The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,52

the girl started to pull at her hair so hard that several strands came loose. Tears came to her eyes as she yanked. Dolly grasped Kum Quai’s hands, but the girl only grabbed at her hair again.

“What is she doing?” Dolly asked Ah Cheng.

Ah Cheng questioned Kum Quai in Chinese, and the girl gave a tearful answer.

“She says she doesn’t want to be beautiful anymore,” Ah Cheng said. “If she pulls out her hair, maybe the tong won’t want her back.”

“But she’s hurting herself.” Dolly again grabbed the girl’s hands. “Tell her we can cut it short if she’d like.”

So, moments later, they had Kum Quai sitting on a chair while Dolly cut the girl’s hair. When they finally got her settled in bed, with Ah Cheng watching over her, Dolly made her way to the office.

She wrote down the events of the night in the record book. Seeing Kum Quai’s desperation to pull out her hair only testified of how afraid she was of her owner. How long of a reprieve would they have? Word would travel fast, and Dolly likely had only two or three days to secure guardianship of Kum Quai.

Finally, when Dolly went up the stairs to her bedroom, she saw Tien sitting at the top of the stairs. The girl didn’t move as Dolly approached. Was this progress? Tien not running from her?

But when Dolly grew near, she found that Tien had fallen asleep. Had she been waiting up for their return? Had she been worried about more tong members coming to the mission home?

Dolly crouched and lifted the sleeping girl into her arms. She carried the girl to her bedroom, then carefully tucked her beneath a blanket. For several moments, Dolly gazed down at Tien. Her expression was so smooth and peaceful. What she’d seen in her young life might take a lifetime to erase, and Dolly could only pray that she would be able to help. Quietly she left the room, hoping that the residents of the mission home could all find their own peace.

The following week, the dreaded knock on the door came soon after the breakfast hour. When Dolly saw a Chinese man and a constable she didn’t recognize on the front step, she immediately rang the warning gong. Since it was daytime, everyone would be alerted to stop lessons and assemble in the chapel room. There was no one to hide in the basement at this time.

Dolly knew very well that these men could be here for either Chan Juan or Kum Quai, both of whom Dolly had been able to secure guardianship papers for.

Still, her heart stuttered when the constable said, “We have a warrant issued by the San Jose court of law for Kum Quai’s arrest.”

Dolly took the official-looking paper and read through the warrant. Kum Quai was being charged with grand larceny by Chung Bow.

Dolly felt like the air around her had whooshed out of the house. Even if Dolly contacted their lawyer right now, Kum Quai would have to appear before a San Jose judge. Not even guardianship papers could protect the girl from a court date. Still, Dolly had to try. “There has been a mistake. This girl is not here.”

The constable pushed the door open. “We are coming in. Chung Bow will identify the thief.”

Dolly stood aside, helpless as the constable and Chung Bow followed the sounds of the gathered girls, ushered there by Mrs. Field, who was determined not to allow the men to search through the house again.

Dolly watched from the entryway as the constable and Chung Bow surveyed the gathered girls and women in the chapel. Kum Quai was among the group as well, her shorn hair not enough of a change to hide her identity. And no one had told her to flee to the basement because the guardianship papers should have made her safe.

Dolly’s fingers curled into fists as Chung Bow shoved the warrant at Kum Quai and barked short words at her in Chinese.

Then the constable grasped Kum Quai’s arm and led her out of the room. The other girls and women watched in horror, and many of them started to cry.

Helplessness and panic collided in Dolly’s stomach like two boats ramming into each other. She couldn’t bear watching Kum Quai’s terror-stricken expression.

Dolly hurried after the trio, and just before the door shut, she grasped the edge. “I’m going with her,” she called back to Ah Cheng. “Tell Mrs. Field, and send a message to Attorney Monroe. Tell