” she 
 replied, giving him a reassuring smile. “ Be- 
 sides,” she raised her voice now, and looked 
 
258 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 around upon those gathered about the repast, 
 “ I had the shock of seeing a most unexpected 
 visitor.” 
 
 “ Not a tiger? ” squeaked Sarah. “ O Mar- 
 garet Vance, you said ” 
 
 “Who was the visitor?” asked her father 
 suddenly. “ Surely no one came to the pa- 
 vilion after we had retired, and we knew 
 nothing of it ! ” 
 
 “ It was no one who came within the pa- 
 vilion, father, or even quite to it. This visitor 
 lingered without, but as I was standing beside 
 the open window, and he was no more than 
 five or six yards away, I saw him quite plainly. 
 It was Myo ! ” 
 
 Had she sent a stone rattling down among 
 the platters before them, they could not have 
 been more astonished. 
 
 “ Myo ! ” ejaculated Arthur. “ Why, Myo 
 was drowned in the Han ! Oh, pshaw, Meg, 
 you were dreaming. The heat turned your 
 head.” 
 
 “ No, I was not, Arthur. I assure you, I 
 was as wide awake as I am at this moment. 
 It was Myo plain enough. He stumbled over 
 a pile of wood as he came toward the window, 
 
An American Girl in Korea 259 
 
 and that first attracted my attention to him. 
 At first he seemed to wish to talk to me. 
 Then he suddenly seemed to change his mind, 
 and moved away, muttering, ‘ Wait ! Wait ! ’ 
 I was too astonished to call to him.” 
 
 “ It was Myo, sure enough, I am satisfied,” 
 spoke Mr. Vance. “ Margaret could not give 
 so clear an account as this if she had been only 
 dreaming.” 
 
 “It was Myo beyond a doubt,” reasserted 
 Margaret. “ His hat was off and I saw his 
 features plainly.” 
 
 “ Then of course he escaped drowning in 
 the Han,” remarked Dr. Griffin, “ but it seems 
 miraculous.” 
 
 “ The old boatman knew every current in 
 the Han,” replied Mr. Vance. “ He told me 
 so again and again. He no doubt took ad- 
 vantage of one that encircled the rapids and 
 so got himself out.” 
 
 “ If it is Myo,” said Dr. Griffin again, “ and 
 there no longer seems a doubt of it,” here he 
 bowed to Margaret, “ he will surely not be 
 long in making a visit to us.” 
 
 “ Certainly such must be his intention,” Mr. 
 Vance replied quickly, “ or he would not have 
 
260 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 sought the monastery. He would have fol- 
 lowed the others to the village.” 
 
 “ I am glad the old fellow has turned up 
 again,” said Arthur. “ I certainly was sorry 
 to think he had been drowned. And he can 
 help us with our new arrangements better 
 than any one else.” 
 
 “ That he can,” agreed Dr. Griffin. “ I was 
 just wondering how we were going to manage 
 without Myo.” 
 
 They now began to talk over their plans. 
 Of course, the trip into the Diamond Moun- 
 tain section would have to be abandoned, as 
 they had lost their supplies, their bedding, 
 and most of their clothing. Fortunately, 
 owing to Kang’s foresight, each had two 
 changes of underclothing, which would have 
 to do them until they got back to Seoul. In 
 addition Wilbur had saved his rifle, Arthur 
 had his camera, Margaret her guitar, and Mr. 
 Vance and Dr. Griffin certain of their effects 
 which they prized highly, and an amount of 
 money now doubly valuable in their present 
 straits. 
 
 The plan finally settled upon was to send 
 Myo to Nang-chon, instructing him to stop 
 
An American Girl in Korea 261 
 
 by the way for Kang and the other boatmen. 
 At this large town there would assuredly be an 
 opportunity to secure such a sampan as they 
 desired for the homeward trip. If not, then 
 they would have to fall back upon the service 
 of ponies. 
 
 A day or so later Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin 
 would go to Nang-chon themselves, not only 
 to look at the sampan secured, but to perfect 
 the arrangements for a return to the village 
 where young Walter Griffin’s easel and the flag 
 of the Philippa had been found. They also 
 intended, if it could possibly be arranged, to 
 visit the monastery further up the Han, where, 
 it was believed, Walter Griffin had spent 
 several days ere setting out on his return to 
 Seoul. 
 
 Dr. Griffin’s heart burned with the desire to 
 learn more of the last days of his brother, and 
 who could blame him? Certainly not one of 
 those who now discussed with hushed voices 
 the probability of finding that lonely grave on 
 the Han. At the time of Dr. Griffin’s first 
 visit it had been asserted by more than one of 
 those he examined that young Walter Griffin’s 
 body had been found and interred ashore. 
 
262 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Just where the spot was, however, no one 
 could say definitely. 
 
 Moment after moment passed, and still Myo 
 did not come. Finally Wilbur and Arthur 
 declared they were going to look for him. If 
 he were anywhere on the monastery grounds, 
 they would search until they found him. It 
 was a shame for him to tantalize them so. 
 
 In an hour’s time, however, they returned 
 looking much crestfallen. They had searched 
 everywhere they had been permitted, and had 
 made close enquiries of several. No one had 
 seen Myo or knew of his present where- 
 abouts. 
 
 “ Margaret Vance,” declared Arthur, as he 
 turned toward her with a comical expression, 
 “ if you did not have as steady a head as that 
 of any girl living ” 
 
 “ Wh}' not add, ‘ or boy either/ ” suggested 
 Wilbur with a twinkle of the eye. 
 
 “ Well, then,” resumed Arthur, “ as steady 
 a head as that of any boy living, myself and 
 Mr. Ames included,” with an overwhelming 
 bow to Wilbur, “ I would say that last night 
 it was, with reference to Myo, as wobbly as a 
 wheel without a washer. But I suppose you 
 
An American Girl in Korea 263 
 
 really did see him,” he added, dropping his 
 bantering tone. 
 
 “ Thank you, Arthur, for the confidence. I 
 did see Myo, and as plainly as I see you now/’ 
 Margaret replied earnestly. 
 
 “ Then where in the world has the old cur- 
 mudgeon gone ? ” cried Arthur in disgust. 
 
 “ He may be sleeping the sleep of exhaus- 
 tion in some secluded portion of the grounds,” 
 Mr. Vance suggested, “ and thus no one has 
 seen him. But, Arthur,” he added reprov- 
 ingly, “ you should speak more respectfully of 
 Myo.” 
 
 At eleven o'clock the san-tong sent to say 
 that he was ready for the audience with Mr. 
 Vance and Dr. Griffin. Wilbur, Arthur and 
 Stephen had already gone with O-to-ri and 
 another young priest, for a point a mile or so 
 away, whence, they had been assured, was ob- 
 tainable the most magnificent view in Korea 
 outside the Diamond Mountain region. 
 
 Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin at length went 
 away, leaving Min to take care of the girls. 
 
 A spirit of restlessness took possession of 
 Margaret. She longed to be out of doors. 
 For one thing, the towering mountain peaks, 
 
264 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 of which she had so far had only tantalizing 
 glimpses, tempted her ; for another, she some- 
 how had the feeling that she would be more 
 successful than Wilbur and Arthur in the 
 search for Myo. 
 
 Strange feelings had begun of late to occupy 
 Margaret’s heart with reference to Myo. There 
 were questions she wanted to ask, yet she 
 dreaded to approach the subject, fearing she 
 would not do so with the wisdom and tact 
 necessary to the success for which she hoped. 
 Yet if she could now find Myo, kindness and 
 persuasion might accomplish what even wis- 
 dom could not. 
 
 She looked in upon Sarah to find that she 
 had gone off into a sound slumber. Min 
 could be trusted, she knew. He was loyalty 
 itself. After telling him she was going only 
 for a walk about the grounds, and that she 
 would not be long away, Margaret picked up 
 her hat and started forth. 
 
 The pavilion stood in a grove of pine and 
 chestnut trees, somewhat remote from the 
 buildings, yet within a stone’s throw of one 
 wing of the monastery. Margaret was more 
 than ever impressed by the massiveness of this 
 
An American Girl in Korea 265 
 
 building. It was erected solidly of stone, and 
 looked like a frowning fortress, although the 
 painted carvings and gilded decorations took 
 away somewhat from its grimness. It con- 
 sisted of a main structure and two wings. 
 She afterward learned that the central por- 
 tion had been the original monastery build- 
 ing, and was more than a thousand years old. 
 The wings had been added some centuries 
 later. 
 
 Margaret crossed a portion of the grounds, 
 not caring to go too near the monastery or the 
 cluster of temples. The premises presented a 
 stirring scene ; monks, novices, servants and 
 various hangers-on were passing to and fro. 
 Carpenters were busy about the grounds and 
 there was also the ring of hammer and anvil. 
 She had a better view now of the nunnery, 
 which was toward the rear of the grounds, 
 and she also had a glimpse of a group of nuns 
 not far away. 
 
 Margaret walked on past the bell house, 
 where, surrounded by an entanglement of 
 dragons of the most diabolical appearance, re- 
 posed the great bronze bell, which had sent 
 forth its warning tones to waken the sleeping 
 
266 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 monks and nuns for more than five hundred 
 years. 
 
 Just beyond the bell house a vision of in- 
 describable beauty suddenly revealed itself to 
 Margaret. She stepped back, startled out of 
 composure by the awe-inspiring grandeur, the 
 sylvan loveliness of the scene before her. She 
 was standing not far from the edge of a gorge. 
 Below she could hear the plunge and roar of 
 a torrent. A great space was opened out be- 
 fore her, about and above which towered 
 jagged mountain peaks. Their summits were 
 crowned by the green glory of woods, while 
 their sides were gleaming granite walls, along 
 which wild flowers of every conceivable hue 
 were hanging in rich masses of bloom, and 
 adown which silvery cascades leaped to the 
 valley below. 
 
 Margaret’s hands were still clasped and she 
 stood as one entranced, when a voice spoke 
 her name. It was faint at first, but much 
 more distinct the second time. 
 
 She turned her head quickly. There but a 
 few paces away stood Myo. His clothing was 
 torn and bedraggled ; his face drawn and 
 
An American Girl in Korea 267 
 
 haggard. Altogether he presented a most 
 pitiable appearance. 
 
 Margaret stepped swiftly toward him. 
 
 “ O Myo, is it really you ? ” she said 
 earnestly. “ How glad I am to know you 
 were not drowned as we feared.” 
 
 “ It was dreadful ! ” he said in thin, quak- 
 ing voice. “ The demons were there ; I saw 
 them, O scores of them ! And there was one, 
 too, with gaunt, white hands. He tried to 
 seize me even after I had found the safer 
 current that I knew.” 
 
 “ But how did you at length escape? ” 
 
 She came nearer in her earnestness. It was 
 impossible for him not to note her interest. 
 
 “ I swam to the cave. I knew it was there. 
 Then I dragged myself along the rocks till I 
 came to a landing.” 
 
 The cave that served as an entrance to the 
 underground stream ! Then he, too, knew of 
 it. 
 
 She was about to ask a question when he 
 interrupted her. He bent nearer. His face 
 grew even ghastlier. In his eyes was a hunted 
 look, one of terror shadowed by despair. 
 
 “ Tell the man who cures,” he said in 
 
268 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 broken sentences and between little gasps 
 for breath, “ his brother — not in — sampan — 
 when it went — down — on Han. He died — at 
 monastery ! ” 
 
 He turned even before the last sentence 
 was finished and began to walk rapidly away. 
 
 Margaret sprang after him. She caught his 
 hand. 
 
 “ Which monastery, Myo? ” she besought. 
 
 But he gave her no answer. 
 
 Again she entreated of him the name of the 
 monastery where Walter Griffin had died, 
 and still he was silent. 
 
 Suddenly he pulled away from her, tottered 
 a few steps, then fell to his knees and sat 
 there rocking himself to and fro. 
 
 Margaret stood looking at him a moment. 
 A sudden inspiration seized her. 
 
 “ Won-su ! ” she said. “ Won-su ! ” 
 
 He sprang up at the first utterance of 
 the name like an animal that had received 
 its death wound. Then with a cry that 
 chilled her blood he dashed headlong to- 
 ward the bluff. Ere she could do aught 
 to prevent him, he went over it, plunging 
 downward with a crash it sickened her to hear. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 LITTLE GOLDEN RIVER 
 
 Margaret sped swiftly for help. It was 
 several minutes ere the searchers found Myo, 
 owing to the precipitous nature of the bluff. 
 He was lying upon a ledge some twenty-five 
 or thirty feet below the spot whence he had 
 fallen, and it did not take them long to dis- 
 cover that he was unconscious from the shock. 
 No doubt he had also been severely injured 
 internally. He moaned piteously as the 
 hands of the stout young priests raised him. 
 His fall had been considerably broken by the 
 overhanging shrubbery, and by the soft bed 
 of moss covering the ledge on which he had 
 finally lodged ; otherwise, he must have been 
 killed outright. 
 
 Margaret lingered until she saw him carried 
 off to one of the apartments, where numerous 
 beneficiaries of the monastery were lodged. 
 She was sure the priests would do all they 
 could for him. 
 
 269 
 
270 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 She turned away at last, her mind in a tu- 
 mult. The test she had essayed had sent the 
 arrow home to the mark. A suspicion that 
 for the last two days had been vaguely form- 
 ing in her mind had in a twinkling, as it 
 were, come forth full fledged. She had called 
 Myo by the name of Walter Griffin’s serving 
 man, he who had been with him on that last 
 and fatal trip up the Han. The sudden ter- 
 ror with which the name had inspired Myo 
 and his strange wild conduct immediately fol- 
 lowing had given her the answer. Yet what 
 cause had he to act in that strange way ? Mr. 
 Walter had always written of him in the 
 highest terms. He had picked him up on 
 that last journey, not long after leaving Seoul, 
 and the young artist’s letters had been full of 
 the devotion of his servant Won-su. It cer- 
 tainly was very queer. 
 
 At last Margaret had one link in the chain ! 
 Would she be able to fasten it to another? 
 In all probability she would, if Myo regained 
 consciousness. 
 
 On reaching the pavilion Margaret was 
 thankful to find Sarah still asleep. She did 
 not feel like talking to any one at that mo- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 271 
 
 ment. She picked up a book that Stephen 
 had thoughtfully brought from the sampan, 
 but not a word could she read intelligibly. 
 Each time she attempted it there came up be- 
 fore her instead the startling words Myo had 
 spoken, “ Tell the man who cures that his 
 brother was not in the sampan when it went 
 down in the Han. He died at the monas- 
 tery ! ” But which monastery ? 
 
 While she was still gazing at the same 
 page on which her eyes had been riveted 
 for the past ten minutes, the boys came in. 
 They were enthusiastic over the magnificent 
 view. 
 
 “ It is too bad, Meg, you can’t see it,” said 
 Arthur. “ There is so much climbing to be 
 done. Now, if you were only a boy ” 
 
 “ I wouldn’t have her one for anything,” 
 declared Stephen as he kissed her. 
 
 “ Nor I,” added Wilbur heartily. “ She is 
 best as she is.” 
 
 “ But there are so many fine things girls 
 miss,” reminded Arthur. “ O it seems to me 
 it is a dreadful cross to be a girl ! ” and he 
 looked at Margaret and Sarah with the utmost 
 commiseration. 
 
272 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “Do you really think so, Arthur ?” asked 
 Margaret with a smile. 
 
 Ere Arthur could reply Stephen broke in, 
 
 “ O Margaret, what do you think ? There 
 is a marble pagoda here that is almost exactly 
 like the one in Seoul. ” 
 
 “ It was built in imitation of it, in fact,” 
 added Arthur. “ O-to-ri took us to see it. It 
 is in a remote part of the grounds and none 
 but the abbot, sub-abbot and priests of a cer- 
 tain order are allowed to enter it. Sacrifices 
 are offered there, and all sorts of libations 
 poured.” 
 
 “ The strange part is that it has no entrance 
 from the outside,” chimed in Stephen. 
 “ There is an underground passage, and you 
 go down to the head of this passage by way 
 of one of the corridors of the monastery. In 
 fact, it has all sorts of mysteries connected 
 with it, the passageway, I mean.” 
 
 “ Why, what a strange idea ! ” exclaimed 
 Margaret. 
 
 “It is done because the pagoda is regarded 
 as a most sacred place,” said Wilbur. “ The 
 young Japanese priest, O-to-ri, told us that it 
 was on the spot now occupied by the pagoda 
 
An American Girl in Korea 273 
 
 that a mighty female dragon alighted nearly 
 a thousand years ago.” 
 
 “ What is this about a dragon ? ” asked 
 Sarah, as she entered at this moment, looking 
 very much refreshed by her morning’s nap. 
 
 She was told of the pagoda and of the 
 legend connected with its building. 
 
 “ Oh, the marble pagoda ! ” she exclaimed, 
 “ the place where Meg saw the man with the 
 amber eyes who acted so queerly. Why,” she 
 broke off with a sudden little cry, “ the man 
 was Myo, to be sure ! How stupid of me not 
 to remember at once.” 
 
 “ I have wondered many times what it was 
 he had concealed there,” said Arthur. 
 
 “ Some treasure, no doubt,” replied Wilbur. 
 “ You remember Dr. Griffin told us that in- 
 formation given him concerning the old pole- 
 man was to the effect that he had for some 
 time been in haste to get rich.” 
 
 “ That reminds me,” cried Arthur suddenly. 
 “ What has become of Myo ? ” 
 
 “ Myo is here, Arthur,” Margaret answered. 
 “ I have seen him again, and a dreadful thing 
 has happened.” 
 
