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diff --git a/37314-h/37314-h.htm b/37314-h/37314-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2eb1502 --- /dev/null +++ b/37314-h/37314-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6162 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bradys After A Chinese Princess Or, + The Yellow Fiends Of 'Frisco, by A New York Detective. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i5 { + display: block; + margin-left: 5em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bradys After a Chinese Princess, by +Francis Worcester Doughty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Bradys After a Chinese Princess + The Yellow Fiends of 'Frisco + +Author: Francis Worcester Doughty + +Release Date: September 4, 2011 [EBook #37314] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRADYS AFTER A CHINESE PRINCESS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net +(Stanford University, SUL Books in the Public Domain) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h4>Old King Brady rushed after the flying Chinaman who was carrying the +princess. He crossed a gangplank, and entered the house on the piles. +Then part of the runway flew up, closing the doorway. Harry and Alice +looked on.</h4> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p class="center">No 658 SEPT 1ST 1911 5 Cents.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Secret Service.</span></h3> + +<h1><span class="smcap">The Bradys after a Chinese Princess</span></h1> + +<h3>OR</h3> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Yellow Fiends Of 'Frisco</span></h2> + +<h2><i><span class="smcap">By A New York Detective</span></i>.</h2> + +<p class="center">FRANK TOUSEY<br /> +PUBLISHER<br /> +·24<br /> +UNION SQUARE.<br /> +NEW-YORK.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECRET SERVICE</h2> + +<h3>OLD AND YOUNG KING BRADY, DETECTIVES</h3> + +<blockquote><p>Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second +Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office, March 1, 1899. +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1911, in the +office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C, by Frank +Tousey, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New York.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. THE MYSTERY THAT CAME OUT OF THE MIST.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. ALICE AND THE CHINESE PRINCESS.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. LUNG & LUNG.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. ALICE PASSES THROUGH THE DOOR OF DEATH.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. OLD KING BRADY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN DELIGHTS.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. IN A TORTURE CHAMBER.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. OLD KING BRADY BLUNDERS AHEAD AS BEST HE CAN.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. THE BRADYS GET TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN. BUT THE PRINCESS SLIPS THROUGH THEIR FINGERS.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. TREASURE HUNTING.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. TOO LATE.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. CONCLUSION.</a><br /><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE BRADYS AFTER A CHINESE PRINCESS<br /> +OR,<br /> +THE YELLOW FIENDS OF 'FRISCO</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE MYSTERY THAT CAME OUT OF THE MIST.</h3> + + +<p>One foggy night a few years since at something after two o'clock, a +good-sized motor boat containing five men might have been seen cruising +close in to the water-front line of lower San Francisco.</p> + +<p>Three of the occupants were big, husky fellows, who sat idly in the boat +looking like men waiting to be called upon to act and prepared for any +emergency.</p> + +<p>A good-looking young fellow in his twenties was attending to engineer's +duty, while astern sat an elderly man of striking appearance and +peculiar dress.</p> + +<p>He wore a long, blue coat with brass buttons, an old-fashioned stock and +stand-up collar, and a big white hat with an unusually broad brim.</p> + +<p>Clearly he was the leader of this outfit, whatever their business might +be out there on the silent bay in the early morning hours.</p> + +<p>He was a man accustomed to command, being none other than the +world-famous detective, Old King Brady, chief of the Brady Detective +Bureau of Union Square, New York.</p> + +<p>And having made this statement, we need scarcely add that the young man +in charge of the boat was his partner, Young King Brady, second in skill +as a detective only to his great chief.</p> + +<p>The detective had been ordered to San Francisco on special duty by the +United States Secret Service Bureau.</p> + +<p>Information had been received of the intention of certain Chinamen to +run in opium on a large scale, dodging the duty due to Uncle Sam.</p> + +<p>The information, while definite and reliable, was still vague.</p> + +<p>Details were lacking, yet it was known that there was surely going to be +something doing in the line during this particular week, and that +whatever was done would take place in the neighborhood of the India +Basin.</p> + +<p>This made the fourth night the Bradys had been on the watch with three +local Secret Service men as their aides.</p> + +<p>It was discouraging work.</p> + +<p>Nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>The weak point of the undertaking was the lack of knowledge as to the +particular ship or steamer on which the opium was expected to arrive.</p> + +<p>Two steamers had arrived from China this week, one regular liner and one +tramp.</p> + +<p>Three sailing vessels had also come in, all from Chinese ports.</p> + +<p>Yet it was by no means certain that the opium would enter the harbor of +San Francisco in that way.</p> + +<p>It is quite the custom with captains of English tramp steamers, and also +with those of sailing vessels, to drop opium overboard in sealed rubber +bags while off the Farraleone Islands.</p> + +<p>Such bags are picked up by fishing schooners on hand for the purpose, +and by them landed as best they can.</p> + +<p>A close watch for such operations in this particular instance was being +kept by a special revenue cutter outside the Golden Gate.</p> + +<p>The Bradys' orders had to do only with the landing.</p> + +<p>It was supposed that the people connected with some storage warehouse in +this vicinity were and had been for some time standing in with the +smugglers.</p> + +<p>It was particularly desired by the Government to learn who these people +were; to catch them red-handed and make an example of them.</p> + +<p>That Chinese capital was back of this crooked enterprise was certain, +but there was reason to believe that they were being substantially aided +by others who were not of their race.</p> + +<p>"If the fog would only lift we might be able to do something," remarked +one of the Secret Service men, "but as it is I see little use in +remaining here."</p> + +<p>"Patience," replied Old King Brady. "We have to do the best we can, my +friend. I admit that the fog is a nuisance, but I am not giving up yet +by any means. Harry, work in a little nearer. We must be close upon the +India Basin by this time."</p> + +<p>The order was obeyed by Young King Brady.</p> + +<p>After a few moments the wharf line became visible, the fog lifting a +bit.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly came a break.</p> + +<p>"The basin," said the Secret Service man.</p> + +<p>"I think not," replied Old King Brady. "I think it is only the Islais +Creek Channel. Stop the boat, Harry. We will lie off here for a few +minutes. Perhaps we are banking too much on these hop smugglers running +into the basin. It may be one of the warehouses on the channel here +after all."</p> + +<p>Harry stopped the launch accordingly.</p> + +<p>The ebb tide took them back and the fog closed in on the Islais Channel.</p> + +<p>The boat ran against a wharf and the movement was stopped.</p> + +<p>"Shall I pull up, governor?" inquired Young King Brady.</p> + +<p>"No. We will rest as we are," said the old detective. "Quiet, now. Let +us listen. I shall not remain long idle here."</p> + +<p>"It isn't the least use," growled the Secret Service man. "There won't +be nothing doing to-night."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady made no reply.</p> + +<p>This man was a chronic kicker. He had been at it right along.</p> + +<p>But for the fact that he was also known to be a good fighter, Old King +Brady would have dropped him.</p> + +<p>Silence and fog!</p> + +<p>Such was the situation now.</p> + +<p>For fully twenty minutes they remained thus, and the old detective was +just about to order a move on to the India Basin when voices were heard +at no great distance, speaking in some foreign tongue.</p> + +<p>"At last!" breathed Old King Brady. "I told you there would be something +doing to-night, boss. Is that Chinese they are talking, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Sounds so."</p> + +<p>"Sure it is," added the kicker.</p> + +<p>"I'll wake up Alice, then," said the old detective. "This is her job."</p> + +<p>We have not mentioned a woman who, wrapped in a heavy shawl, sat half +reclining at Old King Brady's feet with her head resting on a corner of +the stern seat.</p> + +<p>This was the noted female detective, Alice Montgomery, who is a full +partner in the Brady Bureau.