344 Sport and Life. 



then I could take my affidavit. It was hard to convince them that 

 I could see no difference in Chinese hieroglyphics. I was to take 

 my affidavit that Lam Sam was a very good man, and " Judge 

 Begbie " would believe me if he would not believe a Chinaman, 

 and, beyond everything, I was to get plenty of presents if I could 

 induce "Judge Begbie" to let him out on bail. It was no use 

 explaining that I would not be bribed, that I could not possibly 

 mention the subject to " Judge Begbie." I only made my escape 

 on one Sunday to receive the same application the next Sunday. 

 Gee would, or could, not keep them out of the kitchen, and there 

 they would sit for hours till I went in and peremptorily dismissed 

 them, when they would seize the opportunity and eagerly offer me 

 papers and proofs and affidavits. Having at their request told 

 them which lawyer to go to for their defence, they acted upon my 

 advice. At last Lam Sam was brought up for trial, and his case 

 dismissed at once, as nothing could be proved against him. But 

 Sam and his friends persisted in being grateful to me, and did not 

 seem to believe that it was the absolute lack of proof of any kind 

 against Lam Sam that let him off so easily, but that it was because 

 the lawyers and judges were " velly good friends of yours, Missus 

 Gloman." The very day Sam was released, Gee, who had arranged 

 a cold lunch for me and put it on the table as soon as the breakfast 

 was cleared, so as to hurry off to the court where Sam's case was 

 coming on, soon came back in a frantic state of glee. " Lam Sam 

 all light, he heap pleased ; he thank you and judge and lawyer 

 velly much, he come see you light away ; he go off now, put on 

 good clothes, he come up see you. You let him come in drawing- 

 room, he boss, he not all the same one poor cook." 



" Well, Gee, you had his wife and child in the kitchen." 

 " Woman, he no count, he no matter ; Lam Sam he big 

 boss." 



The hired hack and pair of horses soon drove up, Lam Sam, his 

 wife, and little girl, whose name, by the way, was Fung, and who 

 was about twelve years old, and one of the friends who had 

 besieged me on Sam's behalf on many Sundays, were ushered into 