 Thereupon she told them of the accident to 
 
274 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Myo, yet, for certain good reasons told noth- 
 ing of the discovery she had made nor of 
 Myo’s communication. Before doing this she 
 must see her father and Dr. Griffin. 
 
 “ Why, poor old fellow ! ” exclaimed Ar- 
 thur, his boyish face full of sympathy. “ Fm 
 truly sorry he has met with an accident, and 
 I do hope it won’t prove fatal. How foolish 
 of him to go walking in that fashion toward 
 the edge of the bluff.” 
 
 While they were still talking about the 
 accident Dr. Griffin and Mr. Vance came in, 
 having finished the interview with the sub- 
 abbot. 
 
 They, too, were shocked and pained to hear 
 of Myo’s terrible fall, and said they must go 
 directly and see how he was. 
 
 Still Margaret gave no hint of what had 
 passed between herself and Myo, since as yet 
 she had had no opportunity to speak privately 
 with her father and Dr. Griffin. If they were 
 going to see Myo, she resolved that she would 
 not say anything until their return. No 
 doubt they would find Myo still unconscious 
 and it would greatly harrow Dr. Griffin’s feel- 
 ings to know just a little, without the oppor- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 275 
 
 tunity to learn more. Margaret was hoping 
 with all her heart that Myo would soon re- 
 cover, and that he himself would tell Dr. 
 Griffin all, whatever the knowledge was that 
 he possessed. One thing stood out clearly in 
 Margaret’s mind, this one, at least, devoid of 
 the mist of perplexity. Since Myo and Won- 
 su were one and the same, then he assuredly 
 was with Walter Griffin during those last 
 days. 
 
 Both Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin were loud 
 in their praises of the san-tong, or sub-abbot. 
 He was a refined, gentlemanly man, with most 
 cordial manners and a benign air that sat well 
 upon him. He had treated them royally, in- 
 sisting that they partake of food with him. 
 The lunch was really palatable, consisting of 
 rice, bean soup, wheaten cakes, pickles, fruit, 
 and tea. He had assured them that they 
 were quite welcome to stay at the monastery 
 as long as their plans detained them. He 
 felt compelled to state, however, that the ab- 
 bot was expected now at any day, and on his 
 arrival all the affairs of the monastery passed 
 into his hands. Of course, he, the san-tong, 
 could not say just what course the abbot 
 
276 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 would pursue, but he hoped Really 
 
 now, when they came to think of it, the san- 
 tong had not made at all clear just what he 
 hoped. It was all very vague, in fact. 
 
 “ The truth is, father,” spoke Arthur 
 quickly, “ he was quite too kind-hearted, I 
 am sure, to tell you that his hope was really 
 a fear that we would be put out bag and bag- 
 gage so soon as the chang-sop, as they call the 
 abbot, returns.” 
 
 “ Why, what makes you say that, Ar- 
 thur?” 
 
 “ Because, sir, every one and everything 
 about the place, man, beast, priest, scullion, 
 even the san-tong himself, stands in fear of 
 the abbot.” 
 
 “ He does indeed seem to be a very harsh 
 and haughty person, uncle,” said Wilbur, 
 “ with a rule like iron. I could see that 
 O-to-ri himself is looking forward to the ab- 
 bot’s return with anything but pleasure.” 
 
 “ There is a certain ceremony they are going 
 to observe,” chimed in Stephen. “ Some parts 
 of it are very secret. Not even the priests 
 themselves of O-to-ri’s rank are permitted to 
 be present at some of the rites.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 277 
 
 “ Oh, what do you think,” cried Arthur sud- 
 denly, “ we are to dine with the san-tong day 
 after to-morrow ! O-to-ri himself told us. I 
 am really alarmed to think I shall not be 
 able to handle the hashi (chop-sticks) in 
 graceful fashion.” 
 
 “ Why, what an honor ! ” exclaimed Mar- 
 garet, as she bowed low in Japanese fashion. 
 
 “ Honorable sirs, we are quite over- 
 whelmed ! ” declared Sarah, as she brought 
 her forehead quite to the floor. “ I fear the 
 san-tong will never be able to survive it.” 
 
 “ He has asked each one of us, even to 
 Stephen,” continued Arthur, bowing in return 
 to both Margaret and Sarah in most patron- 
 izing manner. “ I know you girls are just 
 dying- with envy because you can’t be in- 
 cluded.” 
 
 “ Don’t you see us turning fairly green from 
 it?” bantered Margaret. 
 
 “ It really is too bad ! ” There was deep 
 regret now in Arthur’s tones. “ I told you, 
 Meg, no longer than this very morning that 
 there were many fine things that girls missed, 
 poor things ! because they were girls.” 
 
 “ How about the tine things they do have, 
 
278 An American Giri in Korea 
 
 of which boys, in their turn, know nothing?” 
 asked Margaret gently. 
 
 “ Oh, there is no comparison,” declared Ar- 
 thur. “ Girls have so many restrictions. 
 There is so much in life they can’t enjoy just 
 because they are girls. Neither can they 
 show what is really in them, because there is 
 so little opportunity to ” 
 
 “Exercise their talents?” quizzed Wil- 
 bur. 
 
 “ Well, pretty much that way. There is no 
 use treating it with fun,” he added warmly. 
 “ We all know that a girl’s lot is in many re- 
 spects a most unfortunate one.” 
 
 “ Poor girls ! what an estimate,” exclaimed 
 Mr. Vance. He said this in a doleful voice, 
 nevertheless, his eyes were twinkling as he 
 looked at Dr. Griffin. “ Yet,” the corners of 
 his mouth grew very sober again, “ I have 
 heard more than one wise man declare 
 that ” 
 
 He paused, looking at both Margaret and 
 Sarah as though he would like to kiss each of 
 them. 
 
 “ Go on, father,” urged Arthur. “ What is 
 it that wise men say ? ” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 279 
 
 “ Why, that one girl is worth a dozen boys 
 in any market.” 
 
 “ O you are a traitor to your own sex, sir. 
 For shame ! Now what showing, I would 
 like to know, would a girl have alongside a 
 boy in some big undertaking, like ” 
 
 “ Climbing a mountain, for instance,” sug- 
 gested Wilbur. 
 
 “ Oh, you know what I mean, so there is no 
 need for chaffing. Suppose now that there 
 was something to be done that required tact 
 and energy and courage ” 
 
 “ And audacity,” added Wilbur slyly. 
 
 “ Where, I ask you, sir,” finished Arthur 
 with a flourish and ignoring Wilbur, “ would 
 a girl stand pitted against a boy ? ” 
 
 “ A mile ahead of him ! ” cried Wilbur. 
 “ So shut up, now, Arthur. Considering that 
 there are two of the injured sex in this audi- 
 ence, you are showing neither grace nor good 
 sense, sir.” 
 
 “ I think it is horrid of you, Arthur,” 
 pouted Sarah, “ to speak so ungallantly of 
 girls.” 
 
 “ But I wasn’t speaking ungallantly.” 
 
 “ Yes, you were. Everything you said was 
 
280 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 about girls being inferior to boys. But for 
 Meg’s tact and courage you two boys would 
 even now be lying in a Korean prison.” 
 
 “ Yes, it is both ungraceful and ungrateful 
 of him,” declared Wilbur. “ I advised you to 
 shut up, Arthur, and I think you had better 
 take the advice, from pure shame, if for no 
 other reason.” 
 
 “ But you don’t understand me,” persisted 
 Arthur, his face flushing. “ Meg knows that 
 I am not only appreciative but grateful.” His 
 eyes glowed with feeling now as he looked at 
 his sister. 
 
 “ He would have us dress up as soldiers and 
 go to the war,” remarked Sarah in a comic 
 aside to Margaret. “ Shocking taste, I must 
 say.” 
 
 “ Come,” said Wilbur suddenly, with a nod 
 toward Margaret, “ let us go to the temple. 
 The priests are beginning their prayers, and I 
 for one must admit my curiosity to see their 
 mode of worship.” 
 
 “But will they permit us to witness it?” 
 asked Sarah in some surprise. 
 
 “ O yes, when it is held in this outside 
 temple, any one about the monastery is at 
 
An American Girl in Korea 281 
 
 liberty to attend. You will see a motley ar- 
 ray of hangers-on gathered there, the blind, 
 the lame, the sick ; beggars of every age and 
 condition. Besides, the nuns and novices 
 also attend,” he added reassuringly. “ Let us 
 hasten, or we may miss something we would 
 care most to see.” 
 
 Sarah, however, declared that she believed 
 she would not go, and so, too, did Arthur and 
 Stephen finally. They were tired out from 
 the long tramp just taken. 
 
 The temple, in which the noon worship was 
 being conducted, stood just in the rear of the 
 main portion of the monastery. It was an 
 imposing building oblong in shape, with wings 
 and a lofty curved tiled roof, deep eaves and a 
 mass of wood carving everywhere visible. 
 
 It was as Wilbur had predicted. A miscel- 
 laneous crowd was gathered within. Much of 
 the floor space was occupied by kneeling 
 forms. # 
 
 Wilbur and Margaret soon found an un- 
 occupied space beside one of the massive 
 wooden pillars that supported the roof from 
 the inside. Like all the rest of the temple, it 
 was elaborately carved. Carved images were 
 
282 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 also lined in rows about the walls, most of 
 them gilded or painted in rich colors. 
 
 The priests were in the midst of a chant, 
 and smoke was rising from the brass incense 
 burners at the altar. Numerous bells were 
 also being tapped by means of little wooden 
 mallets in the hands of the priests. 
 
 As soon as Margaret’s eyes became used to 
 the softened tone of the light within, she saw 
 that she and Wilbur had taken their places 
 beside a group of nuns. At another time 
 Wilbur’s nearness would no doubt have 
 created something of a commotion, but as 
 the nuns were now in the midst of their 
 devotions, no one paid any attention to him. 
 
 Novices were also among the nuns, most of 
 them kneeling in the rear. Directly Margaret 
 became attracted by the face of a little novice 
 bending in the act of devotion almost within 
 touch of her. She was very slight and girlish, 
 and Margaret felt sure she was no more than 
 fifteen or sixteen years of age. 
 
 Suddenly she became aware of Margaret’s 
 gaze and their eyes met. A wild rose bloom 
 stole into her cheeks. Involuntarily Margaret 
 drew nearer' and touched her hand. The 
 
An American Girl in Korea 283 
 
 kindly feeling was evident, and now the 
 soft black eyes held a smile, as once more 
 they encountered Margaret's. 
 
 The little maid was a Japanese, Margaret 
 was almost sure, yet the eyes were not so 
 distinctly almond-shaped as is usual with 
 that race. Her face was of a rich, cream 
 tint, her lashes long, with the slightest in- 
 clination to curl, and there was so much of 
 pleasantness and sweetness in the countenance, 
 it really was a most winning one to look upon. . _ 
 
 The chant grew wilder, the clang of the 
 bells had increased to an ear-splitting din as 
 the priests struck them with more and more 
 frenzy. The smoke of the incense was filling 
 the temple, stifling now in its fumes. Mar- 
 garet was rejoiced when the ceremony came to 
 an end, with a crash of bells and cymbals and 
 the deafening roll of drums that for a moment 
 seemed must through its terrific force lift the 
 roof from the temple. 
 
 Margaret managed to keep close beside the 
 little maid as they were going out. She felt 
 the incontrollable impulse to speak to her. 
 Poor young thing ! her life would be hard 
 enough after a while, when she was shut away 
 
284 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 from so many of the sweet things of life ! 
 Perhaps even now a little word kindly spoken, 
 that showed another’s interest and sympathy, 
 would fall as the rain-drops upon parched 
 earth. 
 
 They had reached the porch by this time 
 and the little maid had stopped to regain her 
 sandals. 
 
 Obeying a sudden impulse, Margaret put 
 her arm about her. 
 
 “ Tell me your name,” she said in the 
 language she was sure the little maid would 
 know. 
 
 She turned quickly to glance into Margaret’s 
 face, her own filled with surprise and pleasure. 
 
 “ They call me Kingen,” she said in low, 
 soft voice. 
 
 “ Kingen ! ” It meant Golden River. How 
 appropriate that maid so attractive should 
 have a name so charming. Golden River ! 
 How soft and liquid the syllables were. 
 
 “ You are not yet with the nuns ? ” 
 
 Margaret glanced as she spoke at the soft 
 gray kimono, folded with such grace over the 
 bosom of the little maid. Every part of it 
 showed such scrupulous care. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 285 
 
 “ No ; most honorable lady, I am as yet but 
 a novice of the first year.” 
 
 Another question Margaret was about to 
 ask, but at that moment her glance fell upon 
 something that rested beneath the folds of 
 Kingen’s soft gray robe, one portion of which 
 came up about her throat. So amazing was 
 the sight that Margaret continued to stare at 
 it in such a way that Wilbur, reaching her 
 side at that moment, through the crowd that 
 had temporarily separated them, gazed at her 
 in alarm. 
 
 “ Are you sick, Margaret? ” he asked. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 IN THE HALL OF THE FOUR SAGES 
 
 Wilbur’s words brought Margaret to her 
 senses. She turned quickly to answer him. 
 
 “ No ; I am not sick. Do not think that.” 
 Then she leaned toward him, adding in lower 
 tones, “ Wilbur, there is a little maid here to 
 whom I wish especially to speak. I will tell 
 you all about it afterward. As she will no 
 doubt be very shy if you remain, and be 
 tongue-tied in consequence, I would like so 
 the opportunity of seeing her alone for a 
 little while.” 
 
 “ Why, certainly, Margaret,” was the quick 
 and pleasant reply. “ I will wait for you at 
 the gateway.” 
 
 Most of the worshipers had now regained 
 their sandals and passed from the porch. 
 Many paused to glance curiously at Mar- 
 garet. Nearly all of them had heard of the 
 presence of the foreigners at the monastery 
 and some of them had already seen her. Their 
 
 286 
 
An American Girl in Korea 287 
 
 curiosity, however, had not been sated, so they 
 must needs stare at her again full-eyed as they 
 passed by her. 
 
 So soon as Wilbur had moved away Mar- 
 garet said to the little maid, Golden River, 
 
 “ Please let me speak to you a little while 
 where no one else can hear. There is some- 
 thing I wish very much to ask you.” 
 
 Kingen looked at her in surprise. 
 
 What could this pretty foreign girl have to 
 say to her that really was of importance ? It 
 seemed hard to believe that it could be im- 
 portant. Yet there was such an earnest look 
 now in Margaret’s eyes, and her manner said 
 so plainly that Kingen would oblige her 
 greatly by yielding, that the little maid could 
 no longer demur. Besides, had not this sweet 
 young girl been extremely friendly to her? 
 Kingen could feel now the soft, warm touch 
 of Margaret’s hand as it lay upon hers for a 
 moment in the temple. 
 
 “ Where can we go that no one will hear 
 us?” asked Margaret. 
 
 “ In the grove at the side of the temple,” 
 said Kingen. “ No one is there now, I 
 think.” 
 
288 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 They found a secluded spot at the foot of a 
 large oak. Margaret sat down upon a project- 
 ing root and drew Kingen beside her. For a 
 moment or so timid little Golden River seemed 
 quite shy in this nearness to the young for- 
 eigner whose fair face and glossy hair had 
 rendered her almost breathless with admira- 
 tion. But Margaret managed so tactfully that 
 soon the little maid was at ease. 
 
 Suddenly Margaret leaned toward Kingen, 
 and, touching a sheeny silken scarf that lay 
 tucked between the demure folds of the gray 
 kimono, said, 
 
 “ Tell me, dear little Golden River, where is 
 he who gave you this ? ” 
 
 It was almost as bold a stroke as she had 
 used with Myo, though extreme gentleness and 
 kindness were in the voice in which she now 
 spoke to Kingen. The tones were clear and 
 soft, yet Margaret’s heart was in a tumult, for 
 the scarf resting between the folds of the little 
 Japanese maid’s kimono was one Margaret had 
 often seen Walter Griffin wear. A friend had 
 brought it to him from France, and Margaret 
 herself had worked the initials, one of which 
 was now showing plainly. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 289 
 
 “ Do you mean the noble lord who was a 
 great artist, whose pictures said words to you 
 when you looked at them ? ” asked the little 
 maid sadly. 
 
 “ Yes,” replied Margaret eagerly, “ it is he I 
 mean.” 
 
 She was rejoiced to have arrived so speedily 
 at the heart of the matter. 
 
 “ He is dead,” said Kingen, and now a mist 
 came into her eyes and her lips trembled. 
 “ The river swallowed him up. O, it was 
 dreadful ! ” 
 
 The little maid hid her face in the sleeve 
 of her kimono and a sob shook her frame. 
 
 “ Can this really be true, Kingen ? Are 
 you sure he was drowned in the river ? May 
 you not be mistaken ? ” 
 
 Perplexity suddenly shadowed Margaret’s 
 joy. How was she to reconcile this statement 
 with that of Myo, that Walter Griffin had died 
 at a monastery? 
 
 “ Oh, no ; O no,” replied Kingen ; “ I am 
 not mistaken. With my own eyes I saw him 
 go away. He was very gay. They said he 
 had been very fortunate in digging treasure 
 out of the great hill, Nippoo-san, and that he 
 
290 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 was going back to his friends in Seoul, and to 
 one he loved better than all others, to share 
 with them his good fortune. He smiled and 
 swung his cap to me, and cried out that I must 
 not forget him, that even if I had the mind to 
 do it, the scarf would not let me. He had 
 given it to me only the day before. He was 
 pleased to think I had done him some service 
 in cooking him the things he liked on the 
 brazier, as my mother taught me. He knew 
 I admired the scarf, for I had told him how 
 beautiful it was. 
 