</p> + +<p>The daughter of a missionary, born and brought up in China, Alice, +besides several other foreign languages, such as German, French and +Italian, both speaks and reads Chinese.</p> + +<p>Of course, such an accomplishment was likely to prove invaluable in a +situation like this.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady now aroused his female partner and explained.</p> + +<p>But by this time the voices had ceased.</p> + +<p>"Must be that they are in a sailboat," observed the kicker, half aloud.</p> + +<p>"Will you kindly keep quiet," breathed the old detective. "This mist is +as good as a telephone. I want to do business to-night if I can."</p> + +<p>After a moment the voices in the mist were heard again.</p> + +<p>Alice listened attentively.</p> + +<p>"Chinese?" whispered Harry.</p> + +<p>"Yes; hush."</p> + +<p>The voices ceased.</p> + +<p>Chinese never hold continuous conversation like other people.</p> + +<p>They say what they have to say and let it go at that.</p> + +<p>This time the voices seemed to come from a greater distance.</p> + +<p>"What are they talking about?" the old detective asked.</p> + +<p>"They are trying to find the Islais Channel," whispered Alice. "They +think they have missed their bearings."</p> + +<p>"Therein they are quite mistaken. The Islais Channel is right here. +Didn't catch the name of any street or warehouse?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Or person?"</p> + +<p>"The name Volckman was mentioned."</p> + +<p>"Good! It may prove a valuable clew. Let us wait and listen. To attempt +to overhaul them in the open bay would be useless, but once they enter +the channel, we have them bottled up."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what sort of a craft they are in?" queried Harry.</p> + +<p>"It can't be either a rowboat or a launch," replied the old detective, +"and it is hard to see how they can get around with a sailboat on a +night like this, yet that must be what it is."</p> + +<p>"There is a breeze springing up now," observed the kicker.</p> + +<p>He had scarcely spoken when the voices were heard close to them.</p> + +<p>Evidently the ebb tide was taking the smugglers, if such they were, +their way.</p> + +<p>They were now speaking loud and rapidly.</p> + +<p>"Draw your revolvers, boys, and be ready," breathed Old King Brady. "We +are liable to be discovered at any moment."</p> + +<p>Alice sat listening.</p> + +<p>"They are the smugglers, all right," she presently whispered.</p> + +<p>"Sure?" asked Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Yes. They say——"</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Alice, unless it is something important."</p> + +<p>Still the voices continued.</p> + +<p>The smugglers appeared to be passing the launch in the direction of the +channel.</p> + +<p>"Listen!" whispered Alice, as they presently ceased. "This is important. +One said: 'We must hurry if we expect to save the princess. She can't +stand it much longer.'"</p> + +<p>"What can that mean?"</p> + +<p>"The name of their boat, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"Do you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Frankly, I don't. It seemed to me as if they were speaking of a +person."</p> + +<p>"Then they must have a woman with them. Perhaps some Chinese woman they +are smuggling in."</p> + +<p>Suddenly a loud voice exclaimed in English: "Here's your channel now, +you Chinks!"</p> + +<p>"Allee light! Allee light! Hully up now," came the reply.</p> + +<p>The breeze had increased. The fog was lifting a little. Certain sounds +were heard that indicated a sailboat going about.</p> + +<p>"Shall I start up?" asked Harry.</p> + +<p>"Not yet," was the reply. "Let them get well into the channel, then we +will close in on them."</p> + +<p>The voices died away; the time to move had come.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Old King Brady. Immediately the "chug-chug" of the motor +made itself heard.</p> + +<p>"Bear right down upon them," ordered the old detective; "a little brisk +action will put us on the right side of this outfit, I hope. Alice, you +get down in the boat."</p> + +<p>Alice, brave girl that she is, protested that she was willing to take +her chances with the rest, but Old King Brady sternly repeating the +order, it was obeyed.</p> + +<p>A few moments of anxious suspense and a large sailboat loomed up out of +the mist right ahead of them.</p> + +<p>Instantly Old King Brady turned a powerful electric flashlight upon it.</p> + +<p>In the boat were several boxes and bales. One box seemed particularly +large.</p> + +<p>If this was filled with opium, Old King Brady knew that it must be very +valuable.</p> + +<p>There were three Chinamen in the boat and one white man.</p> + +<p>"Lower your sail and surrender!" thundered Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>The white man appeared about to obey, but one of the Chinamen +interfered.</p> + +<p>The other two immediately discharged their revolvers at the launch.</p> + +<p>The shots flew harmlessly past them, but it made the old detective vexed +to think that he had not been the first to open fire, which he and the +others by his command now instantly did.</p> + +<p>Whether any one was hit or not it was impossible to tell, but all four +men at once sprang overboard and, abandoning their boat, struck out for +the south bulkhead of the channel, which was no great distance away.</p> + +<p>"We win!" cried the old detective. "No more firing, boys. I had just as +soon they would escape."</p> + +<p>They pushed on to the abandoned boat.</p> + +<p>The mist closed in on them and the swimmers were lost to view.</p> + +<p>Making fast to the boat, the kicker sprang aboard and lowered the sail.</p> + +<p>"A good haul, Mr. Brady," he exclaimed. "There are thousands of pounds +of hop here, but what do you suppose is in this big box?"</p> + +<p>"That remains for us to discover," replied Old King Brady. "Is it +heavy?"</p> + +<p>"Very," replied the kicker, weighting the box.</p> + +<p>"Never mind now. Make fast and we will pull around to the Indian Basin. +I shall touch nothing until we are at the Government stores."</p> + +<p>The kicker obeyed, and was just about to step back into the launch, when +Old King Brady, ordering him to remain where he was, he sat down on the +big tin box.</p> + +<p>Instantly he jumped up again, exclaiming:</p> + +<p>"Good heavens! There is some one alive in this box!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! The princess!" cried Alice.</p> + +<p>"What did you hear?" demanded Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Some one spoke. There it goes again! It's a Chinaman."</p> + +<p>"Or a woman! Alice, do you think you can get aboard the sailboat without +tumbling into the bay?"</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly," replied Alice, and she stepped aboard the sailboat +with the kicker's aid.</p> + +<p>"Is any one in the box?" she called.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Help! Save me! I am dying in here!" came the answer in Chinese.</p> + +<p>Alice instantly repeated the words.</p> + +<p>"We must make a landing right here on the bulkhead in front of these +warehouses," declared Old King Brady, and he gave Harry orders +accordingly.</p> + +<p>Loaded down as the sailboat was, it would have been both difficult and +dangerous to attempt to open the bulky box on board.</p> + +<p>Indeed, in order to get at it properly, a good portion of the contents +of the boat would have to be removed in any case.</p> + +<p>"Ask her who she is and how she came to be there, Alice," the old +detective called; adding:</p> + +<p>"I am assuming that it is a woman."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's a woman," replied Alice, and she put the question.</p> + +<p>"She says she is the Princess Skeep Hup," Alice called.</p> + +<p>"Ask her how she came to be in the box."</p> + +<p>But when Alice put the question there came no reply.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid she has fainted!" said Alice, "or, indeed, she may be dead."</p> + +<p>"A mystery!" cried Harry. "The mystery that came out of the mist."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>ALICE AND THE CHINESE PRINCESS.</h3> + + +<p>To make a quick opening of the box containing the Chinese Princess was +quite impossible.</p> + +<p>Besides the difficulties already explained, there were others.</p> + +<p>The box was not nailed.</p> + +<p>Examination showed that it was put together with screws, and that the +boards were of some hard wood.</p> + +<p>Air-holes bored in the sides at regular intervals showed that the +imprisoned princess certainly ought to have no difficulty in breathing, +and made it seem that her present unconsciousness was probably nothing +more than a faint.</p> + +<p>The landing at the bulkhead had now been made.</p> + +<p>There appeared to be no watchman here—at least no one challenged the +Secret Service party.</p> + +<p>Behind the bulkhead extended a row of storage warehouses.</p> + +<p>The boat had been tied up opposite a break in this row formed by a +street extending back towards Amador street, the first of which +parallels the Islais Creek Channel on the south.</p> + +<p>The Bradys had plenty of rope, and the work of unloading now began.</p> + +<p>Harry got into the sailboat along with the kicker and remained there.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady, Alice and the other two Secret Service men ascended to +the bulkhead.