 “ I was only a little maid then,” continued 
 Golden River, raising her face, on the cheeks 
 of which the tears still sparkled, “ not more 
 than twelve. I am fifteen now.” 
 
 All the while Kingen was speaking, Mar- 
 garet’s heart had been beating tumultuously. 
 Yes, truly here was another link in the chain ! 
 and in what an astonishing manner she had 
 been enabled to find it. The little maid spoke 
 too positively for her to doubt. Walter Grif- 
 fin had been here, at this very monastery ! 
 Golden River had seen him and talked with 
 him ; more than this, she had served him so 
 faithfully he had been led to give her the 
 
An American Girl in Korea 291 
 
 scarf, which Margaret knew he valued highly. 
 But was it this monastery? Kingen had not 
 said so definitely, though to Margaret it seemed 
 plainly to be inferred. The little maid, how- 
 ever, soon set her fully at rest on this subject. 
 
 The man with the wonderful pictures in his 
 head had really been here, at Chang-an-sa. 
 He had remained two weeks or more, as well 
 as the little maid could remember. It was not 
 the first time, however, that he had been here. 
 He had painted many beautiful things, one 
 for her especially, which she would show the 
 kind foreign lady if she desired it. 
 
 “ Yes, Kingen, I should like much to see 
 it,” said Margaret softly. “ If you do not 
 mind, I will come soon to your apartment, so 
 that you can show it to me.” 
 
 Kingen said that she did not mind, neither 
 would the other novices who lodged with her. 
 The nuns were not so very strict with them as 
 yet. She really would be pleased to have her 
 honorable friend make her a visit. 
 
 Then Kingen went on to tell Margaret that 
 the young man with the pictures in his head, 
 who, she was sure, must be a lord in his own 
 land, so noble was his air, had painted a pic- 
 
292 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 ture of the chang-sop. It hung in the Hall 
 of the Four Sages within the monastery, and 
 was truly very wonderful, so all who saw it 
 declared. So perfect was the picture, the ab- 
 bot seemed about to speak. 
 
 “ Are foreigners allowed to visit this hall, 
 Kingen ? ” asked Margaret suddenly. 
 
 “ I do not know,” replied the little maid 
 looking puzzled. “ They used to be allowed 
 to enter it, but not now, since the picture has 
 been placed there, I have been told.” 
 
 “ Perhaps no foreigners have been here since 
 that time, until we came,” suggested Margaret. 
 
 “Yes, I am sure there have been two or 
 three,” replied Kingen slowly, “ for I saw 
 
 them myself. The chang-sop ” 
 
 Here Kingen paused, and, looking about 
 her quite nervously, lowered her voice as she 
 continued, 
 
 “ The chang-sop does not wish foreigners to 
 come. He does not like them, and says they 
 come only to spy. He sent away the young 
 lord who painted his picture and almost as 
 soon as the picture was finished.” 
 
 “ What made him do that, Kingen ? ” 
 Margaret was surprised at the sudden nerv- 
 
Aa American Girl in Korea 293 
 
 ousness with which she awaited the little 
 maid’s reply. 
 
 “ I do not know, honorable lady, but I 
 think it was because of something the young 
 lord did which the chang-sop did not like. 
 He is very quick tempered and haughty,” 
 added Golden River, looking about her again 
 apprehensively, “ not at all like the san-tong, 
 whom every one loves.” 
 
 A sudden inspiration seized Margaret. 
 
 “ O do you think, little friend, Golden 
 River, that the san-tong would show us the 
 Hall of the Four Sages and the picture which 
 the young lord, as you call him, painted ? ” 
 Kingen’s face brightened suddenly. 
 
 “ I think, honorable friend, that he would. 
 You can but ask him. He is very kind, and 
 I believe will not refuse you.” 
 
 Golden River’s face as she turned it toward 
 Margaret said plainly, though her words did 
 not, “ How could any one refuse you ? ” 
 
 “ Can I find the san-tong easily ? ” asked 
 Margaret. ‘ ‘ Where is his apartment ? I mean 
 the public one, where visitors are received.” 
 
 “ It is down a passageway, honorable lady, 
 that leads from the great main hall, about 
 
294 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 midway on the left, as you enter from the 
 rear. It is the third or fourth door down the 
 passageway, I have forgotten just which, but 
 there is a shrine of Gautama near the portal, 
 you can hardly miss it.” 
 
 “ Thank you, Kingen,” said Margaret ear- 
 nestly as she rose to go, and, drawing the lit- 
 tle maid toward her, kissed her heartily. 
 “You have been very good and sweet to an- 
 swer my questions so freely. Let me tell you 
 now that he about whom I have asked you 
 was a dear friend of mine, and in our home 
 in Seoul lives the one who was dearer to him 
 than all others. It is for her sake most of all 
 that I have asked you the questions.” 
 
 “ Oh ! ” cried Kingen. “ Oh ! ” and the 
 soft eyes grew dewy with tears. “ And he 
 never came home again ? ” she asked wist- 
 fully, as though there might have been after 
 all some miracle wrought whereby he had 
 been saved from a watery grave. 
 
 “ He never came home again,” replied Mar- 
 garet, shaking her head sadly, and now her 
 eyes were as misty as Kingen ’s own. 
 
 As they walked slowly back toward the 
 front of the temple, Margaret said to Kingen f 
 
An American Girl in Korea 295 
 
 “ I shall come soon to see the wonderful 
 picture, little Golden River, you may rest as- 
 sured, and there is much more I want to ask 
 you of him who was the friend of both.” 
 
 Wilbur was just without the gateway await- 
 ing Margaret. As she spied him, Golden 
 River tucked her head down and passed de- 
 murely by. 
 
 Wilbur smiled amusedly, then he turned to 
 ask of Margaret, 
 
 “ Did you find the little maid as interesting 
 as you hoped, cousin ? ” 
 
 “ Even more so,” she replied earnestly. 
 But she was not ready to tell Wilbur, or 
 any other of the younger members of the 
 party, the story of the startling developments 
 of the last few hours. One false step now 
 might frustrate the best laid plans. So she 
 went on, 
 
 “ I am anxious to learn all I can about this 
 particular monastery, and I thought the little 
 nun might tell me some things. She’s a dear 
 little thing.” 
 
 If he read beneath her assumed gayety any- 
 thing deeper than the object she had admitted, 
 he gave no sign. 
 
296 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Something of a shock awaited Margaret on 
 reaching the pavilion. She was burning with 
 the desire to unburden her heart to her father 
 and Dr. Griffin ; she must tell them all now 
 just as soon as she could do so privately. 
 What was her consternation, then, to learn 
 that they had departed nearly an hour ago 
 for the village four miles or so up the river 
 and on the other side ! The arrangements 
 had been made hurriedly, they having given 
 themselves barely time to partake of the 
 noonday meal ere departing. Kang had 
 come for them, appearing shortly after Wil- 
 bur and Margaret had started for the temple. 
 There was some business, he declared, that 
 needed the immediate attention of his em- 
 ployers. An opportunity had presented itself 
 to secure the very sampan they needed, at an 
 astonishingly low price, if they acted at once. 
 But they must perfect the arrangements in 
 person, as the owner refused to treat with an 
 agent. He was, moreover, in a great hurry, 
 asserting that he must leave the village at 
 daylight on the morrow, if the bargain had 
 not been struck in the meantime. 
 
 Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin had lingered 
 
An American Girl in Korea 297 
 
 only long enough to partake of a hurried 
 meal and to make some arrangements that 
 would be a little pleasanter for Margaret and 
 Sarah. Two of the nuns were to lodge in the 
 apartment next that of the girls during the 
 nights Mr. Vance and Dr. Griffin were away. 
 As the day after the morrow would be the 
 Sabbath, Mr. Vance had left a message for 
 Margaret to the effect that he and Dr. Griffin 
 would in all probability remain for religious 
 services in the village. 
 
 Arthur and Stephen had accompanied them 
 as far as the river. They had expressed the 
 desire to go all the way to the ferry, where, 
 Kang had said, a flatboat was waiting to take 
 them across, but Mr. Vance had declared they 
 must not think of such a thing. He wanted 
 the boys to be back at the monastery before 
 sunset, for they must remember that to them 
 and Wilbur was assigned the important post 
 of taking care of the girls. 
 
 Margaret’s mind was in a state of chaos. 
 What was best to do ? She had not realized 
 fully until that moment just how much she 
 had depended upon unburdening herself to 
 her father and Dr. Griffin. Of course, they 
 
298 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 must know all, and at once, she had de- 
 cided. 
 
 But now her desire could not be put into 
 effect. Her father and Dr. Griffin had gone 
 away, and would probably be absent until the 
 noon of Monday. In the meantime, what 
 should she do? As that question came, her 
 first thought was of Myo. There was still the 
 perplexity that presented itself through his 
 statement, which directly conflicted with that 
 of Kingen. Perhaps Myo had recovered con- 
 sciousness. But this hope was soon dispelled; 
 for, on making enquiry of Sarah, she learned 
 that her father and Dr. Griffin on returning 
 from the visit to Myo, had stated that he was 
 still the same. Dr. Griffin had made an ex- 
 amination and expressed very little hope of 
 his recovery. 
 
 A daring resolution took possession of Mar- 
 garet. She had asked Kingen about the san- 
 tong and the possibility of his granting her 
 permission to visit the Hall of the Four Sages 
 to see the wonderful picture Walter Griffin 
 had made of the chang-sop. All the time, 
 however, she was far more desirous of seeing 
 the san-tong to ask him questions than she 
 
An American Girl in Korea 299 
 
 was to seek permission for a view of the pic- 
 ture. The san-tong was kind, he was gentle- 
 manly, he was considerate ; this much and 
 more her father and Dr. Griffin had said of 
 him. The little maid, too, had been earnest 
 in her praise. Surely she had naught to fear 
 from the san-tong, but much to gain. 
 
 She looked at Wilbur, who had walked 
 some steps away to speak to Min. Should 
 she tell him all and ask him to attend her on 
 the visit to the san-tong ? A spirit of sturdy 
 independence suddenly seized Margaret. She 
 had gone thus far unaided, why not go fur- 
 ther still? How astonished they would all 
 be when they learned the extent of her dis- 
 coveries ! 
 
 Margaret’s thoughts went also to Sarah. 
 She would have liked Sarah to accompany 
 her, but when she recalled how easy she was 
 to take alarm, she quickly gave up the desire. 
 There was really no impropriety in Margaret’s 
 visiting the san-tong. All ages and condi- 
 tions of humanity sought his public apart- 
 ment in the absence of the chang-sop. It 
 was a kind of court room, where he listened 
 to all sorts of pleas, passed sentences — of the 
 
300 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 mildest sort, as was asserted, — granted pardon, 
 bestowed alms, and settled matters of business 
 pertaining to the daily routine of the mon- 
 astery. 
 
 Margaret’s ardent hope was that she would 
 find the san-tong alone. She noticed as she 
 passed onward toward the main hall that the 
 yards and courtways were nearly deserted. 
 There were only a few workmen and servants 
 about. Two or three priests passed her in 
 their white gowns, with metal gongs attached 
 to their girdles. 
 
 The hallway was entirely deserted. It was 
 the hour of the evening prayers in the cells, 
 but Margaret did not know it. The bell had 
 rung before she left the pavilion, but so filled 
 was her mind with what she was about to do, 
 that the significance of its ringing had not 
 suggested itself to her. 
 
 She was sure she was closely following the 
 directions Kingen had given her. She had 
 turned to the left now and was passing down 
 a narrower corridor. Here were the doors, as 
 the little maid had said. She counted them, 
 one, two, three, four. Kingen had not been 
 sure as to whether it were the third door or 
 
An American Girl in Korea 301 
 
 the fourth one. But where was the shrine ? 
 She could see nothing of it. The light was 
 not strong in the hall, but if there had been 
 anything at hand of the bulk she felt sure the 
 shrine was, she would have seen it. Kingen 
 had not known, when telling her of this 
 shrine, that it had recently been taken away 
 for repairs. 
 
 Margaret knocked upon the panel of both 
 the third and fourth doors, timidly at first, 
 then louder and louder as she met with no re- 
 sponse. Then she tried each door, but each 
 alike resisted all her effort to open it. 
 
 Suddenly an object by the side of a door at 
 the end of the hall attracted her attention. 
 She could just make it out in the somewhat 
 uncertain light. She walked swiftly to it. It 
 must be the shrine to which Kingen alluded. 
 There was an ebony stool in front of it, and 
 on the shrine below the images, brass incense 
 burners, candles in burnished candlesticks 
 ready to be lighted, and a great porcelain bowl 
 heaped high with fruit. This must indeed be 
 the shrine of Gautama. No doubt the san- 
 tong had changed his apartment without the 
 little maid’s knowing of it. 
 
302 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Leaning forward Margaret placed her hand 
 upon the door and pushed against it. She 
 did not note that it was much larger than any 
 other in its vicinity and very elaborately 
 carved. 
 
 The door yielded at last to her pressure. It 
 turned back easily, noiselessly, as though 
 some hand from within were assisting her. 
 As it swung back revealing the interior, Mar- 
 garet gasped in her surprise. She was stand- 
 ing at the threshold of a long and lofty apart- 
 ment, the roof of which was supported by 
 pillars of a marble-like whiteness beautifully 
 gilded in a network of vines and sprays of 
 flowers. The walls, too, were adorned with 
 the same beautiful tracery of gold and white, 
 with numerous carved images painted and 
 gilded, and pictures embroidered in gold upon 
 silk. At one end there was a magnificent 
 canopy, above and about which hung rich 
 silken draperies of so sheeny a texture they 
 seemed melting away as the afternoon sun- 
 light fell upon them through the openings for 
 light and air. Under this canopy sat four im- 
 mense bronze figures, each in a different atti- 
 tude of meditation. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 303 
 
 • 
 
 “ The Hall of the Four Sages ! ” exclaimed 
 Margaret, her voice quivering with excite- 
 ment. “ To think that, without really intend- 
 ing it, I have really come here ! ” 
 
 Then, scarcely conscious of what she did, 
 she stepped within and let the door swing 
 back again behind her. It closed as noise- 
 lessly as it had opened. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE JUDGMENT OF THE BUDDHA 
 
 Slowly- and with bated breath Margaret 
 advanced within the apartment, at every step 
 becoming more and more assured that this 
 was indeed the Hall of the Four Sages men- 
 tioned by Kingen. 
 
 “ Where is the picture of the abbot, painted 
 by Walter Griffin ?” This was the thought 
 now uppermost in her mind. 
 
 And then, and when least expecting it, she 
 came upon the picture. It was above an 
 alcove in the wall, to the right of the silk- 
 draped canopy beneath which sat, or half re- 
 clined, the four pensive-looking Buddhas. 
 
 The picture was well placed. Though the 
 sun was near to its setting, and there were but 
 a few rays that slanted through the apertures 
 set high in the outer walls of the apartment, 
 still the light fell upon the picture and she 
 could see it plainly. 
 
 It was a finely executed piece of work, and 
 the abbot did indeed look, as Kingen had 
 
 304 
 
An American Girl in Korea 305 
 
 said, as though about to speak, yet Margaret 
 turned away from the picture with a shudder. 
 Not even the beautiful silken robes of office, 
 the golden girdle and other adornments with 
 which the abbot had arrayed himself, could 
 soften the cold, hard features, suggestive of 
 both haughtiness and cruel will. 
 
 Margaret walked about the hall for some 
 moments, her interest growing deeper. How 
 she wished the others, especially Sarah, could 
 have seen the exquisite carvings. Margaret 
 could hear now the exclamations of aston- 
 ishment and incredulity with which they 
 would receive the story of her unintentional 
 visit to the Hall of the Four Sages ! 
 
 The deep booming of the great bronze bell 
 suddenly brought Margaret to a realization of 
 her strange position. She wondered at her- 
 self for not having before realized it. Her 
 coolness in walking about the hall and so 
 leisurely examining things was truly astonish- 
 ing. Suppose the priests found her here, 
 what would they say and do ? 
 
 She started quickly toward the door by 
 which she had entered. Could she hope to 
 be as fortunate in avoiding notice as she re- 
 
306 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 turned through the passageways of the main 
 building as she had been when she came? 
 She feared not. Yet if she could only find 
 the san-tong, all would be well, she be- 
 lieved. 
 
 She tried the door, but could not open it, 
 for it seemed to have caught hard and fast. 
 Perhaps it was only stuck. For the first 
 time she noted how massive looking it was. 
 How had she ever opened it? But then it 
 seemed to yield easily to her pressure, almost 
 as though some one had assisted her in open- 
 ing it. 
 
 There was a large bronze handle to the 
 door. She caught hold of this and tugged 
 with all her might ; still there was no yield- 
 ing of the door. 
 
 “ It is no use ! ” cried Margaret at last in 
 despair. “ I cannot open it. There is a 
 spring, no doubt, and it is caught. I must 
 find some other way to get out.” 
 
 From the shape of the hall, she was sure 
 she was now in one of the new wings of the 
 building, the passages through which she had 
 come being in the old or main portion. No 
 doubt she could find her way out by other 
 
An American Girl in Korea 307 
 
 passageways which led to an entrance in the 
 outer wall of the wing. 
 
 She crossed the hall again, seeking for a 
 door along the opposite wall. She was startled 
 now to see how dim the light had become. 
 The sun no doubt had dipped suddenly be- 
 hind a mountain peak. Margaret had to 
 walk cautiously to keep from stumbling 
 against the different shrines, images, and 
 other objects set here and there about the 
 floor. She reached the opposite wall and 
 began groping along it, seeking a door. 
 After some moments her search was re- 
 warded. There was a recess in the wall, 
 before which hung draperies of rich bro- 
 cade. Pushing them aside she entered the 
 alcove to find at its back a small door almost 
 as elaborately carved as was the great main 
 door. It was ajar, and through it came a beam 
 of light. 
 
 An exclamation of thankfulness escaped 
 Margaret, and she was about to push the 
 door open, so that she could pass through, 
 when a sudden feeling of hesitancy stayed 
 her. What would she find on the other side? 
 Might not the priests be there at their devo- 
 
308 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 tions ? The light so indicated. She bent for- 
 ward, listening intently. There was no sound. 
 If persons were there, she surely would catch 
 some sound. Yet the priests might be at 
 silent prayer. If this w T ere so, could she not 
 slip through the apartment unnoticed ? 
 
 With this hope strongly defined, Margaret 
 carefully pushed open the door and entered. 
 She had no more than done so, however, 
 when she stood spellbound with horror. 
 And no wonder ! for the scene upon which 
 she looked was amply sufficient to strike upon 
 a young girl’s nerves with terror. 
 
 The apartment was only about half the size 
 of that through which she had just passed, 
 yet in its suggestions of horror it seemed in- 
 terminable. Everything that could produce 
 an impression of gloom, that could awaken 
 terror by dumb representations, was there. It 
 was the Temple of the Judges, though Mar- 
 garet did not then know it, and here was held, 
 at two or three times of the year, certain mys- 
 terious rites called “ The Judgment of the 
 Buddha.” In reality the judgment was by 
 the high ecclesiastical dignitary of the monas- 
 tery, the abbot. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 
 
 3°9 
 
 The ceilings and walls of this forbidding 
 looking apartment were of wood blackened to 
 a midnight hue, and so highly polished that 
 it shone like mirrors. At one end of it there 
 was a canopy, as in the Hall of the Four 
 Sages. On a platform beneath sat an im- 
 mense bronze Buddha, and grouped about it 
 other bronze images, representing associate 
 judges, all of them disciples of the Buddha 
 who had made themselves famous through 
 various ages. 
 
 In front of the Buddha was an altar, and 
 surrounding all a railing of brass. Along the 
 altar and on various brackets and pedestals 
 were lighted candles in massive holders of 
 ebony. 
 
 Only the Buddha had a merciful look upon 
 his face. The images of the associate judges 
 had been made to look as horrible as possible. 
 At the back of each judge were pictures depict- 
 ing the most awful tortures of those who dis- 
 obeyed the teachings of Buddhism. All along 
 the walls of the hall and against the pillars 
 that supported the roof were placed innumer- 
 able images of gods and demons, with hideous, 
 grinning faces and leering eyes. The central 
 
310 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 figure of the hall was an immense dragon, 
 showing a frightful countenance, as though 
 just cheated of his prey. 
 
 Bravely trying to conquer the feeling of 
 repulsion and terror that had seized her at 
 sight of this horrible Judgment Hall, Mar- 
 garet advanced a few paces within the room 
 and glanced about her carefully. To all ap- 
 pearance the hall was deserted, though the 
 numerous lighted candles gave evidence of 
 some form of devotions soon to begin. 
 
 With her heart beating rapidly, and her 
 knees trembling, Margaret crossed the hall to 
 the wall on the opposite side. Carefully she 
 searched along the entire length, but without 
 avail. There was no outlet of any kind, so 
 far as she had been able to discover. All this 
 while her hearing had been strained to catch 
 any sound of approaching steps. 
 
 She now resolved to try the wall that lay at 
 an angle to this one, that at the rear of the 
 hall. She had covered about half the distance 
 toward it, when a noise in the direction of the 
 altar caused her to turn her head. Three 
 priests were there at their devotions. So noise- 
 lessly had they approached in their bare feet 
 
An American Girl in Korea 311 
 
 that Margaret had not noticed them. Even 
 as she gazed, four others appeared, then a mo- 
 ment or so later there came in view a proces- 
 sion the sight of which caused Margaret to step 
 quickly behind the cover of a pillar. It was 
 the abbot, with the sub-abbot and the monks 
 of a higher rank, she was sure. As they ap- 
 proached the altar, the great bell without 
 boomed again with deep, hoarse notes. It had 
 barely ceased when a wild chant burst from 
 the lips of those about the altar. 
 
 While this was still in progress, Margaret 
 dared to look again. This time it was cau- 
 tiously, and from behind the friendly shelter 
 of the pillar. The abbot had taken his place 
 on the platform beside the Buddha. Two 
 priests had approached the brass incense burn- 
 ers on the altar ; others were crouched about 
 the gilded railing on hands and knees, their 
 foreheads touching the floor. Margaret was 
 astonished to see so many. How had such a 
 large number entered with so little noise? 
 Judging from the direction whence the pro- 
 cession had come, the priests had evidently 
 entered by a door just to the left of the canopy. 
 Why had not Margaret been able to find it? 
 
312 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Should she seek it now ? She had made the 
 movement to do this when a thought restrained 
 her. It would be very bad breeding to dis- 
 turb the priests at their devotions, as she would 
 no doubt do if she passed so near to them. It 
 was heathen worship, it was true, but she 
 would respect it. The only graceful thing, it 
 seemed to her, she could now do, was to wait 
 until the devotions were over. Then she 
 would follow by the way she saw the priests 
 go out. 
 
 It never occurred to Margaret that she could 
 be witnessing anything forbidden to her and 
 to all others save those who took part in it. 
 Outsiders were welcomed to the services in the 
 temple, then why not here ? 
 
 Margaret soon had an answer to her last 
 question in the startling nature of the rites on 
 which she looked. The chants grew more weird 
 and wild ; Sanscrit litanies were intoned by 
 voices that rose higher and shriller, till they 
 reached a climax of discordant, blood-chilling 
 sounds. Priests, acting as though they were 
 going mad, circled round and round three 
 bronze bells, set upon low pedestals, which they 
 struck with mallets of metal. In the midst 
 
An American Girl in Korea 313 
 
 of the frenzy a number of the candles were ex- 
 tinguished, then almost as suddenly every 
 sound ceased. 
 
 The abbot rose. The flame from the can- 
 dles, burning in a circle about him, shone 
 upon his shaven head and haughty face. He 
 extended his hand and spoke burning words 
 of denunciation. Then one by one priests ap- 
 proached with bowed heads and most hum- 
 ble mien. They had removed their vestments 
 and were clothed now only in short, sleeveless 
 tunics. Books were in their hands, which 
 were extended to the abbot, books in which 
 all the sins, both of thought and of act, during 
 the past months, were recorded. 
 
 The abbot took them and read such parts as 
 he thought would cover the culprits with the 
 greater shame and confusion. Scathing com- 
 ments followed the readings. It was a general 
 confession of all misdeeds of the flesh, of all 
 weaknesses of the spirit, in which every one 
 took part, even the abbot himself getting down 
 upon hands and knees and confessing all to 
 Buddha ; in low tones, however, which no one 
 heard. 
 
 Suddenly the light of the extinguished can- 
 
314 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 dies flared up again and the smoke of burning 
 incense began to pervade the apartment. The 
 judge now read the sentences, each culprit 
 listening with bowed head to the form of pun- 
 ishment meted out to him. 
 
 Suddenly the chanting broke forth again, 
 the wild clashing of bells, the shrieking of 
 prayers, the frenzied whirl of figures clawing 
 with sharp finger nails into the flesh of breast 
 and shoulders, until the blood trickled down 
 streaking with red the snow-white tunics. 
 Over all, mingling with the smoke of the in- 
 cense, a deep red light began to steal, growing 
 more and more vivid as the outburst of sound 
 grew louder and louder, till the mingled voices 
 became almost an uproar. Then as suddenly 
 as before the din ceased. The priests stood 
 motionless, their faces upturned to the light. 
 In the fierce, mysterious glow the countenances 
 of the judges looked more diabolical than 
 ever. 
 
 All this while Margaret had stood without 
 the power of movement. She was like one 
 under the force of a spell. The horrible rites 
 she had witnessed had struck her numb with 
 terror. Two or three times she had felt that 
 
An American Girl in Korea 315 
 
 she must cry out and rush from the room, but 
 each time she felt incapable of voice or of 
 motion. Her brain was in a whirl, yet there 
 was one thing quite clear to her ; she had wit- 
 nessed what she ought never to have seen. 
 This thought kept her silent and trembling 
 even after the orgies had ceased and the spell 
 of numbness to a considerable degree had been 
 broken. 
 
 “ What am I to do ? ” Margaret asked her- 
 self in dismay. “ Oh, why did I not try to 
 escape at the beginning of the ceremonies, 
 while the light was dim ? But for the shadow 
 of the pillar and that of the great image beside 
 it, I would long ago have been discovered, I 
 am sure.” 
 
 The priests were still standing about the 
 altar, their faces upturned. The red glow was 
 fading. No doubt it was for this they were 
 waiting. 
 
 In desperation Margaret suddenly moved 
 away from the pillar. Her nerves were on a 
 tension. If she were ever going to escape, 
 now was the one remaining opportunity, while 
 the priests were in that attitude of rapt devo- 
 tion. There was now but a dim light through 
 
316 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 certain portions of the hall. Perhaps by 
 keeping close within the shadows cast by the 
 rows of images she might reach the door un- 
 seen. 
 
 Two-thirds of the distance had been trav- 
 ersed, and Margaret was just congratulating 
 herself that, with a little more caution and a 
 little more nerve, she would soon be beyond 
 the range of eyes, when her foot caught in the 
 outstretched claws of a dragon, and she stum- 
 bled. In her effort to recover herself, she 
 clutched at a near-by shrine. Her fingers 
 struck a porcelain bowl, carelessly set close to 
 the edge. Down it fell with a crash. 
 
 Instantly every head bowed in devotion 
 about the altar was raised. There were sharp 
 exclamations, cries of alarm and anger. Then 
 two forms, darting out from among the others, 
 quickly sped toward the spot where Margaret 
 was now righting herself. 
 
 In another moment rough hands had seized 
 her and were dragging her toward the altar. 
 
 The monks crowded around, some open- 
 mouthed and open-eyed with wonder, others 
 again, and by far the larger number, staring 
 at her with scowling, threatening counte- 
 
An American Girl in Korea 317 
 
 nances. In all the throng she caught sight 
 of but one pitying face. It was that of the 
 san-tong, she was sure. Then she saw the 
 abbot approach. He pushed others aside that 
 he might have a better view of her. 
 
 “ The second time the offense has occurred,” 
 he said, turning a scowling face toward the 
 sang-tong, “ and each time it has been by the 
 same breed ! Strange that the daring pre- 
 sumption should be shared by men and women 
 alike. ,, 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 THE CELL OF YO-DO-KI 
 
 Margaret held her head up proudly ; yet 
 there mingled with this pride the feeling that 
 she had committed a grievous wrong, though 
 unwittingly. She had witnessed certain mys- 
 tic rites forbidden to the eyes of all aliens, and 
 even to some of the priests themselves. It 
 was a grave offense, she knew, and as calmly 
 as she could she awaited their verdict. Two 
 things kept the bells of hope ringing within 
 her heart. For one she knew that the relig- 
 ion of the Buddhists forbade the taking of 
 life. For the other, if they imprisoned her, 
 they could not long keep her so, as her loved 
 ones would be sure to raise a great hue and 
 cry so soon as they discovered that she was 
 confined within the monastery. What troub- 
 led her now, more than aught else, was the 
 scowling, threatening looks the monks cast 
 upon her. 
 
 The abbot continued to talk in harsh, angry 
 318 
 
An American Girl in Korea 319 
 
 tones. He was greatly excited. His eyes 
 flashed, and there were cruel lines about his 
 mouth. He was speaking now to the san- 
 tong, and it was a fierce denunciation of her- 
 self, Margaret knew. 
 
 The soft, pleading tones of the san-tong in- 
 terrupted him. 
 
 “ Spare her,” Margaret heard him say. 
 “ She is very young. No doubt this has been 
 innocently done.” 
 
 The abbot, however, was beyond the calm- 
 ing influence of reasoning. 
 
 “ How dare you suggest aught like that?” 
 he asked, as he turned fiercely upon the san- 
 tong. “ Know you not as well as I know it, 
 that alien eyes looking upon rites like these, 
 must never again see the light of day ? Young 
 or old, let them suffer alike. Man or woman, 
 it is all the same ; never must they be allowed 
 to return where mischief can be wrought 
 through their babbling. It is not permitted, 
 even by the good and merciful Buddha, that 
 heretic, gaining knowledge, innocently or 
 otherwise, of the sacred observances, prescribed 
 by the wisdom of the ages, be given opportu- 
 nity to reveal them with scoffing tongue.” 
 
320 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Turning to the other priests the chang-sop 
 now delivered himself of a wild harangue, a 
 part of which Margaret understood, the other 
 part being almost unintelligible. In it, how- 
 ever, Margaret caught a denunciation of her- 
 self, of her people, of her whole race, in fact, 
 of one in particular who had wrought untold 
 mischief through his meddling. The abbot 
 denounced every one of the “ hated breed ” as 
 a spy and a meddler, banded together for the 
 purpose of bringing shame and confusion 
 upon the noble teachings of the great and 
 most holy Buddha. 
 
 Again and again the sub-abbot sought to 
 stay this flood of savage denunciation. He 
 plead, he reasoned, he offered excuses for 
 those so bitterly upbraided, but all in vain. 
 The abbot was inexorable. No earthly power 
 could have stayed the torrent of words upon 
 his lips. He was deaf even to the plea that 
 Margaret be permitted to speak words in her 
 own behalf. The san-tong was sure she had 
 not come into the hall intentionally. Mar- 
 garet could never forget the gentle, benign 
 look upon the sub-abbot’s face as he made 
 this plea in her behalf, which the abbot treated 
 
An American Girl in Korea 321 
 
 as he had treated all the others, disdainfully. 
 There was also a pitying light in the san- 
 tong’s eyes as he turned them upon Margaret, 
 which stirred her to the very depths of her 
 heart. It was as though he had said, “ My 
 child, I have done all I can for you, but you 
 see how vain are my pleadings.’ ’ 
 
 Margaret assayed now for the first time to 
 speak. She would tell her story, even if it 
 did no good. The san-tong, at least, should 
 know that his confidence was not misplaced. 
 But she had uttered no more than a half 
 dozen sentences, when the abbot peremptorily 
 bade her be silent. She had committed the 
 offense ; whether innocently or otherwise did 
 not matter. She must suffer the penalty. 
 There was no appeal for any one from the 
 judgment of Buddha, and he looked signifi- 
 cantly around upon the great bronze figure 
 sitting in front of the altar. 
 
 The priests had now resumed their robes, 
 thus concealing the blood-stained tunics and 
 the lacerations they had given themselves 
 upon breasts and shoulders. In the case of 
 some who, in their religious frenzy, had made 
 deeper wounds than others, the blood, still 
 
322 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 trickling, began to soak through to the out- 
 side garment. 
 
 The abbot turned again toward the great 
 silent bronze figure. He picked up the smok- 
 ing censer, and while he swung it round and 
 round in a slow circle, he began an incanta- 
 tion. Instantly every head save Margaret’s 
 was bowed, and every lip took up the re- 
 frain. 
 
 “ Namu, Amida, Butsu ! (Hail, omnipotent 
 Buddha ! ) ” 
 
 A shivering seized Margaret. For the first 
 time she began to have something of a true 
 conception of what might await her. How 
 cruel and determined, too, were the faces of 
 these priests ! Would it, after all, be an easy 
 matter for her loved ones to release her ? 
 Even the king, she had heard, showed a 
 weakness when it came to antagonizing the 
 Buddhists to any serious extent. 
 
 The chant ceased. The heads of the priests 
 were raised. Suddenly the abbot turned and 
 looked grimly at Margaret. She felt her face 
 paling under the glance of those cruel eyes. 
 Her heart sank like lead. A chill as from an 
 icy blast passed over her. The only warmth 
 
An American Girl in Korea 323 
 
 her body seemed to possess was where the two 
 spots of crimson flamed upon her cheeks. 
 
 The abbot continued to gaze at her pierc- 
 ingly for a few moments, then he spoke, 
 
 “ Know that for this terrible sacrilege you 
 have been guilty of committing against the 
 most sacred Buddha, never again shall your 
 eyes look upon the light of day, nor your lips 
 have opportunity to speak aught of that which 
 your eyes have here beheld.” 
 
 Then he signaled to two of the priests and 
 continued, 
 
 “ Take her and bear her away to the cell 
 just immediately within the east wing, to the 
 right of the passage ; the one where the monk 
 Yo-do-ki was not long ago confined. Take 
 care that you proceed entirely by the secret 
 stairs and underground passages. Further- 
 more,” the eyes of the abbot blazed now as 
 his glance swept the upturned faces, “ no lip 
 is to speak one word of what has occurred 
 here this night, under penalty of the direst 
 punishment known to Buddha. The girl is 
 dead to her friends. Remember ! ” 
 
 The abbot turned away as though he had 
 now entirely washed his hands of the affair, 
 
324 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 except that they knew he would be as re- 
 lentless as death in meting out the punish- 
 ment threatened to those who held not their 
 tongues. 
 