</p> + +<p>Such boxes and opium bales as were piled on the larger box were +transferred to the launch, and a rope made fast around the box, which +was then hauled up, but not without considerable difficulty, and carried +in front of the first warehouse of the row, where it was placed on the +board platform.</p> + +<p>Alice now called again to the imprisoned princess, but received no +answer.</p> + +<p>"I'll be blest if I see how we are ever going to get this thing open +without a screw-driver," grumbled one of the Secret Service men.</p> + +<p>"I can supply that want," replied the old detective, who usually has a +few tools concealed in some of the many pockets of that wonderful blue +coat.</p> + +<p>He hastily produced it and went to work.</p> + +<p>The screw-driver was not only a small affair, but the blade folded into +a slot in the handle.</p> + +<p>The joint being loose, it made the tool wobbly.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady soon discovered that he had attempted the impossible. He +could not start a single screw.</p> + +<p>"This is a bad job," he exclaimed. "We shall have to lower the box +again. I greatly fear that we are up against a murder case. If the woman +was alive, she would surely have revived before this."</p> + +<p>"She said she was dying," replied Alice. "It begins to look as if she +spoke the truth."</p> + +<p>"Get back to the boat," called Harry. "We may as well run around to the +India Basin warehouse. We shall be able to open the box there."</p> + +<p>"I see no other way," replied Old King Brady, and once again he started +to make fast the rope, when suddenly Harry called that he could hear the +sound of oars.</p> + +<p>"Which way?" demanded the old detective.</p> + +<p>"Up the channel. Don't seem to be far off, either."</p> + +<p>"Come, boys," said Old King Brady, "we'll sneak along the bulkhead and +see who it is. Crouch low, now. If it is the Chinamen prowling about, we +may be able to bag them. Alice, you better go aboard the launch."</p> + +<p>"I'll stay here and watch the box," replied Alice.</p> + +<p>The old detective and the two Secret Service men now crept along the +line of the bulkhead with their revolvers drawn.</p> + +<p>Alice quickly lost sight of them in the fog, which was now thicker than +ever.</p> + +<p>"Alice, are you all right up there?" called Harry.</p> + +<p>"Of course," she replied. "Why not?"</p> + +<p>"I wish you would come down."</p> + +<p>"And abandon my imprisoned princess? I won't."</p> + +<p>Harry and Alice are lovers, and practically engaged.</p> + +<p>Long ago they would have been married if Alice would only consent to +give up her work.</p> + +<p>But Alice is perfectly fascinated with the life of a detective, so the +marriage day is forever being postponed, for Harry insists that Alice +shall give up the business before becoming his wife.</p> + +<p>But even under their present relations he sometimes tries to force her +to yield to his ideas more than she cares for, although he has long ago +learned that she is a difficult person to drive.</p> + +<p>Harry knew by her tone now that Alice had made up her mind to stay just +where she was, so he let the matter drop and was sitting in the launch +in silence when suddenly a shot rang out.</p> + +<p>It was followed by another, and others still.</p> + +<p>Then Old King Brady shouted something in the distance, but Harry could +not make out what he said.</p> + +<p>"Alice!" he called, "can you hear what the governor is saying?"</p> + +<p>There was no answer.</p> + +<p>"She don't seem to hear you," observed the kicker.</p> + +<p>"Alice!" shouted Harry again.</p> + +<p>Still no answer.</p> + +<p>"Can she have gone forward to see what that shooting is about?" he +exclaimed. "It would be just like her. I'm going up to see."</p> + +<p>"I hear somebody running," cried the kicker.</p> + +<p>Just then Old King Brady was heard calling out:</p> + +<p>"Lay for them, Harry! Chinks in a boat! Coming your way!"</p> + +<p>Young King Brady listened, catching the sound of oars.</p> + +<p>But it was only for a minute.</p> + +<p>"They have either stopped or muffled their oars!" he said when he heard +Old King Brady right above him exclaim:</p> + +<p>"Good heavens! What's this?"</p> + +<p>"Anything the matter with Alice?" cried Harry, and he went up the +standing ladder flying.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady was peering about in the fog.</p> + +<p>The two Secret Service men were just coming up.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" cried Harry. "Where's Alice? I have called her several +times, but she don't answer."</p> + +<p>"Why, I left her right here, and that box with her; both seem to have +vanished," Old King Brady answered in a tone which fully betrayed his +anxiety.</p> + +<p>But it was easy to mistake the exact position in the fog.</p> + +<p>A moment's search revealed the puzzling fact that nowhere on the +bulkhead Alice and the heavy box containing the imprisoned princess was +to be found.</p> + +<p>The Bradys and the Secret Service men pushed about everywhere.</p> + +<p>One of the first things they did was to turn the corner of the end +warehouse and look there along the street.</p> + +<p>"She has been captured and carried off. She must have gone this way," +Harry exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Or into one of the warehouses," said Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>"I'll get up the street. You get along by the warehouses," cried Harry, +and he started away on the run.</p> + +<p>It was ten minutes before he returned.</p> + +<p>"Learned anything?" demanded Old King Brady, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Nothing. I went two blocks. Didn't see a soul; no need to ask you if +you had better luck, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"I had none at all. I have tried the different doors, but I can't find +any that is open now, whatever the case may have been a few minutes +ago."</p> + +<p>And such are the circumstances of the most mysterious disappearance +Alice has ever made, and she has made many, for, of course, troubles +form a part of the life of a detective.</p> + +<p>Poor Harry was in despair. Old King Brady exceedingly anxious and also +vexed with himself to think that he had not insisted upon Alice going +aboard the boat.</p> + +<p>"And you heard no noise of any kind?" he asked for the third time.</p> + +<p>"Not a sound," replied Harry. "I was sitting quiet in the boat, too."</p> + +<p>"When was the last you heard her speak?"</p> + +<p>"Just before the firing began. Was it you who fired?"</p> + +<p>"We fired back at three Chinamen who fired on us from a boat."</p> + +<p>"Sailboat—rowboat?"</p> + +<p>"Rowboat. Didn't you hear the sound of oars?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes! I am so rattled that I hardly know what I'm saying. What on +earth shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"We have to look after our captured opium, too. You remain here, Harry, +and Leggett can stop with you. I'll run the stuff around into the India +Basin and make sure of it. Don't you go doing the disappearance act +now."</p> + +<p>"Same to you, governor. Oh, these Chinks! I wish we might never have +another mix-up with them."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady made no reply, but hastily descended to the launch, which +towed the captured sailboat to a bonded warehouse on the India Basin, +where Secret Service men were waiting to receive them.</p> + +<p>It was daybreak before he got back to the Islais Creek Channel again.</p> + +<p>The fog had vanished with the night, and a hot August wind was blowing +the sand about after the usual San Francisco style.</p> + +<p>Harry and the Secret Service man were standing on the bulkhead.</p> + +<p>"Have you learned anything?" demanded Old King Brady as the launch drew +near.</p> + +<p>"Not a thing, worse luck," replied Harry. "If ever there was a mystery +it is this."</p> + +<p>"It is certainly a bad job," replied the old detective, "but such as it +is we must make the best of it. Let us wait for the opening up of these +warehouses. Information of some sort may come from a quarter we least +suspect."</p> + +<p>Seven o'clock came, bringing with it the men connected with the +warehouses.</p> + +<p>Among them was the dock foreman, who demanded the Bradys' business.</p> + +<p>He seemed slightly startled when he saw the Secret Service shield.</p> + +<p>"Who is Volckman?" demanded the old detective, abruptly.</p> + +<p>"I am Volckman," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"What's your position here?"</p> + +<p>"I am dock foreman."</p> + +<p>"Which means that you have charge of the laborers?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Who is superintendent of these stores?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Renshaw."</p> + +<p>"When is he due here?"</p> + +<p>"Eight o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Will he remain here right along after that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; all day."</p> + +<p>"I want to see Mr. Renshaw. Tell him Old King Brady was speaking to you, +and that he will return in about an hour."</p> + +<p>The Bradys went away in their launch then, going to breakfast at the +Palace Hotel, where they were staying.</p> + +<p>The first thing Old King Brady did upon their arrival at the hotel was +to call up Secret Service Commissioner Narraway and tell him of their +partial success.</p> + +<p>He did not mention Alice's disappearance nor the matter of the Chinese +princess, leaving these things to be communicated by word of mouth later +on when, it was to be hoped, he would understand them better himself.