 As the priests designated to bear her away 
 to imprisonment moved toward Margaret, the 
 young girl’s fortitude for the first time en- 
 tirely deserted her. A realization of the ter- 
 rible thing about to happen swept over her as 
 an engulfing wave. The room and its occu- 
 pants swam before her eyes. She swayed and 
 would have fallen but for a steadying hand. 
 It was the san-tong’s, she discovered after a 
 moment. She saw, too, the san-tong’s face. 
 There was gentleness, pity, compassion there ; 
 perhaps, also, there was hope. Her heart 
 stirred quickly ; her hands were extended 
 to him. She would plead with him to try 
 again to turn the iron will of the abbot. She 
 would promise them upon honor never to 
 let one word of aught that she had seen pass 
 her lips. Surely, they would believe that she 
 would keep her word. 
 
 Ere she could more than begin to speak to 
 the san-tong, however, she was suddenly seized 
 and forced aw r ay from him. All that followed 
 
An American Girl in Korea 325 
 
 was like a terrible nightmare to Margaret. 
 Not until the great door of the cell clanged 
 behind the retreating monks did she come 
 fully to herself, and then with a shock as she 
 realized her surroundings. She was indeed 
 imprisoned, in a Buddhist monastery, and in a 
 cell many feet under ground, she now realized, 
 as she recalled, though still in a somewhat 
 dazed manner, the many steps they had de- 
 scended. 
 
 The priests had left her a light burning 
 within a paper lantern. By its dim rays she 
 was enabled to see the dimensions of her cell, 
 and was thankful to find it was not very large. 
 A vast apartment with mocking shadows and 
 infested perhaps with rats and other small 
 creatures would have been a greater trial upon 
 her nerves. She shuddered, too, as she 
 thought of the possible filthy condition of her 
 quarters. But this she need not have feared 
 had she stopped to think of the proverbial 
 cleanliness of Buddhist premises. The cell 
 in fact had recently received a coat of white- 
 wash. The brick floor had also been carefully 
 swept and the straw mats and other bedding 
 were fresh and clean. In addition to the 
 
326 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 light, the monks had left wheaten cakes, 
 honey, fruit and fresh water. 
 
 “ They are evidently determined I shall not 
 die soon,” Margaret said to herself with a 
 faint smile. 
 
 She sat down upon the straw matting and 
 went carefully over the whole situation. It 
 did not seem to her that it would be possible 
 for the priests to conceal the fact of her im- 
 prisonment. Once it became known to her 
 loved ones and friends, which must be very 
 soon, Margaret felt assured they would leave 
 no stone unturned to effect her release. No 
 doubt Wilbur and Arthur and Stephen, and 
 even Sarah, were hunting for her at this very 
 moment, alarmed by her protracted absence. 
 The priests might withstand their questions, 
 and no doubt would, as well as succeed in 
 blocking their efforts toward investigation, but 
 when her father and Dr. Griffin returned, all 
 would be changed. If the priests were obdu- 
 rate, the law would be invoked. Both her 
 father and the young physician, she knew, had 
 w’on the good will of the king. If no other 
 way could be found, the king would issue an 
 order for her release. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 327 
 
 Alas, poor Margaret ! she little knew how 
 wily these priests could be ; how, in truth, the 
 report of her death had already been circu- 
 lated. In proof of it were shown her sailor 
 hat and reefer, about the detention of which 
 by the priests, Margaret was even now vaguely 
 wondering. Why had they not returned them 
 to her, especially when she had insisted on 
 having them? The jacket she had removed 
 on entering the Hall of the Four Sages, on 
 account of the closeness of the apartment, and 
 the hat had fallen from her head as the priests 
 dragged her toward the altar. 
 
 It was fortunate for Margaret that she did 
 not know of all that had happened within the 
 three-quarters of an hour since she had been 
 dragged from the Hall of Judgment to the 
 cell of Yo-do-ki. 
 
 Margaret’s absence had long ago been noted 
 by the young people at the pavilion, and even 
 as she stood beside the pillar gazing upon the 
 first of the rites, Wilbur and Arthur were 
 making anxious search for her. All the in- 
 formation they could gain for a time was to 
 the effect that she had been seen going toward 
 the promontory overlooking the foaming 
 
328 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 waters of the tributary of the Han near 
 which the nunnery was situated. How 
 wretched indeed Margaret would have been 
 could she have known that at the very mo- 
 ment she was taking the most hopeful view 
 yet of her probable release, Sarah was weeping 
 heart-brokenly, and Wilbur and Arthur and 
 Stephen were overcome with grief because of 
 the story told to them that Margaret had 
 fallen over the ledge into the foaming waters, 
 which had swept her body on into the Han. 
 The sailor hat and reefer were shown them, 
 which the monks declared she had laid aside 
 upon the ledge ere leaning over for the flowers, 
 the effect to grasp which had caused her 
 death. 
 
 Having taken the cheerful view of the situ- 
 ation that her release would surely come 
 shortly, Margaret made up her mind to en- 
 dure her imprisonment with the best grace 
 possible. She now realized that she was 
 hungry, and reaching over, took some of the 
 fruit, then one of the wheaten cakes. 
 
 Margaret carefully wound her watch. She 
 must not now let it run down, or she would 
 lose track of time. Then she laid down upon 
 
An American Girl in Korea 329 
 
 the matting and tried to sleep. It was a long 
 time ere her eyes closed in slumber. Visions 
 of the terrible scenes through which she had 
 so recently passed kept presenting themselves 
 in so vivid a manner that, even when she fell 
 into a doze, it was to awaken very soon there- 
 after with a start and a gasping cry of terror. 
 Toward morning, however, she fell into a 
 sound slumber, the slumber of thorough ex- 
 haustion, and did not awake until, as her 
 watch showed her, it was near noon of the 
 following day. 
 
 Margaret sat up quickly and gazed about 
 her in a dazed way. It took her some mo- 
 ments to return to a full realization of her 
 surroundings. She arose and walked about 
 her cell. The lantern was still burning ; the 
 little earthen lamp within it had been well 
 supplied with oil. From words she had 
 heard the abbot speak and from others 
 dropped by the monks as they bore her 
 to imprisonment, she had a general idea as 
 to the position of her cell. It was far be- 
 low ground, of that she was assured, and was 
 just within the newer portion of the monastery 
 known as the east wing. In fact, the wall of 
 
33° An American Girl in Korea 
 
 her cell at one side was the extreme wall of 
 the old building, against which the newer 
 structure had been erected. Margaret picked 
 up the lantern, examining this wall more 
 closely. It showed evidences of its great age. 
 At more than one place the mortar was crum- 
 bling. A sudden wild hope filled Margaret’s 
 heart. Suppose that she could find some im- 
 plement whereby the mortar could be removed 
 and one or more of the stones displaced? 
 Might she not then hope to escape from her 
 cell ? She had her pocket knife, a rather sub- 
 stantial one for a girl ; would not that do ? 
 
 Almost with the coming of the hope, de- 
 spair followed. No ; the knife would not do. 
 The blade would be broken ere half the thick 
 crust of mortar was penetrated. And even if, 
 by something little short of a miracle, the 
 stones were removed, would not the opening 
 but lead her into another cell ? 
 
 She was about to set the lantern down again, 
 when a stone image projecting from the wall 
 no more than three feet above the floor of the 
 cell caught her attention. She remembered 
 now certain words spoken by the priests as 
 they departed, heard then as in a dream, but 
 
An American Girl in Korea 331 
 
 returning now more clearly at sight of the 
 image. 
 
 “ What mockery to put her in the cell with 
 Kwan-yin, the Most Merciful, when there is 
 to be no mercy for her ! ” 
 
 This then was the image of Kwan-yin, the 
 Buddhist God of Mercy ! The benign face of 
 the image was a relief, at least, after the hor- 
 rible, leering countenances of those in the 
 Hall of Judgment. 
 
 Raising the lantern still higher, Margaret 
 had a still closer survey of the image. There 
 was a recess in the wall at this place. It 
 looked as though it might at some time have 
 been an opening that led from one cell to 
 another. The image was set partly back 
 within the recess. There was a shelf be- 
 fore it and the imprisoned monk, Yo-do-ki, 
 had evidently used it as a shrine, as there 
 were traces of burned candles. 
 
 Suddenly Margaret heard approaching foot- 
 steps. She set the lantern down quickly and 
 turned facing the door, her heart beating ex- 
 pectantly. Could it be that even now release 
 was near ? Her heart sank again as the door 
 opened admitting only two of the priests. 
 
332 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 They had come to bring her more food and 
 fresh water. They also added candles this 
 time to her store. For one brief instant the 
 mad thought seized Margaret that if she were 
 only quick enough she might slip past the 
 priests and dart through the unlocked door. 
 Once without, might she not hope to elude 
 them in the darkened passageways, and in 
 time make her escape to the apartments above, 
 where surely some means would be found to 
 quit the monastery in safety? One of the 
 priests, however, as though he had read her 
 intention, stepped toward the door and stood 
 with his back against it until his companion 
 was through. All this while he regarded Mar- 
 garet with a grim smile. 
 
 The day wore on. It was night again. 
 Once more Margaret tried to sleep, but slum- 
 bered only fitfully till again near daybreak, 
 when the sleep of exhaustion came, and this 
 time she did not awaken till past noon. This 
 was Sunday. The recollection came to her 
 with a stab that made her cry out in her 
 wretchedness. They had planned so many 
 sweet things for this day. Now where was 
 she ? In the cell of a Buddhist monastery, 
 
An American Girl in Korea 333 
 
 imprisoned by fanatical priests, and darker 
 than at any time seemed the prospect of her 
 release. 
 
 Two more days passed. The priests came 
 regularly once each day, bringing food and 
 water, but never a word now did they speak 
 even to each other. Once or twice Margaret 
 essayed to question them, but their sullen 
 looks caused the questions to die upon her lips. 
 
 Her splendid nerve was failing her at last. 
 It had been six days now since her incarcera- 
 tion, and the bright hope that had buoyed her 
 up from the beginning, the hope of a speedy 
 release, was dying within her. Yet her father 
 and the others assuredly must know by this 
 time of her imprisonment. Surely they were 
 doing everything that could be done to effect 
 her release. She must be patient. It could 
 not be done in one day nor two, nor three, 
 nor in one week ; perhaps not even in two 
 weeks. There was the king first to be com- 
 municated with, and the machinery of the 
 law to be put into motion, which, at best, she 
 knew, moved but slowly. Yet it was hard to 
 be patient, or even hopeful, amid the gloom 
 of such surroundings. 
 
334 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Margaret would have found her situation 
 even more terrible to endure could she have 
 known that not only had her loved ones been 
 told that she was dead, but they had been dis- 
 missed suddenly from the monastery by the 
 haughty abbot, who declared that he no longer 
 had room for them. 
 
 Another day dawned. Margaret awoke 
 from a troubled sleep in the early hours of 
 the morning. The atmosphere of the cell 
 had grown very oppressive. She seemed 
 almost gasping for breath. This was strange, 
 since heretofore she had found the cell fairly 
 well ventilated. 
 
 Margaret sat up suddenly, pushing the 
 damp hair back from her forehead. At that 
 very moment she caught the sound of a low 
 rumbling, as of the far away discharge of 
 heavy artillery, though it seemed to be deep 
 down in the earth. The floor swayed beneath 
 her with a sensation that made her sick and 
 dizzy, then shook as though some mighty 
 giant had it in his grasp. Simultaneously 
 there came the grinding, rending noise of 
 walls falling apart, then one mighty crash, 
 the violence of which threw Margaret back 
 
An American Girl in Korea 335 
 
 again upon her pallet of straw matting deaf 
 to all further sound. She was, in truth, 
 shocked into unconsciousness. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 IN THE UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS 
 
 It was a long time before Margaret re- 
 gained consciousness. Then she did not at 
 once rise from her pallet, but lay gazing about 
 her in a stupefied manner. A cloud of dust 
 and mortar filled the apartment, and Mar- 
 garet’s eyes, nose and throat were smart- 
 ing with it. She sat up at length, coughing 
 and almost gasping for breath. Then she dis- 
 covered another cause of the feeling of suffo- 
 cation. The lantern, in which the priests 
 had at first placed a little earthenware lamp 
 with oil and wick, but later a candle, had 
 been overturned by a falling stone. In so 
 doing it had set fire to the straw matting, on 
 a part of which Margaret lay. The matting 
 in turn had set fire to the wooden shelf, 
 which, before the earthquake shock, had 
 been in front of the image of Kwan-yin. The 
 rending of the wall had hurled it upon the 
 lantern. A volume of smoke was now spread- 
 
 336 
 
An American Girl in Korea 337 
 
 ing through the room, and Margaret made 
 haste to quench the fire. This was soon ac- 
 complished by means of the vessel of water. 
 
 Then Margaret lighted a candle, for she 
 had her own little match-safe in her pocket. 
 She still felt weak and somewhat dazed from 
 the shock, but there was a wild hope surging 
 through her heart now which lent alertness 
 to her brain and strength to her limbs. Had 
 the earthquake really thrown down part of 
 the walls of the cell ? If so, would there be a 
 
 chance to But Margaret scarcely dared 
 
 put that hope into words. 
 
 The newer part of the cell, that is, the three 
 walls of the east wing portion, were but little 
 damaged, and to this circumstance Margaret 
 owed her almost miraculous escape from 
 death. One wall had bulged somewhat, and 
 a stone near the centre had fallen out. The 
 fourth wall, however, the one forming a part 
 of the masonry of the older portion of the 
 monastery — that said to be more than a thou- 
 sand years old — had been much damaged. 
 The image of Kwan-yin had been hurled for- 
 ward with such force it had ploughed its way 
 into the brick floor of the cell until the head 
 
338 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 of the god was buried to the shoulders in the 
 debris. Had it gone a little further, it would 
 have maimed Margaret, no doubt for life. 
 
 “ Has the wall really fallen in at any 
 part?” This was the question burning in 
 Margaret’s mind. 
 
 She held the candle carefully and made her 
 way to that portion of that wall where the 
 greater damage seemed to have been done. 
 It was near to the angle formed by the junc- 
 tion of this wall with that one of the newer 
 wing lying along the passageway. Stones 
 were piled here in a small heap, and even as 
 Margaret bent nearer another one fell from 
 the wall above, striking the others with a 
 sharp sound and just missing Margaret in its 
 descent. 
 
 She raised the candle and peered about 
 her ; then a cry of joy, followed quickly by 
 one of dismay escaped her. There was an 
 aperture in the wall, and one through which 
 she could easily crawl, if she could reach it ; 
 but the wall was tottering so, there was every 
 evidence it would fall with a crash did she 
 attempt to put her weight upon it. What 
 should she do? The desire to escape was 
 
An American Girl in Korea 339 
 
 well-nigh consuming her, yet dared she face 
 the alternative of an almost certain death to 
 attempt it ? No, she could not be so rash as 
 that, as strong as was the yearning within her 
 for freedom. 
 
 She stepped back with another despairing 
 cry. How tantalizing it was to have that 
 opening there, while at the same time she dared 
 not avail herself of it ! 
 
 As she drew further back, her eyes still 
 fixed wistfully upon the opening in the wall 
 above her, the hand that held the candle 
 rested suddenly against the niche in which 
 the image of Kwan-yin had so lately been. 
 Immediately Margaret became conscious of a 
 draught that almost blew out the flame of the 
 candle. Turning her head quickly to ascer- 
 tain the cause, she felt her heart begin again 
 to beat furiously with joy. The masonry that 
 had filled in this niche at the back had been 
 almost entirely dislodged, disclosing an open- 
 ing that at one time undoubtedly formed a 
 low doorway. 
 
 Protecting the flame of the candle with her 
 palm, Margaret leaned as far through it as she 
 could for the stonework which rose as an ele- 
 
34° An American Girl in Korea 
 
 vated sill some three feet above the floor. To 
 Margaret’s increasing delight she discovered 
 there was space beyond this opening. 
 
 “ I will risk it ! ” she said bravely. “ Any- 
 thing, except death, is preferable to this awful 
 imprisonment. Besides, if I do not act 
 quickly, the monks may come, and thus shut 
 off whatever hope I have of escape.” 
 
 Margaret had no idea at that moment of the 
 extent of the damage wrought by the earth- 
 quake, especially throughout the older portion 
 of the monastery. She, of course, could not 
 know that passageways were blocked up which, 
 until cleared, completely shut off the monks 
 from the underground portion of the eastern 
 wing of the monastery. 
 
 Securing the remaining candle, which had 
 not yet been lighted, and also taking care to 
 deposit in her pocket the fruit and wheaten 
 cake left over from her repast of yesterday, 
 Margaret again approached the alcove where 
 the image of Kwan-yih had so lately been, 
 and cautiously made her way through it. 
 
 “If I do succeed in escaping, I shall think 
 the god was a merciful one, after all,” she said 
 to herself with a faint smile. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 341 
 
 As she had feared, the adjoining apartment 
 into which she had now come proved to be 
 only another cell. Her heart sank as she 
 noted the grim walls about her. 
 
 “ Have I stepped from one trap to another ? ” 
 she asked in despair. 
 
 But after another and a more careful scru- 
 tiny of her surroundings, she found that while 
 three walls of the cell remained almost intact, 
 the fourth and outer one had a great opening 
 made halfway across it. As she held the 
 candle above her head, Margaret could see 
 plainly the cracks in the opposite wall of the 
 passageway against which the stones from this 
 one had been hurled, falling in a heap be- 
 side it. 
 
 Picking her way cautiously, she passed 
 through the breach in the fallen wall and 
 turned to go along the passage, which she was 
 sure led through the older portion of the 
 monastery and no doubt to a stairway that 
 would carry her above. But she had pro- 
 ceeded only a few paces when she found 
 farther progress in that direction stopped by 
 a great mass of debris that seemed to be the 
 walls of two cells fallen together. 
 
342 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ It has been more terrible than I thought ! ” 
 Margaret exclaimed, her face suddenly grow- 
 ing very white. Then she thought of her 
 friends, hoping most fervently that no harm 
 had befallen them. 
 
 She returned toward the opening through 
 which she had entered the passageway. Here 
 the obstruction did not seem to be so great. 
 Margaret now recalled that the w r all along the 
 passage of the cell she had occupied had re- 
 mained standing, as had the others within the 
 newer wing. No doubt if she could succeed 
 in climbing over this mass of heaped stones 
 and mortar, she could find a clearer way be- 
 yond. 
 
 She began the ascent, picking her way 
 slowly and with caution, for she also recalled 
 the tottering condition of the wall just within 
 her cell. One false step might dislodge it. 
 After a space of time that seemed to her al- 
 most interminable, Margaret reached the sum- 
 mit of the mass of debris. She had now to 
 stoop low to make her way through the tun- 
 nel-like space lying between it and the over- 
 head wall. Luckily there was a great beam 
 here which had kept most of the ceiling 
 
An American Girl in Korea 343 
 
 at this spot from giving way, though Mar- 
 garet could see seams and rents in the 
 masonry. 
 
 She was no more than halfway down the 
 descent, when a stone on which she had just 
 placed her foot rolled with her and Margaret 
 felt herself falling. She threw out her hand 
 to catch what support she could, and in so do- 
 ing let the candle slip from her grasp. It was 
 quickly extinguished, and thus in total dark- 
 ness Margaret felt herself rolling and pitching 
 from stone to stone. She managed, however, 
 to preserve her balance to a certain extent, 
 though finally, as she came to a sudden halt, 
 it was to find herself upon her knees, which 
 were smarting from the bruises they had re- 
 ceived. Still upon her knees, Margaret 
 reached out feeling for the floor of the pas- 
 sage, against which she was almost sure she 
 had fallen. She was not mistaken, her hand 
 quickly coming in contact with its surface. 
 She had lost her candle, but fortunately she 
 had another. As quickly as she could, she 
 lighted this one, and slowly raised it, looking 
 carefully about her. 
 
 She had no more than done this when a 
 
344 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 sharp cry escaped her, and she came near 
 dropping the candle in the shock she had re- 
 ceived. It was no wonder she cried out, for 
 lying no more than five feet away from her 
 was a priest, stretched upon his back. There 
 could be no mistaking that rigid pose and the 
 gleaming pallor of the upturned face, seen 
 more clearly in the candle's rays, as Margaret 
 raised herself and leaned forward for a nearer 
 view. 
 
 He was quite dead. She was altogether 
 sure of it now. A flying stone had struck 
 him upon the head and he had been hurled 
 backward, dying almost instantly, as was ap- 
 parent from the appearance of the body. 
 
 “ He was coming along the passageway from 
 the wing," said Margaret, still contemplating 
 him with pitying eye and loudly beating 
 heart. “ Can there be means of egress through 
 this wing? Surely there must be! Yet was 
 he really coming in this direction ? ” It was 
 like a cloud dimming her hope as she thought 
 it might have been otherwise. Perhaps, after 
 all, the priest had come through the older por- 
 tion of the monastery, and had turned about 
 to open the door of her cell, was in fact in the 
 
An American Girl in Korea 345 
 
 very act of doing so when the shock came and 
 the fatal stone had struck him. 
 
 Yet Margaret would not give up hope. 
 There must be outlet in this direction. These 
 Buddhist monasteries, she had heard, were 
 completely honeycombed with secret stairways 
 and passages. There was one in particular in 
 the Diamond Mountain region that was said 
 to contain several miles of underground tun- 
 nelings. The priests, it was stated, could en- 
 ter and leave the monastery by means of a 
 dozen different passages without any one but 
 themselves being any the wiser. No doubt 
 this one, too, had many ways of entering and 
 leaving it. If only she kept up a stout heart 
 and remained alert, she would surely find 
 some means of escape from this Buddhist 
 prison, growing more and more of a torture 
 every moment she remained in it. 
 
 Her first desire was to search for the lost 
 candle, which she felt sure she would need. 
 She searched patiently, but in vain. Just as 
 she was giving up in despair, she detected it 
 lying deep down in a crevice of the debris, 
 from which she had considerable trouble in 
 extracting it. 
 
346 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 She was passing on, when some impulse 
 caused her to pause and cast another pitying 
 look upon the dead monk. She was standing 
 now very near the body, and his rigid face 
 showed distinctly in the candle-light. He was 
 not one of those who had come to the cell to 
 bring her food and water, she felt sure. 
 
 As Margaret lowered the candle to pass on, 
 her heart still full of pitying thoughts of the 
 poor creature who had met so tragic a death, 
 the sadness came to sudden end in the wild 
 cry of joy that sprang to her lips. Something 
 near to the outstretched hand of the monk, 
 and flashing in the candle’s beams, had caught 
 her eye. It was a bunch of keys ; one quite 
 massive, suggesting almost the door of a for- 
 tress, and two others much smaller, yet also 
 suggesting strength and locks no light turning 
 would open. 
 
 “ Hurrah ! ” Margaret cried, as she caught 
 them up. “ Perhaps these are the keys of some 
 of the outer doors ! ” At any rate she decided 
 to take them with her. 
 
 She went on now with lighter step. There 
 were few signs of the earthquake in this por- 
 tion of the building. Now and then a stone 
 
An American Girl in Korea 347 
 
 or little heaps of mortar lay in her path. She 
 could see, too, occasional rents in the walls as 
 she flashed the candle-light upon them. She 
 had gone only about thirty feet or so when she 
 came to another passageway crossing at right 
 angles the one she had been threading. 
 Should she turn down it to left or right, or 
 should she continue to follow this one. After 
 a moment of hesitation the decision came to try 
 this one so far as it went. If at its ending she 
 did not find an outlet, she would retrace her 
 steps, to try each of the other passageways in 
 turn. Some forty feet beyond this angle, she 
 came to yet another passageway crossing in the 
 same manner. Again the resolution was 
 formed to stick to the first passageway until 
 she had fully explored it. 
 
 All this while Margaret had not been with- 
 out the dread of discovery. She constantly 
 looked behind her as though expecting to see 
 one or more of the priests looming up in pur- 
 suit. It made her nervous, too, to approach 
 one of the diverging passageways, for she did 
 not know at what moment certain of the 
 monks, on their rounds, might come suddenly 
 from out the shadows and confront her. 
 
348 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Suddenly, as Margaret pressed on through 
 the passageway, which now seemed to widen 
 out somewhat, she caught a sound that made 
 her heart leap to her throat. Was it a foot- 
 step ? and was she indeed followed ? 
 
 “ Why, it is water ! ” exclaimed Margaret 
 after another moment of intent listening. 
 “ There it is again ! It sounds like water that 
 is trickling down some surface. Where can 
 it be?” 
 
 She pressed forward, her candle held well 
 in front of her. The passageway had percep- 
 tibly widened. A few more paces and she 
 emerged suddenly into what seemed a vast 
 apartment with high, vaulted roof. The sound 
 had now grown much more distinct. There 
 was unmistakably running water at hand, but 
 now it sounded more like water that lapped a 
 shore. Suddenly a remembrance flashed upon 
 Margaret. 
 
 “ It must be the underground stream about 
 which Kang told Arthur,” she exclaimed ; 
 “ the one, as he declared, that had a secret 
 landing in or near to the monastery, known 
 only to the priests and a few others.” 
 
 Margaret paused, her heart beating as 
 
An American Girl in Korea 349 
 
 though it were in her throat. Even if 
 boats were there, would it be possible for 
 her to find her way out by this subterranean 
 stream? Almost at the moment of asking 
 the question, Margaret realized the difficulty 
 of the undertaking, since Kang had also added 
 the information that the subterranean passage 
 was quite intricate and hard to follow without 
 the guidance of one who knew it well. “ Yet,” 
 she resolved, her lips firmly pressed together 
 and her heart swelling with a superb courage, 
 “ if after trying all the passageways, I find no 
 means of escape, I will return and trust my- 
 self to the stream, provided, of course, that I 
 find a boat.” 
 
 A boat was there, she saw in a few mo- 
 ments, and not only one, but two. For as 
 she held the candle aloft, advancing across 
 the vaulted space, the gleaming of circling 
 water caught her eye, and just beyond the 
 ripple of waves as they lapped the shore, 
 were two small boats gently swaying at 
 anchor. 
 
 Margaret sprang forward, and stood for an 
 instant regarding the stream and its craft with 
 misty eyes and a heart beating loudly. Why 
 
350 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 not risk it now ? Perhaps if she went back 
 along the passageways, seeking other outlet, 
 she would be discovered and seized again and 
 returned to prison. Rather than face this 
 possibility, she felt that she would prefer to 
 trust herself a dozen times to the under- 
 ground stream. The current flowed outward, 
 of course, and it must empty into the Han ; 
 and it no doubt made considerable descent ere 
 it reached the river. Perhaps if she kept her 
 wits about her, she might follow the channel 
 safely. 
 
 She turned aside, and lowering her light 
 began to make closer survey of the shore of 
 the stream. How were the boats fastened? 
 Would it be easy to release one of them? 
 And then she became aware that there was 
 yet another boat. It had been drawn ashore 
 to some little distance beyond the water line. 
 It was smaller than either of the others, and 
 it seemed to Margaret that this might the 
 better serve her purpose. But would she be 
 able to pull it to the water’s edge and launch 
 it? She approached it, holding the light for 
 closer inspection. 
 
 The boat lay imbedded in the sand, and it 
 
An American Girl in Korea 351 
 
 did not take Margaret long to discover that it 
 had been there for a long while. The boat, 
 too, showed the ravages of time. Its timbers 
 were beginning to fall apart ; its once spick- 
 and-span coat of white and blue paint had 
 cracked and peeled. 
 
 Something in the appearance of the boat 
 caused Margaret to drop suddenly to her knees 
 beside it, uttering a sharp cry. 
 
 “ Oh, can it be? ” she gasped. “ But no, it 
 surely is impossible ! ” 
 
 She held the candle nearer still, so near 
 that had the boat been a living creature, it 
 must have cried out under the pain of the 
 flame’s heat. 
 
 Margaret’s eyes followed the track of light. 
 Intently they searched each plank of the little 
 boat. Suddenly the candle dropped from her 
 grasp as though its scorching flame had swept 
 over her fingers. It fell to the sand and lay 
 there sputtering, threatening each moment 
 to go out. But Margaret paid no heed. 
 She had found something which for the 
 moment rendered her as motionless as the 
 boat itself, so overwhelming was the dis- 
 covery. 
 
352 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Along the plank, just below the gunwale 
 of the little craft, she had traced the letters 
 she sought, dim with age, it is true, but never- 
 theless there — “ The Philippa.” 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 THE VOICE THROUGH THE GRATING 
 
 It was indeed the little boat belonging to 
 the Philippa ; the one in which Walter Griffin 
 had made short journeys along the river while 
 the sampan was at its moorings. How well 
 Margaret remembered the natty little craft ! 
 for it was by means of it the young artist had 
 sought the sampan the morning they had 
 stood along the shore to bid him good-bye. 
 The sampan had been moored some yards 
 away in charge of the polemen. 
 
 This smaller boat had been an afterthought, 
 and a very happy one, young Griffin declared. 
 
 “ With it,” he had said, “ I can go out into 
 all sorts of nooks and corners where we would 
 not dare take the sampan.” 
 
 Now here it lay deeply imbedded within 
 the sand along the shore of the subterranean 
 stream, at the landing-place within the monas- 
 tery. 
 
 “ How had it come here ? ” 
 
 353 
 
354 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 This question had awakened a tumult within 
 Margaret’s heart. 
 
 She picked up the candle, which now had 
 almost sputtered itself out, and bent again 
 for an inspection of the little craft. As 
 she did so, an article of clothing caught her 
 eye. Quickly she reached out to take it, yet 
 almost reverently. She laid it down again in 
 a moment, a sob catching in her throat. It 
 was a man’s coat, apparently thrown carelessly 
 down, and well she remembered the blue and 
 black mixture of the soft woolen fabric, though 
 the dust and cobwebs of time lay thick upon 
 it. Walter Griffin had had just such a coat as 
 that when he went away. 
 
 Overcome by the discovery, Margaret sank 
 again to her knees, her heart beating so loudly 
 it seemed like the rapid tapping of a hammer. 
 
 “ What did it mean ? What was the little 
 boat, with the coat thrown carelessly down 
 within it, doing here?” 
 
 As Margaret again asked the question, light 
 seemed breaking. Again there rushed back 
 upon memory certain words spoken by the 
 abbot during the bitter denunciation in the 
 Hall of Judgment. Once or twice during her 
 
An American Girl in Korea 355 
 
 imprisonment she had recalled these words, 
 with a feeling that awakened her heart into a 
 sudden tumultuous beating, but each time the 
 strange thoughts had passed away as soon as the 
 recollection of her own troubles returned with 
 overwhelming force. Some one else had been 
 guilty of a deed like hers, the abbot had 
 declared. Some one else had met with the 
 same punishment ; and the abbot had de- 
 nounced them both as being of the “ same 
 hated breed ! ” O could it be ? 
 
 Margaret’s thoughts stopped midway of the 
 question, for now she caught a sound that 
 filled her with alarm. There was a noise in 
 the passage beyond as of hurrying feet, though 
 they seemed to be light feet. Instantly she 
 extinguished the candle, and, creeping around 
 to the other side of the boat, sank down, 
 crouching close against it. If the person ap- 
 proaching bore a light, she would not be seen 
 so easily, as she would be shielded by the 
 boat. 
 
 Suddenly she caught again and more dis- 
 tinctly the swift rushing of feet, which un- 
 mistakably were now coming straight toward 
 her. What could it mean ? Had she waited 
 
356 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 too long to extinguish the candle ? Its circle 
 of flame had no doubt betrayed her. She 
 sank still further down upon the sand, almost 
 outstretched upon it, in fact, and buried her 
 face within her hands, waiting. 
 
 There was a sudden cessation of the noise. 
 The person, if person it were, seemed to have 
 come to a standstill, as though debating in 
 which direction to turn his footsteps in the 
 search for her. 
 
 Margaret opened her eyes and raised her 
 head a little. She caught no reflection of a 
 light. What could it mean ? She sat up now 
 so as to have a more extended view. As she 
 did so her hand, on one finger of which she 
 wore a small, plain gold ring, came in contact 
 with a bit of metal riveting the planks of the 
 boat. It sent forth a sharp, clinking sound. 
 In the deep silence that prevailed, the noise 
 seemed to Margaret many times intensified. 
 She awaited results with breath quick in- 
 drawn. Had other ears caught the sound, 
 and would it serve to locate her whereabouts ? 
 
 Almost ere the question was completed, she 
 heard again the rush of feet. Then, as her 
 heart beat wildly, and she crouched again, her 
 
An American Girl in Korea 357 
 
 head bowed upon her hands, trying to prepare 
 herself for the blow that surely must fall now, 
 there was the sudden weight of a body spring- 
 ing forcefully against her. She waited for the 
 hands to seize her — but oh, could it be ? What 
 was the meaning of this wild demonstration 
 of joy ? of a little hairy body tumbling against 
 her in a frenzy of excitement and delight ? of 
 a warm, moist tongue bathing her face and 
 hands with caresses? of a quivering, high- 
 pitched voice speaking all the love-words 
 known to its language ? 
 
 “ Hans ! Hans ! ” cried Margaret, as she 
 caught the little hairy body to her heart and 
 hugged it so tightly that the voice of joy 
 changed to a yelp of pain. “ Oh Hans, precious 
 doggie ! can it be possible ? ” 
 
 So soon as she could relight the candle, be- 
 ing sadly retarded in the effort by her own 
 trembling fingers and the dog’s further demon- 
 strations of joy, she saw that it was Hans, true 
 enough. Yes, it was indeed the little shaggy 
 Scotch terrier who had gone with Walter Grif- 
 fin on that last trip up the river, and whom 
 they had believed sleeping the last sleep with 
 his master deep down under the waters of the 
 
358 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 Han. Since Hans was alive, and not dead as 
 they had believed, might not his master ? 
 
 Margaret got up, white and trembling, but 
 there was a warm scarlet line burning where 
 her lips were pressed resolutel}* together. 
 
 Seeing her movement, Hans gave a quick, 
 glad bark and darted ahead. 
 
 “ Not so fast, Hans ! ” she called to him, and 
 her voice quivered. 
 
 He seemed to understand, and slackened his 
 pace, but, as he moved on again, he kept look- 
 ing back anxiously. Surely she knew he 
 wanted her to follow him. 
 
 A tumult of emotions swept over Margaret, 
 as she held the candle carefully and endeav- 
 ored to follow the little dog with as steady a 
 step as she could command. Excitement, joy, 
 anticipation were uppermost ; nevertheless, 
 there was, too, a feeling of dread. So far she 
 had escaped detection by the monks, yet if she 
 returned to the passageways, might she not be 
 discovered? Yet how could she draw back in 
 face of that which the appearance of the little 
 dog promised ? No, no ; she must not turn 
 coward now, she must go on despite the dan- 
 ger tc herself. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 359 
 
 Hans suddenly darted down the first cross- 
 ing of the passageways, and to the right. It 
 had been on Margaret’s left as she went to- 
 ward the subterranean stream. 
 
 Margaret still held tightly to the bunch of 
 keys. After all, the great key might only be 
 the one to unlock the door of Yo-do-ki’s cell. 
 Yet there were the other two, and for sake of 
 these, which might unlock doors of passage- 
 ways, she kept close clasp of all. 
 