</p> + +<p>Breakfast over, the Bradys lost no time in keeping their appointment +with Mr. Renshaw, who proved to be a civil, intelligent gentleman.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady at once explained the whole situation.</p> + +<p>"This certainly seems to be a serious piece of business," said Mr. +Renshaw after hearing the old detective through. "I can't understand +what brought these Chinamen here or how they came to use Mr. Volckman's +name. Is there no possibility of Miss Montgomery being mistaken?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think so. Her knowledge of Chinese is excellent."</p> + +<p>"And her disappearance a serious matter for you, I realize. I can't +imagine that she and this singular box can have been taken into any of +our warehouses."</p> + +<p>"You have perfect confidence in Volckman?"</p> + +<p>"Always have had. Would you like to question him? I will send for him if +you wish."</p> + +<p>"No; I think not. I certainly do suspect the man of being mixed up in +this business, but it will do no good to make him aware of it; still I +should like to be given the opportunity to search these warehouses in +every part."</p> + +<p>"And so you shall. I will go with you myself. If there is any crooked +work going on here I want to know it."</p> + +<p>The search was made accordingly, but nothing came of it.</p> + +<p>"Listen, Mr. Renshaw," said the old detective as they were about to +part. "To-day a laboring man will apply for work at this office. He +wants to be hired and given a job, which will enable him to watch +Volckman."</p> + +<p>"I understand," was the reply, "and so it shall be."</p> + +<p>And so it was. Secret Service man Leggett, an excellent detective in his +way, was the person selected, but three days passed, and at the end of +that time he had nothing to report.</p> + +<p>Nor had a word been heard of Alice.</p> + +<p>This time her disappearance seemed to be a serious matter.</p> + +<p>The Bradys exhausted every effort to find her, but in vain.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>LUNG & LUNG.</h3> + + +<p>It is needless to dwell upon the anxiety of the Bradys over the strange +vanishing of their accomplished partner.</p> + +<p>They were otherwise very seriously inconvenienced.</p> + +<p>The Secret Service people, satisfied with the very valuable haul the +detectives had made in the line of smuggled opium, now called them off.</p> + +<p>The Bradys are not regular Secret Service men.</p> + +<p>They have, however, an arrangement with the Government under which their +services can be claimed at any time.</p> + +<p>The day after Alice's disappearance Old King Brady was notified by Mr. +Narraway that the regular force would finish up the matter, inasmuch as +he felt satisfied that the heavy loss they had sustained must have +bankrupted the smugglers.</p> + +<p>Thus under ordinary circumstances the detectives would have made haste +to cross the continent and get back to their own business in New York.</p> + +<p>As it was, they had no idea of leaving San Francisco yet awhile, of +course.</p> + +<p>Each day was devoted to the search for Alice.</p> + +<p>Even the police took a hand in the game, much as Old King Brady dislikes +to have them mix up in his affairs, but as we have said before, it was +all in vain.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the fourth day before the Bradys had yet left the +hotel, a page announced that a Chinaman wished to speak to the old +detective, and at the same time he handed in a business card printed in +English on one side, and in Chinese on the other.</p> + +<p>The English side read thus:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i5">LUNG & LUNG,<br /></span> +<span class="i4"><span class="smcap">General Importers</span>,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">1015 Dupont Street,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">San Francisco, Cal.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Ah Lung<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Gee Lung<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Wun Lung.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"The whole Lung family," remarked the old detective, looking at the +card. "Show the man up."</p> + +<p>It proved to be Ah Lung who came.</p> + +<p>He was a very much Americanized proposition, California born and college +educated.</p> + +<p>In short, both in dress, intelligence and manner he was as perfect a +specimen of a Chinese gentleman as the Bradys had ever seen.</p> + +<p>Before proceeding further we must pause to explain that while the Bradys +through their influence had been able to keep the matter of Alice's +disappearance and the boxed-up princess off the police blotter, and so +out of the papers, it was an open secret among the force.</p> + +<p>Consequently it was no surprise to the detectives to have this Chinaman +at once allude to it.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Brady," he began, "I want you if you will to take up an important +matter for our firm, which you will find upon investigation, if you are +not already aware of it, stands high in San Francisco commercial +circles."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady had heard of the firm of Lung & Lung, and said so. He +doubted, however, if he cared to take up a case for them.</p> + +<p>"It is work you are already engaged in," replied Ah Lung quickly. "It +concerns the Chinese princess, Skeep Hup, who disappeared along with +your Miss Montgomery the other day."</p> + +<p>"What do you know about that?" demanded Old King Brady, "and who told +you?"</p> + +<p>"My information comes through my cousin, who is interpreter at police +headquarters," replied Ah Lung. "I am prepared to tell you what I know +of the Chinese princess. I suppose the information will interest you in +any case."</p> + +<p>"It certainly will," said the old detective. "Fire away, Mr. Lung. This +puts altogether a different face on the matter."</p> + +<p>"It is this way," continued Ah Lung. "I have had frequent occasion in +the course of business to visit China, and, being a merchant, am allowed +to come and go as I please. When in Pekin, some three years ago, I was +introduced to this Chinese princess, as you have called her. She is not +actually a member of the Imperial family, but the daughter of a very +wealthy Mandarin. I fell in love with her, and it was finally arranged +that we should marry. It was my intention to go to China after her, but +the illness of my brother Wun prevented it, so she started to come to +me. I supposed her to be a passenger on the Manchuria, the last steamer +in from China. I was so informed by letters I received, but when I went +to meet her at the wharf, I was surprised to learn that her name was not +on the passenger list. Both the purser and the steward informed me that +she had not been seen on the steamer.</p> + +<p>"I immediately cabled to China, but it was only to be told that she had +started for Shanghai with the intention of taking passage on the +Manchuria, and that it was supposed by the family that she had done so. +She traveled from Pekin in company of a man named Wang Foo, a cousin of +hers. This person was to return to Pekin after seeing the princess off. +He had failed to put in an appearance at the time the answer to my +cablegram was sent, nor had anything been heard from him.</p> + +<p>"You can imagine my anxiety, gentlemen. I was quite at a loss to know +what to do when my cousin told me the story of your adventures with that +bunch of opium smugglers. That was late last night, and not wishing to +disturb you, I put off my call until this morning. If you can find my +intended, you will probably also solve the mystery of the disappearance +of your partner. It is up to you."</p> + +<p>"Oh we will take up your case, of course, Mr. Lung," said Old King +Brady. "Have you any idea what the motive for all this can be? Any +starting clew to give us?"</p> + +<p>"None whatever. I am just as much in the dark over the matter as you +are."</p> + +<p>"Suppose this Wang Foo wanted to marry the princess?"</p> + +<p>"Would he box her up and treat her as he has if he loved her?" put in +Harry, speaking for the first time.</p> + +<p>"Listen," said Ah Lung, "Chinamen are not all fiends, as you may think."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," retorted Harry. "There are white fiends as well as +yellow fiends."</p> + +<p>"You are more liberal-minded than most of your race," replied the +Chinaman, "but we will leave the white fiends out of the question. +Yellow ones there certainly are in this town, and I greatly fear that it +is into their hands the princess has fallen."</p> + +<p>"Is there money coming to the man who marries her?" demanded Old King +Brady, abruptly.</p> + +<p>"That's just it. There was $20,000 of what you call dowry to go with the +princess. As you are probably aware, among my people women rarely carry +with them dowry. On the other hand, men who want to marry have to pay +for their wives—buy them, you call it, though I never could understand +where the difference comes in between paying for husbands, as is done +right along in America. However, that is not the point. In this case it +is different. The Princess Skeep Hup had in her own right $10,000, given +to her by her mother. As our women do not take care of their own money +matters, that money was to come to me. It was sent to me by mail in the +form of a draft on the Bank of California, and I have it now, so that +can't be the reason for kidnaping the princess, you see."