 At the third door down the passageway 
 Hans suddenly stopped with a sharp little 
 yelp of joy. Then he began to scratch vigor- 
 ously at the lower grating of the great barred 
 door, turning his head at quick intervals to 
 gaze beseechingly at Margaret. There was a 
 light in the cell, which showed faintly through 
 the closely grated door. 
 
 “ What is it, Hans? What is it?” cried 
 Margaret in low, quivering voice, as she bent 
 above the little dog. “ What is it you are try- 
 ing so hard to tell me, doggie ? ” 
 
 Not yet could she risk her voice in louder 
 tones, for she did not know who might be 
 within the cell, nor in the other cells near. 
 
 “ Be still, Hans,” she said again to the dog, 
 
360 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ let us be more cautious.” She could scarcely 
 speak the words, her heart was beating so. 
 
 But now another voice spoke to the dog, a 
 voice within the cell, and at sound of it Mar- 
 garet sprang up, straightening herself as 
 though an electric shock had passed through 
 her. 
 
 “ Is that you, Hans ? Have you really come 
 back, you rogue? Well, you’ll have to wait 
 now for the monks to bring our daily bread 
 and water, before you can get in again. In 
 the meantime, you rascal, as I know you’ll be 
 hungry, I’ll pass you out some of the cakes.” 
 
 There was a movement within as though 
 the speaker approached the door. 
 
 Like the sudden flashing of light the 
 thought came to Margaret of the great key ! 
 She would try it, for it might not, after all, be 
 the key to the cell of Yo-do-ki. 
 
 At last, after a time of mighty tugging, into 
 which she threw not only all the physical 
 strength of which she was capable, but the full 
 force as well of her resolute will, Margaret felt 
 the key turning in the lock. The door opened 
 slowly, and then only because of the full 
 pressure she exerted upon it. In her effort to 
 
An American Girl in Korea 361 
 
 open the door, her candle had fallen and was 
 extinguished. 
 
 Hans was the first to enter, darting swiftly 
 through the aperture so soon as it was large 
 enough to admit him. 
 
 Margaret saw the figure within stoop for a 
 moment to caress the little dog. Then he 
 suddenly straightened himself, and, stepping 
 further backward from the door, folded his 
 arms and awaited the will of the priests, as he 
 thought. 
 
 The earthenware lamp burning within the 
 oiled paper lantern, gave but a dim light, but 
 it was sufficient for Margaret to see the figure 
 of the cell’s occupant. His hair fell upon his 
 shoulders, his beard was long and ragged, his 
 face had an almost deathly pallor, and he was 
 clothed in monk’s robes. Margaret’s heart 
 was beating almost to suffocation. The walls 
 of the grated door, the pallid face all swam 
 before her eyes, then she made a desperate 
 effort and recovered herself. Suddenly her 
 voice sobbed through the room, 
 
 “ Oh, Mr. Walter ! Mr. Walter ! At last ! at 
 last ! Can it really be true ? ” 
 
 It was Walter Griffin, the young man for 
 
362 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 whom brother and friends, and even the law, 
 had searched in vain for years, yet who was 
 found at last through a young girl’s loyalty 
 and courage. 
 
 He uttered a low cry and sprang forward, 
 putting out his hands in a piteous, groping 
 way as though his senses were benumbed by 
 the suddenness of this overwhelming joy. 
 Up to this moment he had not seen her clearly, 
 as she had remained partly shielded by the 
 door. Now as he heard her voice and saw her 
 fully as she stepped away from the door to- 
 ward him, the cry was repeated, and with 
 more intensity. 
 
 “ Margaret ! ” he gasped. “ Little Margaret 
 Vance! Is it possible? Am I not dream- 
 ing? ” 
 
 Margaret caught the hands extended to her. 
 She pressed her forehead down upon them, 
 great sobs swelling in her throat. 
 
 “ To think,” she cried, “ that I should have 
 been the one to find you ! ” 
 
 He released his hands, and, putting his arm 
 about her, drew her to him and kissed her. 
 His own eyes were raining tears. 
 
 “ Margaret, dear child,” he said softly, 
 
An American Girl in Korea 363 
 
 brokenly, “ can it indeed be you ? ” Then he 
 added more firmly, “ But tell me, my child, 
 how did this happen? How did you ever 
 come here? It certainly is most astound- 
 ing ! ” 
 
 As rapidly as she could Margaret told the 
 story of the little sampan party and its jour- 
 ney from Seoul. All the while she was op- 
 pressed by the fear that if they lost precious 
 time in lingering here they would be discov- 
 ered, and thus all hope of escape be cut off. 
 Thus she urged their departure even while 
 she talked to him, concluding the account, 
 in fact, as they went along the passageways. 
 They had taken the precaution to relock the 
 door of the cell and Margaret had again the 
 keys in her hand. 
 
 His own story he told her in snatches as 
 they moved on near together and conversing 
 in low tones. He had indeed been at the 
 monastery, as Kingen had said, and there 
 had been a quarrel with the abbot. That 
 ecclesiastical dignitary accused him of prying 
 into matters that did not concern him, and 
 plainly intimated to him that he must be 
 gone. 
 
364 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ No doubt I did pry/’ admitted young 
 Griffin, “ for I was wild to obtain inside in- 
 formation concerning certain mystic rites of 
 the priests. It was the final touch desired for 
 the book I had in preparation, and would 
 make a stir in the world, I was sure. That 
 this incontrollable desire led to my final un- 
 doing, I see you have guessed. I did go away 
 from the monastery just as Kingen, the little 
 maid, related to you. But that same evening 
 I returned, not openly, but secretly. It was 
 by way of the subterranean passage, of which 
 my servant, Won-su, had told me, and which 
 he declared he knew. It was on that very 
 evening, I had learned, that the mystic rites 
 were to be celebrated. 
 
 “ My sampan was moored up stream from 
 the monastery, and only a mile or so from the 
 mouth of the cavern that gives entrance to 
 the secret waterway. The abbot, I knew, 
 would not expect me to leave the vicinity 
 until the next day. In the meantime I re- 
 solved upon a most reckless plan to be an 
 eye-witness of the mystic rites known as the 
 ‘ Judgment of the Buddha,’ the same, dear 
 child, that proved your own undoing. 
 
An American Girl in Korea 365 
 
 “ I had among my effects in the sampan 
 the robes of a Buddhist priest, and also a 
 cowl worn by them during certain stages of 
 penance. Thus disguised, I took the little 
 boat, and, bribing Won-su to accompany me in 
 another little craft belonging to one of the 
 polemen, I set out for the monastery just as 
 dusk had fallen. 
 
 “ Later, I will tell you all the events of that 
 undertaking, Margaret. Suffice it now to say 
 that my plans carried well up to the final 
 moment of discovery. Disguised as a priest, 
 I passed through the corridors with the 
 others, though I did not dare go so far as to 
 present myself among them at the altar. I 
 concealed myself near by the canopy, and but 
 for the sudden flashing up of the red light 
 and my own imprudence in exposing myself 
 just at that moment, I believe that I would 
 have succeeded in getting through safely/’ 
 
 All this while Hans had been frisking 
 about the feet of his master and Margaret 
 with the greatest delight. His instinct told 
 him that this was a joyous quest on which 
 they were now bound, the quest for freedom. 
 Suddenly his master stooped and patted him. 
 
366 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Had Hans been with me in the hal-l,” he 
 continued, addressing Margaret, “ I would, no 
 doubt, have had him to blame for my capture. 
 But I had left him in the little boat, to guard 
 my coat.” 
 
 “ The coat is there yet,” said Margaret. 
 
 “ That is lucky. It will be a relief to have 
 even a part of civilized dress again.” 
 
 “ I wonder that you risked leaving the 
 craft and the coat there in such plain view of 
 the priests,” remarked Margaret suddenly. 
 
 “O I did not do that,” he replied smiling. 
 “ That would indeed have been a bad error, 
 Meg, after all the careful planning. When I 
 had landed, Won-su took the boats and re- 
 turned along the stream a short distance to a 
 place of concealment he knew. He had em- 
 phatic orders not to let Hans leave him. 
 By the way, the little rogue invited himself 
 to accompany us, keeping concealed under 
 my coat until we were well under way.” 
 
 The young man stooped again to pat the 
 shaggy little friend who had so faithfully and 
 cheerfully shared his imprisonment for all 
 these years. 
 
 “ As hour after hour passed away, and I did 
 
An American Girl in Korea 367 
 
 not return, Won-su no doubt, growing alarmed 
 and believing the worst had happened to me, 
 went away at last. He did not do this, how- 
 ever, I think, until he had moored the little 
 craft where I could plainly see it and make 
 use of it, in the event that I did, in time, 
 escape. The priests, no doubt, drew it ashore, 
 and their superstitions have prevented their 
 making way with it.” 
 
 “ But what of Hans ? ” asked Margaret, still 
 perplexed with reference to the little dog. 
 
 “ When I reached my cell, Margaret, 
 in charge of the priests,” replied Walter 
 Griffin, his voice dropping again to its tone 
 of sadness, “ Hans was there in the corridor, 
 and he has been with me ever since. He 
 doubtless scented my coming, as he no doubt 
 scented you, I am sure,” the young man con- 
 tinued, and in a brighter voice. “ At any 
 rate, his actions of this morning, unaccount- 
 able then, are very clear to me now. I have 
 noticed for the past three or four days that he 
 has been quite restless, running to the grating 
 at intervals and sniffing and barking. I 
 thought at first the priests might have a 
 dog somewhere in the passageways or in 
 
368 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 one of the cells. It is not uncommon for 
 them to do this. Bukthis morning when he 
 picked his chance and darted out after the 
 priests, I didn't know what to think. Then 
 came the earthquake, and I feared my little 
 dog might have come to grief. The earth- 
 quake no doubt stunned and confused him, 
 so that he was longer in getting upon your 
 trail than he would otherwise have been." 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 THE OPENING OF THE DOOR 
 
 “ So there were two priests,” said Margaret 
 suddenly, “ I mean two who went to your cell 
 with food and water.” 
 
 “ Yes, they always came in pairs,” he 
 added with a faint smile, “ for fear I should 
 overpower them and seek to escape.” 
 
 “ Then I wonder where the other one can 
 be ? ” Margaret looked about her apprehen- 
 sively, as though fearing this one, at least, 
 having escaped, might even then be returning 
 with others to block their further progress. 
 And freedom now seemed so near and so 
 sweet ! 
 
 “ He no doubt went by another passageway, 
 and thus escaped ; or he may have shared the 
 fate of his companion.” 
 
 “ I don’t want him to die,” said Margaret 
 earnestly, “ but I do pray fervently that he 
 may not be the means of our recapture.” 
 
 “ Amen, Margaret ! From the length of 
 369 
 
370 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 time, however, that has elapsed since the 
 earthquake shock, with no signs, as yet, 
 of the priests, I am led to hope that the 
 passageways between this newer wing and 
 the older portion of the monastery are com- 
 pletely blocked.” 
 
 This proved to be the case. 
 
 In the first moments that the question of 
 escape had been touched upon by Margaret, 
 Walter Griffin had exclaimed, 
 
 “ The underground stream! That is the 
 only hope for us, my child. We’ll never 
 succeed by way of the monastery. There 
 are too many risks.” 
 
 But did he know the way out by means of 
 the subterranean stream ? It seemed to him 
 in those first bright moments, when hope 
 beckoned alluringly, that he did. Yet he 
 was not so sure after the stream was reached 
 and he found himself with Margaret and 
 Hans in one of the boats of the monks, the 
 oars in his hands. Won-su had guided him 
 through its intricate ways of the water pas- 
 sage, yet he had kept close note of its every 
 winding, he believed. At any rate, there 
 would be little paddling to do, as they were 
 
An American Girl in Korea 371 
 
 going down stream all the time. The chief 
 thing was to guide the boat and to keep it 
 as near the centre of the channel as possible. 
 If this were not done it might strike suddenly 
 against some projecting ledge and its occu- 
 pants come to grief. 
 
 They had taken the lantern from Walter 
 Griffin's cell, and Margaret still had the ends 
 of her two precious candles. While young 
 Griffin directed the course of the boat, Mar- 
 garet held the light. As to Hans, he seemed 
 to be playing the part of skipper and to be 
 directing everything. 
 
 They now had better opportunity to con- 
 verse, and as the little boat glided silently on, 
 they made good use of it. 
 
 Won-su’s conduct as depicted by Margaret 
 was inexplicable to young Griffin. He had 
 always found his Korean servant faithful in 
 every particular. 
 
 “ And I believe he was really fond of me,” 
 the young man concluded. 
 
 They talked further of Won-su and his 
 strange behavior. Then the subject of the 
 wrecking of the sampan was reached. Sud- 
 denly young Griffin exclaimed, 
 
372 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ I believe I see things more clearly now. 
 Won-su summoned up the courage to go to the 
 monastery and ask about me. The abbot 
 made him believe I was dead. It was the safe 
 way ; the only way, in fact, to successfully 
 block enquiry so far as the monastery was 
 concerned.” 
 
 “ But the wrecking of the sampan is still a 
 mystery,” declared Margaret ; “ for Dr. Charles 
 has told us again and again that the investi- 
 gation proved very strongly it was wilfully 
 done. Then there is Myo’s — I mean Won-su’s 
 own guilty behavior. Indeed he acted like 
 an insane man as he neared that portion of 
 the river where, it now seems, your sampan 
 was really wrecked. Then think how he 
 jumped over the cliff when I called him by 
 his true name.” 
 
 “ It is all very strange,” agreed young Grif- 
 fin. “ The most grievous part of it .to me 
 now,” he added sadly, “ is that all my work 
 of years is lost ! for my precious manuscripts 
 together with all the sketches I had made with 
 such care, no doubt went to the bottom of the 
 river.” 
 
An American Girl in Korea 373 
 
 “ That is too bad ! ” Margaret said sorrow- 
 fully. 
 
 “ Then there was the treasure of gold nug- 
 gets. O Margaret, how I had counted on 
 that ! ” 
 
 The tone of his voice, the expression of his 
 face, showed that he was thinking of another 
 besides himself ; of one very dear. 
 
 But Margaret was too excited to note. 
 Another thought had come to her. 
 
 “ And Mr. Walter,” she cried, her voice ris- 
 ing sharply, “ all the polemen who could after- 
 ward be found declared that you went down 
 with the sampan. Some of the spectators, too, 
 said the same thing.” 
 
 Young Griffin’s face cleared suddenly. 
 
 il All a plot of the priests, as I now believe,” 
 he said. “ The abbot is wily enough for any- 
 thing.” 
 
 Following an inclination she had had before, 
 Margaret now asked about Pop-hung. 
 
 “ I did stay with him,” replied Walter Grif- 
 fin, “ and the story about the easel is true. I 
 intended to pick it up on my way back. But 
 Pop-hung, like the abbot, is tricky, though I 
 do not believe he could be guilty of genuine 
 
374 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 crime, as could the abbot. But the fact is 
 Pop-hung was hanging about the neighbor- 
 hood of the sampan for two or three days prior 
 to the one on which I made that fatal return 
 to the monastery. He professed to have some 
 business with Won-su, who was an old friend ; 
 but I had the uneasy feeling that the rogue 
 coveted the golden nuggets.” 
 
 Suddenly young Griffin straightened him- 
 self and gazed about him anxiously. Then, 
 as a look of apprehension came into his face, 
 an exclamation escaped him. 
 
 “ What is wrong? ” asked Margaret. 
 
 He did not reply at once. When he did, 
 she noted the unsteadiness in his voice. 
 
 “ It does not seem to me that this is the 
 same part of the stream through which we 
 came, I mean Won-su and myself. It hasn’t 
 a familiar look.” 
 
 “ Why, how can you tell, anyway ? ” replied 
 Margaret. It all looks alike to me.” 
 
 “ But not to me, or at least it ought not. 
 As we came through I noted certain features 
 which we ought, by this time, to have seen, 
 that is if we are going right.” 
 
 The last half of the sentence seemed to be 
 
An American Girl in Korea 375 
 
 added reluctantly, and it was no more than out, 
 when young Griffin rested his paddle against 
 a ledge near which they were passing, and, hold- 
 ing the boat thus, gazed straight at Margaret. 
 
 “The truth is, Margaret,” he began and 
 avoiding her eyes now, “ I have more than 
 the suspicion that we are going wrong, I am 
 convinced that we are. I fear I did not take 
 the right turning at the start.” He paused, 
 then added, “ But I cannot bear to go back 
 now. It seems such a risk.” 
 
 “ Then let us go on,” replied Margaret 
 steadily. 
 
 “ But we do not know where this passage 
 leads ; perhaps into greater dangers than if we 
 returned. The stream may drop suddenly 
 over a precipice.” 
 
 “ Oh, we could hear the roar of the water in 
 time,” was the courageous reply. “ Let us go 
 on, until we are certain danger confronts us. 
 The passage may, after all, lead out through 
 some other way than the one by which you 
 entered.” 
 
 He looked at her, his eyes glistening. 
 
 “ You are a girl in a hundred, Margaret ! ” 
 he declared admiringly. 
 
376 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 “ Why not make it a thousand, while you 
 are about it? ” she asked in bantering tones. 
 
 The fact was, she felt as uneasy as Mr. 
 Walter seemed to be, but she would not let 
 him see it. He looked so frail, as if barely 
 strong enough for the task before them. It 
 was plain that his long imprisonment had 
 been a heavy drain upon him. 
 
 “ If I made it a million I would come 
 nearer the number ! ” he declared, his eyes 
 suddenly brightening. “Can I ever forget, 
 Margaret, what you have done for me? ” 
 Margaret looked away for a moment. There 
 was a vibration in her voice as she spoke. 
 