</p> + +<p>"All of which makes the mystery additionally puzzling," said Old King +Brady. "But now listen, you, Mr. Lung. There is but just one thing +certain in this case outside of the fact that a voice from that box told +Miss Montgomery that the Princess Skeep Hup was inside, which I, knowing +her knowledge of Chinese, believe."</p> + +<p>"So do I," declared Ah Lung, emphatically. "I know Miss Montgomery by +reputation, and can well believe it. But this one thing you speak of!"</p> + +<p>"Is the fact that the matter was managed by opium smugglers. If we can +catch on to who these people were we may stand some chance of success in +our chase after this Chinese princess."</p> + +<p>Ah Lung sat silent for some time.</p> + +<p>"What you say is true," he said at last. "I could help you in that +if——"</p> + +<p>"Well, if?"</p> + +<p>"If I could feel sure that the Secret Service people would not interfere +with me."</p> + +<p>"In other words, Lung & Lung sometimes deal in smuggled hop."</p> + +<p>"I make no statements. What I want is a guarantee."</p> + +<p>"Assure me upon your honor that you are not mixed up with this gang and +you shall have it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I do, Mr. Brady; indeed I do. The worst Lung & Lung have ever done +is to buy cheap opium without asking questions."</p> + +<p>"Very well, I accept that. Do what you will. I want to help you out and +to help myself out at the same time. Now then, what do you propose?"</p> + +<p>"Listen here," said Ah Lung, lowering his voice. "You Secret Service men +captured a lot of that opium the other night, but you didn't get it all +by any means. There was another boat load which ran in ahead of the one +you captured."</p> + +<p>"I can well believe it. The people in that boat fired at me in the fog."</p> + +<p>"I am told that Young King Brady is very successful in masquerading as a +Chinaman."</p> + +<p>"Who told you that?" demanded Harry.</p> + +<p>"My cousin at Police Headquarters."</p> + +<p>"And what about it?"</p> + +<p>"Can you meet me to-night at eight o'clock at our store on Dupont street +so disguised?"</p> + +<p>"I could, of course. But why?"</p> + +<p>"I must not tell, but you can guess. I have an appointment. I want you +with me."</p> + +<p>"I'll go, but there is one thing you must understand, I can't speak +Chinese. I always play the dummy when I disguise that way."</p> + +<p>"That will be all right. I was born in San Francisco, and, as it +happens, brought up in a part of the city where I associated only with +English-speaking children. My own knowledge of the Chinese language is +very poor. I never speak it unless I am obliged to. I won't speak it in +this interview. You can and shall be a witness to all that is said. I +know you play the dummy when in Chinese disguise. I want you to play it +to-night."</p> + +<p>"Settled then," said Harry, "I will be on hand."</p> + +<p>There was some further talk, but as it developed nothing, it is not +worth recording.</p> + +<p>Soon after Ah Lung left.</p> + +<p>"A lucky thing this matter came up, governor," observed Harry.</p> + +<p>"It promises well," replied the old detective. "That's about all we can +say for it, but we must work ahead just as though it had not come up."</p> + +<p>It was a busy day the Bradys put in, but nothing came of it.</p> + +<p>Towards five o'clock Harry turned up at the hotel, where he found a note +from Old King Brady, reading:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Harry</span>: I have just had a call over the 'phone from Leggett. +He wants to see me at the Harper House, on Mission street, and +that's where I am going now. Don't know what for, but I suppose it +relates to Volckman. Don't wait for me. Be very careful of yourself +to-night.</p> + +<p class="right">"O. K. B."</p></blockquote> + +<p>Was the caution needed?</p> + +<p>It certainly was.</p> + +<p>For a detective to mix up with Chinese opium smugglers in Chinatown, San +Francisco, is always dangerous.</p> + +<p>But Young King Brady felt confidence in Ah Lung.</p> + +<p>Not only had he taken a liking to the man, personally, but having gone +to the trouble to look him up in a business way, he found that the +standing of the firm in white circles was very high.</p> + +<p>"Half a million capital invested," one person stated.</p> + +<p>"Good for anything they want to buy here," another firm declared.</p> + +<p>"Squarest Chinese house in San Francisco," said another, and so on.</p> + +<p>So Harry made his Chinese disguise, and at eight o'clock turned up at +the handsome new store on Dupont street, near Sacramento, where the Lung +Brothers held forth.</p> + +<p>Inquiring for Ah Lung, he came up against his brother Wun, who was quite +a different proposition, being in native dress and speaking broken +English.</p> + +<p>"Ah, him go joss house," he said. "Say, you comee longer me. Meetee him +dlere."</p> + +<p>Harry assented, and to the new Jackson street joss house, the most +important Chinese temple of America, they went.</p> + +<p>The big hall contained many Chinamen, most of them standing around with +their hats on talking business, for this joss house has a good deal of +the character of a Chinese commercial exchange.</p> + +<p>But there were worshipers there before the idols, if they can be so +called.</p> + +<p>Really, it bears no resemblance to Christian worship.</p> + +<p>When a Chinaman gets down on his knees before the idols and throws joss +sticks out of a box just as a gambler would throw dice, he is consulting +the spirits of his ancestors as to what course to take in business, love +or pleasure. Just this and nothing more.</p> + +<p>There were about twenty Chinamen thus engaged when Harry entered the +Jackson street joss house, and among them he spied Ah Lung throwing the +sticks for all he was worth.</p> + +<p>"Dlere he be. We waitee," said Wun Lung. "Him findee out what go to +happen to-night."</p> + +<p>So Harry stood waiting while the joss stick throwing went merrily on.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>ALICE PASSES THROUGH THE DOOR OF DEATH.</h3> + + +<p>What then had happened to Alice?</p> + +<p>What did happen never could have happened but for the fog, which it will +be remembered blew in more thickly just about the time she disappeared.</p> + +<p>Alice stood watching the box, never thinking of danger, when suddenly a +cloth of some sort was thrown over her head from behind, and by a strong +hand gathered in about her throat.</p> + +<p>No doubt she had been closely watched previous to this by sharp eyes +peering out of the mist.</p> + +<p>The thing was done so suddenly that Alice was taken wholly unawares, and +when a voice said in Chinese: "There are two revolvers covering you, +Miss Montgomery; utter a sound and you will be instantly shot," all she +could do was to submit, especially as the voice added: "And Young King +Brady as well."</p> + +<p>"No shooting," she said. "I yield."</p> + +<p>Her voice was sadly muffled under the big piece of burlap which had been +thrown over her head.</p> + +<p>Her arm was now clutched and she was drawn forward, the hand still +retaining its grip on her throat.</p> + +<p>She was so startled and mixed up that she could not tell in which +direction she was being led, but they did not take her far.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the clutch at her throat was released.</p> + +<p>"Step up," said the voice. "I am about to assist you into an auto. Be +careful. There! All right now. Sit down and behave yourself and you will +slip through this trial easy enough."</p> + +<p>Was it a Chinaman who was speaking?</p> + +<p>Certainly the voice was that of an Oriental of some sort, but to Alice +it sounded more like the voice of an educated Japanese, although the +language was that of the other race.</p> + +<p>"May I have my head free now?" she asked. "I am stifling."</p> + +<p>"Just a moment," was the reply. "They are bringing the box. When we +start you shall be relieved."</p> + +<p>She heard them come; the box was lifted into the car, which seemed to be +a long, three-seated affair, as near as Alice could judge.</p> + +<p>Then the start was made, and so noiselessly was it all managed that +there had scarce been a sound.</p> + +<p>Immediately the burlap was withdrawn from Alice's head.</p> + +<p>The car proved to be a closed one. By the light of its lamps Alice was +able to get an uncertain view of her companion.</p> + +<p>She shuddered as she recognized him.</p> + +<p>"So it is you, Dr. Garshaski!" she breathed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss Montgomery, it is I," replied the man, speaking now in +English. "I trust you will pardon this step on my part. It all came +about by accident. I saw you standing there and I could not resist the +temptation to at once seize upon the opportunity, and the woman of all +others whom I devotedly love."</p> + +<p>Alice's heart sank.</p> + +<p>There were three other men in the car.</p> + +<p>The chauffeur was white, but the two seated on the box, which was +crowded in front of the middle seat, were Chinese in American dress.</p> + +<p>They sat on the seat with their feet on the box, silent and stolid +looking.</p> + +<p>Certainly there was nothing to be hoped for from an appeal to them.</p> + +<p>Did Alice know this Dr. Garshaski?</p> + +<p>She did, indeed.</p> + +<p>Harry's anxiety would have been more intense even than it was could he +have suspected the truth.</p> + +<p>But there was no possible reason why he should suspect it. He believed +this man to be in China or Japan.</p> + +<p>The story is this:</p> + +<p>About two years before it became necessary in a certain case to engage a +detective who could speak both Chinese and Japanese.</p> + +<p>Such a combination is much rarer than might be supposed.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady applied to the Secret Service people, for it was on their +work that the man was needed.</p> + +<p>They had such a person in stock, it seemed, and Dr. Garshaski, born of a +Japanese father and a Chinese mother in the city of Shanghai, was sent +to New York to co-operate with the Brady Bureau.</p> + +<p>They won out in the case all right, but they got more than they +bargained for in this man, who really was a doctor and a graduate of a +New England medical college.</p> + +<p>From the very outset he began making love to Alice, and in the most +extravagant fashion.</p> + +<p>After the case was over he threw up his position as a Secret Service +detective and remained in New York, pestering Alice beyond endurance.</p> + +<p>Harry threw him out of the office at an early stage of the game.</p> + +<p>He then wrote letters, threatening Harry's life.</p> + +<p>Alice was deluged with silly love epistles; he dogged her in the streets +and waylaid her when she came and went from her rooms on Waverly Place.</p> + +<p>In short, he made himself such a nuisance that Old King Brady had him +arrested and bound over to keep the peace.</p> + +<p>His next and last move was to make a pretended attempt at suicide on +Alice's door-step.</p> + +<p>Again he was arrested and got the usual penalty.</p> + +<p>Then he wrote a whining letter to Old King Brady, asking help to get +out, and promising to go to Shanghai.</p> + +<p>Alice interceded. He was released.</p> + +<p>The Bradys thought they had good reason for believing that he had kept +his word.</p> + +<p>But if he went he must have come back again, for here he was, sitting +beside Alice in the automobile.</p> + +<p>No wonder her heart failed her, but to the doctor's latest declaration +of love she calmly replied:</p> + +<p>"Once you told me you were the son of a Japanese gentleman, doctor. +Don't forget it now."</p> + +<p>"Never, Alice! Never! I intend that you shall marry me. A man could not +act otherwise than as a gentleman towards a woman whom he hopes to make +his wife."</p> + +<p>"Well spoken," said Alice, with a sigh. "Do these men understand +English?" she added, trying to speak in her ordinary tone.</p> + +<p>"Not a word."</p> + +<p>"And the chauffeur?"</p> + +<p>"Is a French-Canadian; but he can't hear. Did Old King Brady get that +boat load of opium?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Are you interested in it?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"Did you go to China?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; I have made two trips to China since I last saw you."</p> + +<p>"What is it about this unfortunate Chinese woman in the box?"</p> + +<p>"That's a private matter. Were you my wife, as you soon will be, you +should know. As it is, I can't tell you—at least not yet."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid she is dead, doctor."</p> + +<p>"Not the least danger, Alice."</p> + +<p>She did not correct this familiar form of speech.</p> + +<p>"Were you speaking to her in Chinese?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"What did she tell you?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing except that she was the Princess Skeep Hup."</p> + +<p>"That is so."</p> + +<p>"Why have you captured her?"</p> + +<p>"It is not my business. It was done for another."</p> + +<p>"And you are taking her to Chinatown?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; that is where we are going."</p> + +<p>"Speak to her, or let those men speak. I am sure she is in trouble. +After the first she would not answer me."</p> + +<p>"She is drugged. I suppose for the moment she came out from under the +influence. I am surprised that she did."</p> + +<p>"But, doctor, I heard some one say before we captured the boat that if +they didn't hurry up the princess would die. What about that?"</p> + +<p>"The man didn't know what he was talking about. I am an expert chemist. +It is no morphine sleep the woman is in. I have used a Chinese drug of +which chemists in this country know nothing. I should hate to have to +use it on you."</p> + +<p>"Don't you dare try it, doctor."</p> + +<p>"Listen. We have to leave this auto soon. I warn you, Alice, not to +attempt to make me trouble. Just so sure as you do, you will get your +dose."</p> + +<p>Alice was silent.</p> + +<p>She preferred Dr. Garshaski's threats to his love-making. It was a +relief to find that he was not disposed to try the latter now.</p> + +<p>They were rapidly approaching Chinatown.</p> + +<p>At last they hit Dupont street and ran on to Washington, where they +turned up the hill, stopping in front of China alley.</p> + +<p>The Chinamen jumped out and stood for a moment.</p> + +<p>"All right, the coast is clear, doctor," one said in Chinese.</p> + +<p>"Take the box out and be quick," replied the doctor.</p> + +<p>This was done.</p> + +<p>Staggering under their load, the two Chinamen disappeared down the +alley.</p> + +<p>"Now, Alice!" said the doctor, when presently they returned.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski, be sensible and let me go about my business," said +Alice, in her calmest fashion, for she realized that it would be more +than useless to display excitement now.</p> + +<p>"No," replied the doctor. "No, it cannot be. I have begun, and I am +going to see the thing through. That's all there is about it."</p> + +<p>He got out and extended his hand to Alice, who accepted it and alighted.</p> + +<p>The two Chinks closed in behind her.</p> + +<p>In a few seconds they had vanished down China alley, where there was no +hope of rescue, for although the alley is not the dark, mysterious +affair it used to be before the great fire, it still retains much of its +old character, and is a mighty dangerous place at night.</p> + +<p>They did not have far to go; the doctor retained his hold on Alice's +arm.</p> + +<p>She had heard the click of cocking revolvers behind her, so knew what to +expect.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the doctor turned in at a dark doorway and hurried Alice up an +equally dark flight of stairs.</p> + +<p>This brought them to a long hall, which appeared to run through to +Dupont street.</p> + +<p>Much of this property is now owned by American-born Chinese.</p> + +<p>The new structures erected on it were built to suit themselves.</p> + +<p>Just how true it it we cannot tell, but there are those who claim that +the underground dens of Chinatown are not wiped out by any means; even +that some of them have been reconstructed on more extensive lines.</p> + +<p>The doctor halted before a door at what seemed about midway in the long +hall and proceeded to unlock it with a key.</p> + +<p>"In with you, Alice," he said, and he pushed her gently into what seemed +to be a small elevator.</p> + +<p>Following her, the Chinaman crowded in behind her.</p> + +<p>The doctor clutched the wire rope, and the machine started to descend.</p> + +<p>"You see I'm letting you into all our secrets, Alice," he said with a +grin. "I haven't required you to blindfold."</p> + +<p>If this was an attempt to start a flirtation it failed, for Alice made +no reply.</p> + +<p>This elevator descended three stories; they had ascended but one flight +of stairs, consequently they must be under ground, Alice reasoned.</p> + +<p>It stopped, and the doctor opened a door.</p> + +<p>Here there was a long passage little resembling the ugly secret passages +of old Chinatown.</p> + +<p>This one was plastered, and from the walls hung Chinese mottoes.</p> + +<p>There were lights at intervals, and many doors opening off from it.</p> + +<p>Alice saw that it must extend through from China alley to Dupont street.</p> + +<p>The doors all had Chinese characters on them.</p> + +<p>These were not numbers.</p> + +<p>Each carried with it the word "door"; each was modified in some way.</p> + +<p>Thus there was the "door of hope," the "door of knowledge," the "door of +wisdom," and so on.</p> + +<p>Alice, who could read the characters, found herself quite at a loss to +imagine why they should be thus applied.</p> + +<p>At last they came to one bearing a character which signified the "door +of death."</p> + +<p>Here the doctor paused.</p> + +<p>Determined not to give him the satisfaction of displaying any curiosity, +Alice stood waiting for the doctor to speak.</p> + +<p>He pointed to the character and said in English:</p> + +<p>"I suppose you haven't forgotten how to read your Chinese?"</p> + +<p>"No; I haven't forgotten."</p> + +<p>"You see what that says?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I see."</p> + +<p>"It may or may not apply to you, Alice."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you are about to add, 'all depends upon yourself.'"</p> + +<p>"Exactly."</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski, I tried to treat you well. While another would have left +you in prison, I induced Old King Brady to get you out. I must say I +don't think you are treating me well to-night."</p> + +<p>"Better than you think for. Another situated as I was when I suddenly +met you would surely have shot your lover, Young King Brady. I spared +his life."</p> + +<p>"I thank you for that."</p> + +<p>"Waste no time in thanking me. Look at the character on the door +directly behind us. What does it say?"</p> + +<p>"The door of love."</p> + +<p>"Well, Alice, which door shall it be? It is for you to decide."