 “ I'm afraid," she confessed, “ that I did not 
 
 do it as much for you as for " 
 
 His own heart began to beat rapidly. There 
 was a new quick kindling in his eyes. 
 
 “ As for whom, Margaret ? ” 
 
 “Aunt Philippa," she said softly. “She 
 made me promise I would let no opportunity 
 pass to learn all I could. Do you know, Mr. 
 Walter," broke off Margaret suddenly, and 
 turning to look straight into his eyes, “ I don't 
 believe Aunt Philippa has ever really believed 
 that you were dead." 
 
An American Girl in Korea 377 
 
 “ God bless her for it ! ” he said in shaking 
 voice. His eyes glowed, his face was flushed. 
 He seemed more resolute now, as though he 
 returned to his task with greater energy. 
 Yet, had he known it, their surroundings 
 at that moment promised anything else but 
 hope. 
 
 “ There’s something ahead,” said Margaret 
 suddenly ; “ it’s right across the stream.” 
 
 For the last few moments she had been 
 peering out over the bow of the boat, strain- 
 ing her eyes through the gloom. 
 
 “ There ! I see it more plainly now. It 
 seems to be a flight of stone steps.” 
 
 And so it indeed proved, for soon the nose 
 of the little craft grated against it. It was 
 evidently a landing-place, for there were iron 
 rings to which boats could be fastened. 
 
 Young Griffin took the lantern from Mar- 
 garet, and, while she steadied the boat by 
 means of the paddle, he carefully studied 
 their surroundings. 
 
 “ We have certainly come to the end of our 
 way in this direction, Margaret,” he said after 
 a moment. “ The walls shut us in here on 
 every side but one. We must either go back 
 
378 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 along the way we have come, or up the stair- 
 way. ” 
 
 “ Let us at least make an examination of 
 the stairway.” Then, as her face suddenly 
 brightened, she added, “ I have heard that the 
 monastery has more than one secret stairway 
 leading to cliffs where certain shrines are set. 
 There is one in particular that leads to a 
 promontory where the abbots and sub-abbots 
 are interred. If we reach that, we may find 
 means to escape from the other side.” 
 
 The little boat was now secured to one of 
 the rings, and with more hopeful hearts they 
 began cautiously to ascend the stairway. It 
 did not follow a straight course, but began 
 gradually to curve. When about thirty of 
 the steps had been climbed, they came out 
 suddenly into a circular apartment with a 
 concave ceiling. It seemed built chiefly of 
 wood, most elaborately carved. The walls 
 were of a material that glistened in the lan- 
 tern light. Set at intervals around the walls 
 were various images. In the centre of the 
 apartment a great gilded dragon with out- 
 stretched wings barred their further progress. 
 There was an altar in front of it, and a half 
 
An American Girl in Korea 379 
 
 circular frame on either side richly gilded and 
 holding candles in ebony sticks. 
 
 “ This may be the mortuary chapel,” said 
 young Griffin after a pause in which each was 
 taking careful note of the surroundings. 
 “ That immense ebony pedestal looks some- 
 thing like a catafalque. Perhaps the body of 
 each abbot rests here for a time oh its way to 
 interment. Courage, dear Meg, we shall no 
 doubt soon come out at the cemetery ! ” 
 
 Moving cautiously, and still talking in 
 whispers, they found that there were two out- 
 lets from the apartment in addition to the one 
 by which they had come. One door opened 
 into a passageway that seemed to lead straight 
 from it ; a second disclosed the continuance 
 of the stairway above. 
 
 “ Shall we go straight forward,” asked young 
 Griffin, “ and find out where this passageway 
 leads? ” 
 
 “ No, no,” spoke Margaret decisively, “ I am 
 so afraid if we do, we’ll find ourselves back in 
 the monastery. Let us continue to go up.” 
 Other steps were cautiously climbed, but 
 not so many ; then another circular apartment, 
 not so large as the other, but similarly 
 
380 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 adorned. Still other steps, and yet another 
 apartment, and in this there were dragons 
 everywhere visible. On making a closer ex- 
 amination of the walls of this apartment, they 
 found that they were of marble and not so 
 blackened by the smoke of burning incense. 
 
 A suspicion had taken hold of Margaret, 
 but she said nothing of it as yet. She was 
 beginning to feel so anxious about her com- 
 panion that she lost sight of all else for a 
 time. He was not showing the strength nor 
 the freshness of spirit with which he had 
 started out. In truth, during the last few 
 minutes both had failed him very percepti- 
 bly. His steps had begun to lag, his face was 
 of an almost livid pallor, and he was panting 
 for breath. 
 
 “ 0 Mr. Walter ! ” exclaimed Margaret, as 
 she quickly grasped his arm, “ do let me help 
 you. I forgot how weak you must be from 
 staying in prison so long. I have been going 
 too fast for you, I am sure. And it has been 
 a tough climb. I declare I’m out of breath 
 myself.” 
 
 “ Do not mind me, Meg,” he begged, and 
 trying to encourage her with a smile. “ I 
 
An American Girl in Korea 381 
 
 shall be all right again when we are up this 
 ascent and I get my breath again. But see, 
 my child, what is this ? The light of day ! 
 Surely my eyes do not deceive me ! It is, 
 Margaret ! It is ! 0 how sweet to see God's 
 
 sunlight again ! There, Meg, put out your 
 lantern. We shall have no use for it now, 
 for we are saved ! ” 
 
 He sank down upon the floor as he ceased 
 speaking, for the reaction was too much for 
 him. 
 
 “ Let us rest just a little while," he said en- 
 treatingly, “ and then we’ll go on. It is all 
 clear to us now." 
 
 But Margaret did not yield to his persua- 
 sion. She could not, for she had seen what 
 he had not ; and seeing it, had grown sick 
 with despair. Her suspicion had now grown 
 to a certainty. They had come out into the 
 marble pagoda ! and had entered the chamber 
 at the top, which was furnished with half- 
 circular openings to admit light and air. It 
 was this light that young Griffin had seen as 
 he came to the top of the steps, and believed 
 it a glimpse of the outside world into which 
 they would soon pass and be free. 
 
382 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 She would not yet undeceive him. Let 
 him revel a little longer in this thought as he 
 took the rest he needed so much. 
 
 There were six of the crescent-shaped open- 
 ings through which the circular chamber was 
 flooded with light. They were about two feet 
 across at their widest opening, and were set 
 at such a distance from the floor that, as Mar- 
 garet approached one of them and leaned cau- 
 tiously out, the lower portion caught her just 
 below the shoulders. 
 
 She had heard Arthur and Wilbur say that 
 the marble pagoda stood in a secluded portion 
 of the grounds looking off toward the moun- 
 tains. It was not likely then that any of the 
 priests would see her, yet Margaret was very 
 cautions in her movements. She could see 
 nothing from this side, for there was a steep 
 cliff in the way, with many trees crowning it. 
 She passed across to the other side, and now a 
 sharp exclamation escaped her. What a glori- 
 ous view of the mountains ! Unconsciously 
 Margaret leaned further out. Then some- 
 thing else besides the mountains caught her 
 gaze. A smoke was curling upward from a 
 spot about half-way down one of the nearest 
 
An American Girl in Korea 383 
 
 mountainsides. Suppose it were a camp-fire ! 
 It was not much beyond the noon hour, as 
 she had seen some moments ago by her watch. 
 Some prospectors might even now be enjoying 
 their midday meal. She had heard her 
 father say there were one or two parties in the 
 mountains. 
 
 Obeying an irresistible impulse, Margaret 
 leaned out as far as she dared and waved her 
 handkerchief. Again it fluttered, and yet 
 again. It seemed an absolute piece of folly, 
 as she realized in a moment afterward, for 
 how would it be possible for them to see it, 
 and under the eaves, too ? And even if they 
 did see it, what would it amount to ? 
 
 A sound in young Griffin’s direction at- 
 tracted her attention. She turned, and then 
 with a quick cry sped toward him. His head 
 had fallen backward, and he was gasping for 
 breath. As Margaret reached him, his eyes 
 closed, a spasm passed over his face. But for 
 the strong, young arms placed so quickly 
 about him, he would have fallen over, no 
 doubt striking his head heavily upon the 
 floor. 
 
 Margaret knelt beside him, supporting his 
 
384 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 weight against her. She called to him again 
 and again, but there was no response. Her 
 heart was beating rapidly, and there was a 
 choked feeling in her throat. Had he only 
 fainted, or was he in reality dead ? Margaret 
 would not entertain this last supposition for 
 one moment. Arms and hands were supple, 
 and she believed that he was still breathing, 
 though so faintly that she could not be sure. 
 
 Margaret worked over him . faithfully. A 
 half hour passed, then three-quarters, ere her 
 efforts were fully rewarded. He opened his 
 eyes and spoke her name. 
 
 “ I’m afraid I fainted,’ 7 he said. “ Prison 
 fare and that sudden rush of sunlight and air 
 were too much for me. But come ! we must 
 be going. We have waited too long, I am 
 sure. To think we are free at last, Margaret 1 ” 
 
 How could she tell him ? But bravely it 
 was done. It took him many moments to 
 recover from the crushing blow, then he arose 
 suddenly with much of the old resolution. 
 
 “ Come, Margaret,” he said, almost gaily. 
 “We are not recaptured yet, my dear. Let 
 us try another way, even if we have to go 
 back and begin again at the very beginning, 
 
An American Girl in Korea 385 
 
 to the landing within the monastery, in 
 fact.” 
 
 She was rejoiced to see his old spirit return, 
 but she had little hope now that they would 
 escape. That long delay within the pagoda 
 would no doubt prove fatal. 
 
 They had descended the stairway into the 
 first apartment and were turning to seek the 
 flight of steps that led down into the water 
 where the little boat was moored, when, from 
 the direction of the passageway, came a sound 
 that for the instant held them immovable with 
 a sudden paralyzing terror. It was the sound 
 of rapidly approaching footsteps, and not of 
 one person, but of several ! 
 
 “ Quick, Margaret ! ” Walter Griffin whis- 
 pered. “ We must make a dash for the boat, 
 or we are lost ! ” 
 
 It was too late ! for at that very moment the 
 door was flung open and two priests appeared 
 upon the threshold, bearing torches. And 
 behind them was the astonished, livid face of 
 the abbot I 
 
CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 THE LAST OF THE CHANG-SOP 
 
 Yes, there were the priests, and there, too, 
 was the abbot ! yet who was this pressing so 
 close upon him? And yet another and an- 
 other of the dear familiar faces ; Arthur, her 
 father, Wilbur, Stephen, Dr. Griffin, the young 
 engineer, Ernest Warren, and even Sarah ! 
 Why it was too good to be true ! 
 
 A boy's high-pitched voice, quivering with 
 emotion, rang through the apartment, 
 
 “ O Meg, to think it was really you Mr. 
 Warren saw in the pagoda ! We didn’t be- 
 lieve him when he told us. My, what a lucky 
 thing he had his field-glasses on the pagoda 
 just when you waved ! O Meg, you dear 
 old thing — we thought you were dead ! ” 
 Arthur was hugging her so closely she had 
 to beg him to give her a chance to breathe. 
 
 “ And who is this with you ? ” he cried an 
 instant later, as his eyes fell upon the figure, 
 so strangely robed, which up to this moment 
 had been concealed by the shadows. 
 
 ’386 
 
An American Girl in Korea 387 
 
 Another voice than Margaret’s answered 
 the question, for while the words were yet on 
 Arthur’s lips, Dr. Griffin sprang forward with 
 a sharp cry, 
 
 “ Walter ! My dear brother ! It’s Walter, 
 Mr. Vance, Walter ! ” 
 
 As the brothers clasped each other in a close 
 embrace, there was the sound of sobbing in 
 more than one direction, but they were sobs 
 of joy. 
 
 And now Margaret was in her father’s arms, 
 then in Stephen’s, and Wilbur’s and Sarah’s, 
 and words spoken by each showed how sorely 
 they had one and all grieved for her. 
 
 “ O it was terrible, Meg ! ” declared Sarah, 
 sobbing it all out on Margaret’s shoulder. 
 “ We just would not give up and believe you 
 dead, though those old priests, especially the 
 abbot, did everything they could to prove to 
 us that you were. When they drove us away 
 from the monastery, we took refuge in the 
 camp with Mr. Warren and his prospecting 
 party. To think, Margaret, they have even 
 dragged the river for your body ! ” and Sarah 
 shuddered. 
 
 Margaret had the hand of the young engi- 
 
388 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 neer now, and was shaking it gratefully, while 
 her eyes said more than words could have done. 
 
 Questions and answers were flying thick 
 and fast. What an astounding story Margaret 
 had to relate ! But only the bare facts could 
 be told here. Later they would hear it all, 
 and that, too, of Walter Griffin. The earth- 
 quake had done little damage in the newer 
 parts of the monastery. Neither had those at 
 the camp suffered by it. 
 
 The abbot had for some moments been edg- 
 ing around them as they talked, as though he 
 were trying to get behind them into the pas- 
 sageway. He was brought to a sudden stand- 
 still by Ernest Warren’s firm hand grasping 
 his shoulder. 
 
 “ No, indeed, old Crop Hair,” the young 
 man said determinately. “ No you don’t. 
 You’d like, no doubt, to call a lot of the 
 monks and shut us up, like our two friends 
 here. But it won’t do. You’ll stay right 
 here beside me until we get safely out of this 
 old monastery, which is too much like a jail 
 to suit me.” 
 
 “ The abbot didn’t want to come with us at 
 all,” said Stephen to Margaret. “ Mr. Warren 
 
An American Girl in Korea 389 
 
 just had to make him do it. The chang-sop 
 declared it was some one of the priests Mr. 
 Warren had seen, by means of his field-glasses, 
 in the old pagoda. I am sure he didn’t for a 
 moment expect to find you here, Meg, much 
 less Mr. Walter, or he never would have yielded 
 to Mr. Warren’s request.” 
 
 The abbot’s face, livid with rage at this 
 moment, plainly showed that he had indeed 
 been unpleasantly surprised. 
 
 Their first thought on coming out of the 
 monastery was of Myo-Sang, or Won-su, as he 
 must now be called. He had recovered con- 
 sciousness, but one glance of Dr. Griffin’s prac- 
 ticed eyes showed him that the old poleman 
 had not long to live. His confession was con- 
 trite and full. 
 
 Greed had been the worst sin of which 
 Won-su had been guilty. He had coveted the 
 golden treasures dug by Walter Griffin from 
 the hill of Nippoo-san, and all his scheming 
 had been to possess them. Yet despite his 
 treachery to the young man who had so warmly 
 befriended him, the stolen nuggets had done 
 Won-su little good, for he had used but few of 
 them, no more, in fact, than would have been 
 
3go An American Girl in Korea 
 
 his share for services. Every time he had 
 sought to make use of them, there was the 
 haunting fear of young Griffin to deter him, 
 for Won-su was confident the young artist was 
 dead, and thus in the spirit world would have 
 full knowledge of all his old servant’s acts in 
 this one. 
 
 The wrecking of the sampan had indeed oc- 
 curred through the plotting of the priests, in 
 which plot Pop-hung had been an active con- 
 spirator. He and the polemen were paid a 
 large sum by the abbot to wreck the boat and 
 to spread the report that the young artist had 
 gone down in the river. Certain of the vil- 
 lagers had also been bribed. Won-su was to 
 have been an accomplice and to have shared 
 the reward, but at the last moment nerve and 
 heart failed him. He had stolen away, bear- 
 ing the little canvas sack of nuggets and the 
 cherry-wood box containing the sketches and 
 the precious manuscript, which Walter Griffin 
 had more than once begged him to make his 
 special care in the event anything happened 
 to him or to the sampan. 
 
 To think that, after all, the box with its 
 precious contents and even the most of the 
 
An American Girl in Korea 391 
 
 nuggets were safe ! That they were, in fact, 
 in no less a place of concealment than the 
 Marble Pagoda in Seoul, in a spot well known 
 to Walter Griffin. 
 
 Won-su could never get up the courage to 
 carry the cherry-wood box and its contents to 
 Dr. Griffin, as instructed to do, lest he be ques- 
 tioned about the nuggets and also about the 
 master to whom he had proven unfaithful. 
 Two or three times he had gone to the pagoda 
 to get the box for delivery, but each time his 
 courage had failed and he had returned it to 
 its hiding-place. It was at one of these times 
 that Margaret had seen him. 
 
 Won-su’s visit to Pop-hung had been for the 
 purpose of getting him to join with him — 
 Won-su — in telling the truth about the wreck 
 of the sampan ; but Pop-hung had been ob- 
 stinate. Only on one condition would he 
 yield, and that was that Won-su disclose the 
 whereabouts of the gold nuggets and promise 
 to share them with him. The young artist's 
 people, Pop-hung argued, need never know 
 but that the nuggets had gone to the bottom 
 of the river with the other effects. 
 
392 An American Girl in Korea 
 
 At last they were on board their newly pur- 
 chased sampan and homeward bound. 
 
 “ I told you,” said Mr. Vance suddenly, as 
 his arm stole fondly about Margaret, “ that 
 wise men had declared that one girl of the 
 right sort is worth a dozen boys in any mar- 
 ket.” 
 
 “ One of the wise men must be yourself, 
 uncle, I am sure,” remarked Wilbur slyly. 
 
 “You are right, father,” declared Arthur. 
 
 “ Make it a million, sir, and you will come 
 nearer the number ! ” exclaimed Walter Grif- 
 fin in reply to Mr. Vance. “ Yes,” he added, 
 as his eyes, radiant with gratitude, sought 
 Margarets, “ to me the value of this one girl 
 in question is far above that of the whole world 
 of boys.”