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, doctor. Don't be ridiculous. I am in your power. Get ahead +and let us end all this."</p> + +<p>"Will you marry me, Alice? I will make you a good husband. What is more, +I am in a good paying business now. If my schemes succeed I am in a fair +way to become rich."</p> + +<p>"No, I won't. That's final."</p> + +<p>"Once again I ask you, Alice."</p> + +<p>"And once again I refuse!" cried Alice, stamping her foot, for she was +beginning to lose patience at last.</p> + +<p>The two Chinamen stood grinning at each other.</p> + +<p>If they did not understand English they at least must have had a pretty +good idea of what was going on.</p> + +<p>They seemed to be highly amused.</p> + +<p>"And now for the third time I ask you," continued the doctor, "will you +marry me?"</p> + +<p>"Never!" cried Alice. "Not if you were the last man on earth!"</p> + +<p>"Then that settles it, Alice Montgomery!" he said, sternly. "The door +you enter shall be the door of death!"</p> + +<p>He unlocked it and threw it open.</p> + +<p>Inside Alice could see nothing. It appeared to be just across the +passage.</p> + +<p>But before she had time to think twice about it the two Chinamen gave +her a sudden push.</p> + +<p>The doctor jumped aside and poor Alice went flying through the door of +death.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>OLD KING BRADY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.</h3> + + +<p>Harper's Hotel, on Mission street, both before and since the fire was +always a great resort for Secret Service men.</p> + +<p>In fact, the proprietor himself was formerly one.</p> + +<p>As it happened, this was one of the few buildings in that part of the +city which escaped the fire, so the public house at which Old King Brady +turned up late that afternoon was the same old Harper's Hotel.</p> + +<p>Detective Leggett, disguised as a dock laborer, sat in the cafe playing +dominoes with another Secret Service man.</p> + +<p>The minute he saw Old King Brady, without waiting to finish the game, he +pushed the dominoes aside and made a sign for the old detective to +follow, then leading him upstairs.</p> + +<p>"I'm living here just now," he said. "I don't know as you know it."</p> + +<p>"No; I didn't know," was the reply. "Have you caught on to anything?"</p> + +<p>"I think so. Volckman's a sly one, but I have had a good chance to watch +him. He quit an hour earlier than usual to-night. So did I, and I +trailed him to China alley and saw him go into a crib there."</p> + +<p>"Good for you! What kind of a crib?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, there is supposed to be about everything that is crooked going on +there. Mock Ting's restaurant is on the ground floor of the Dupont +street side. There's a fan-tan joint on the third floor. I understand +there are underground rooms. I don't actually know any of them to be +opium joints, but I have no doubt that some of them are."</p> + +<p>"It's enough that you have tracked Volckman there. What do you propose?"</p> + +<p>"It's up to you, Mr. Brady. I have no pull in Chinatown. That is what we +want."</p> + +<p>"It surely is. I used to have a lot, but times have changed. I hardly +know who to apply to now. I hate to ring in a wardman."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't," said Leggett, with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't +believe it would pay. I'm ready to bust ahead with you and take our +chances."</p> + +<p>"I have little faith in that, either. Volckman doesn't look like a man +who used opium. He must have had special business to call him there. But +let us get down there, anyway."</p> + +<p>This conversation took place in Leggett's room upstairs.</p> + +<p>"Better drop this rig, hadn't I?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I think so."</p> + +<p>"If we only had some one who could speak Chinese."</p> + +<p>"Get ready," said the old detective, impatiently. "We'll go ahead and do +the best we can."</p> + +<p>It was about six o'clock when they reached the House of the Seven +Delights.</p> + +<p>"We'll take supper in the restaurant as a starter," said Old King Brady. +"It is not impossible that I may strike somebody I know."</p> + +<p>They entered to find the place reasonably full.</p> + +<p>The old detective picked out a central table, from which they could see +in all directions.</p> + +<p>Supper was ordered, and they had almost finished when Old King Brady +suddenly said:</p> + +<p>"There's a man I know. Just sitting at the third table on the left as +you come in from the door."</p> + +<p>Leggett looked.</p> + +<p>"A Jap, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Half Japanese and half Chinese. Don't you know him?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"You will be surprised, then, when I tell you that he was once a Secret +Service man."</p> + +<p>"Is that so? He never operated in San Francisco in my time, then. What's +his name?"</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski."</p> + +<p>"Is he really a doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I certainly ought to know him. He made me trouble enough. I don't +like this. I thought the man was in China."</p> + +<p>An inkling of the truth dawned upon Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>The sight of Dr. Garshaski had stirred him more than he would have cared +to own.</p> + +<p>"If Alice fell into the clutches of that fellow, then heaven help her!" +he thought.</p> + +<p>He hardly knew whether he ought to show himself to the doctor or attempt +to trail him.</p> + +<p>But the matter promptly settled itself.</p> + +<p>Dr. Garshaski saw him.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady, who was watching him closely, did not fail to note the +start he gave.</p> + +<p>He immediately got up, and the old detective thought it was with the +intention of leaving the restaurant, but instead of that he came forward +to their table and, putting out both hands, exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Brady! I am rejoiced! My best friend! My savior, I may say! Well, +well!"</p> + +<p>Old King Brady shook hands and invited the doctor to sit down, +introducing Leggett as a Secret Service man.</p> + +<p>"Do you mind if I take my supper at this table?" asked the doctor.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," was the reply.</p> + +<p>Having come up with the man, it seemed to the old detective that he +might as well listen to anything he had to say.</p> + +<p>"I thought you were going to China, doctor?" he began.</p> + +<p>"Did go," replied the doctor. "I have been across twice since I saw you. +How is Young King Brady?"</p> + +<p>"Well."</p> + +<p>"In San Francisco?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know where he is just now. He is working for a man on a private +matter. It is some little time since I heard from him."</p> + +<p>"And—I almost hesitate to ask for reasons such as you—you know, Mr. +Brady. How is that loveliest of her sex, Miss Montgomery?"</p> + +<p>Old King Brady's eyes were right upon him as he quietly answered:</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you, doctor."</p> + +<p>"Cannot tell! Has the partnership been dissolved, then?"</p> + +<p>"Temporarily, yes."</p> + +<p>"You speak strangely, Mr. Brady. I hope and trust that nothing has gone +wrong in that direction. You need not fear to trust me. I have quite +recovered from my mad folly, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"Something has gone very wrong, doctor. It is now several days since +Miss Montgomery disappeared right here in San Francisco."</p> + +<p>The doctor threw up his hands dramatically.</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me that!" he cried. "Under what circumstances?"</p> + +<p>"The circumstances belong to Secret Service business. I cannot state +them. It may be, however, that she has fallen into the hands of your +people."</p> + +<p>"Now, don't call the Chinese my people. I am the son of a Japanese +gentleman, as you well know. You touch me deeply. If there is anything I +can do to help, command me."</p> + +<p>"You are very kind. And your address?"</p> + +<p>The doctor produced a card.</p> + +<p>The address it bore was a number on Stockton street.</p> + +<p>"I have a room in that house just at present," he said.</p> + +<p>Leggett sat quiet through all this.</p> + +<p>Still engaging the doctor in conversation, the old detective trod on his +toe.</p> + +<p>The signal was returned.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady felt that he had been understood, when the Secret Service +man suddenly arose and said:</p> + +<p>"Will you excuse me, Mr. Brady? I have to keep that appointment with +Holes."</p> + +<p>"Go on," said Old King Brady. "You are a bit late for it now."</p> + +<p>He left himself as soon as the doctor's supper was served.</p> + +<p>Going around on to China alley, he found Leggett somewhat disguised +watching the rear entrance to the house of the Seven Delights.</p> + +<p>"That man must be shadowed," he said. "It is useless for me to undertake +it other than in a general way. He has worked for me and knows my +methods of disguising. He is as keen as a razor. Some time ago he fell +madly in love with Miss Montgomery, and we had all kinds of trouble with +him. I am afraid he is at the bottom of her disappearance."</p> + +<p>"I'm on the job. Where shall I lay for him? Here or in front?"</p> + +<p>"In front."</p> + +<p>"Will I do as I am?"</p> + +<p>"It's the best you can do at short notice. Listen. You saw him give me +his card. I am going to his room on Stockton street. If I can get in I +shall not hesitate to give it a good overhauling. I must be quick. Do +the best you can for me, Leggett."</p> + +<p>The Secret Service man gave his promise and Old King Brady hurried away.</p> + +<p>The Stockton street house proved to be a four-story brick tenement +filled with Japanese.</p> + +<p>There was a bell-board with names on it, but that of Dr. Garshaski did +not appear.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady had just finished studying the names when a Jap came out +through the open door.</p> + +<p>The old detective showed the doctor's card.</p> + +<p>"Know him?" he asked.</p> + +<p>But the man appeared to be short on English.</p> + +<p>"No know," he said. Then pointing inside he made the old detective +understand that he was to inquire at the last door on the right, which +he did.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the janitor, whose English was quite understandable.</p> + +<p>"Top floor," he said. "He only hire room of 'nother man. Las' door +left."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady traveled up the stairs.</p> + +<p>He felt that he was running every risk of discovery by the doctor.</p> + +<p>Encountering no one in the upper hall, he knocked lightly on the door.</p> + +<p>There was no answer.</p> + +<p>Producing his skeleton keys, he easily mastered the lock.</p> + +<p>It was only a bedroom. There was but little furniture.</p> + +<p>On the top of a chiffonier was Alice's picture in an elaborate gilt +frame, which did not bear out the doctor's assurance that he had got +over being love-sick.</p> + +<p>Without losing an instant the old detective opened the drawers of this +chiffonier and began disturbing things as little as possible.</p> + +<p>It was not until the lower drawer was reached that he found anything to +interest him.</p> + +<p>The first was a bunch of three letters fastened by a rubber band.</p> + +<p>There were other letters, some in Japanese and some in Chinese.</p> + +<p>These, however, were in English, and when Old King Brady caught the +signature, "R. Volckman," he knew that he had made a discovery.</p> + +<p>This letter was brief enough. It read:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>: Yours receipted. I shall be ready for you at 2 thirty. +All serene. <span class="smcap">R. Volckman.</span>"</p></blockquote> + +<p>"This settles it," muttered the old detective. "Volckman has been +standing in with these opium smugglers all right, and the doctor is in +the deal. I shall arrest the man on sight."</p> + +<p>He ran over the other letters.</p> + +<p>All related to the landing of the smuggled opium.</p> + +<p>In one Volckman agreed to furnish boats to the Chinese smugglers, with +men to take charge of them.</p> + +<p>The other was a demand to know when and where he could meet Dr. +Garshaski.</p> + +<p>There was no mention of the Chinese princess nor of Alice.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady pocketed the letters and proceeded to examine a trunk, +which he opened with a skeleton key.</p> + +<p>Here he found other letters and photographs of several Chinese and +Japanese women.</p> + +<p>All the letters appeared to be in these languages, as the old detective +hastily ran over them.</p> + +<p>There was one photograph of a very peculiar looking young woman who was +not altogether unhandsome.</p> + +<p>She was dressed in a fancy Mexican costume.</p> + +<p>To the old detective she looked as if she might be of mixed stock, +Mexican and Chinese, or Mexican and Japanese.</p> + +<p>But as none of these things interested the old detective, he returned +them to the trunk and closed it.</p> + +<p>Scarce had he done so when there came a knock on the door, which had not +been locked.</p> + +<p>Of course, this could not be the doctor.</p> + +<p>Thinking that it might lead to some further discovery, Old King Brady +slipped into a closet and remained on the watch through the crack of the +door.</p> + +<p>Again came the knocking, a little more insistent, and then the door +opened and a young woman very stylishly dressed walked into the room.</p> + +<p>A glance was sufficient to identify her as the original of the +photograph the old detective had just been looking at.</p> + +<p>She stood peering about as if expecting Dr. Garshaski to jump out at her +from the closet or under the bed.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly she made a rush for the chiffonier, seized the gilt frame, +pulled Alice's picture out of it, spit on it, tore it to pieces, and +stamped it under her feet, her eyes blazing with jealous rage and hate.</p> + +<p>It was easy now to see that the girl—she was little more—was a +Mexican-Chinese half-breed.</p> + +<p>"Ah ha, my lady!" thought Old King Brady, "I see how the case stands! +It's to be hoped that you speak English. You may prove a very valuable +ally. I'm glad now that I came here."</p> + +<p>He stepped out into full view.</p> + +<p>The young woman gave a scream and made a bolt for the door.</p> + +<p>"Stay, daughter! A word with you," the old detective said.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN DELIGHTS.</h3> + + +<p>Harry did not have long to wait before Ah Lung got up and came to him.</p> + +<p>His brother Wun, making a few remarks in Chinese, excused himself and +left.</p> + +<p>"You will pardon me, Mr. Brady, for making it necessary for you to +follow me here," said the merchant. "I wanted to find out whether the +gods were propitious to our undertaking, as you would say. I have been +so busy to-day that I got no chance until now."</p> + +<p>"And the result?" asked Harry.</p> + +<p>"We shall win out in the end, but not without trouble."</p> + +<p>"Yon believe in your joss sticks, I see, Mr. Lung?"</p> + +<p>"Firmly; and why should I not? For untold ages my people have employed +them to predict the future."</p> + +<p>"Does it always come out true as they say?"</p> + +<p>"By no means. Just about as often as what is told us by people in this +world comes true."</p> + +<p>"Of what use to consult them then?"</p> + +<p>"Listen! If you have a friend upon whom you rely, who you have known +for years, and who has never lied to you, then you unhesitatingly +believe him, do you not?"</p> + +<p>"Most assuredly."</p> + +<p>"It is precisely the same with me. I believe that the movement of the +joss sticks in my case is controlled by the spirit of my dead father. He +never lied to me living. Why should he do so now that he has dropped the +body and is living in the world of spirits?"</p> + +<p>"It is too deep for me. It would seem, though, that you must be a +spiritualist."</p> + +<p>Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"I know very little about your American spiritualists," he replied, "but +we will not continue the subject. I am ready."</p> + +<p>"Where do we go?"</p> + +<p>"We will talk of that outside."</p> + +<p>"Am I made up to suit you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes. As I look at you I fail to see how any one could see through +your disguise."</p> + +<p>They passed out of the joss house and walked down Jackson street hill.</p> + +<p>"One thing," said Harry. "You must pretend to talk to me with your +fingers deaf and dumb fashion when we come into the presence of others."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can actually do it," replied Wun Lung. "I have a sister who is +deaf and dumb. We were able to put her through the deaf and dumb school. +She knows only English. I am the only one who can talk to her. But I +suppose you cannot do the deaf and dumb finger speech?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I can," replied Harry, with his fingers.</p> + +<p>"Then let us begin now," responded Ah Lung in the same fashion, "for we +are liable to be seen by some one whom we may meet in the House of the +Seven Delights."</p> + +<p>"And what may that be?"</p> + +<p>"A sort of club. A secret society. But I must say no more. You promised +not to press me, you know."</p> + +<p>"All right. I am in your hands, but I just want to ask have you spoken +of the princess to any of the members of this club?"</p> + +<p>"Why yes, to one or two whom I can trust."</p> + +<p>Harry shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid you are the author of your own troubles, then, Mr. Lung," +he said.</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't wonder. It is a matter I should not have spoken about to +any one. I see it now."</p> + +<p>They turned up China alley at last, entering the long building into +which Alice had been taken on the night of her capture.</p> + +<p>Harry now traveled over the same ground.</p> + +<p>They ascended one flight, entered that elevator, and Ah Lung let them +down to the long corridor under ground.</p> + +<p>Harry wondered at the many doors.</p> + +<p>"What new organization am I up against?" he asked himself.</p> + +<p>But of Ah Lung he asked no questions, feeling that he was in the man's +hands for better or for worse.</p> + +<p>"Now I don't know whether anything is going to come out of this or not," +Lung said with his fingers. "I am expecting to meet a certain party on +business. I shall bring the conversation around to the princess. The man +is supposed to be my friend. If he has betrayed me I want to know it. At +all events, it is my only chance of giving you a clew on which to start +your search."</p> + +<p>"Right," said Harry. "Lead on."</p> + +<p>Lung stopped before a door, on which he knocked three times.</p> + +<p>It was immediately opened by a young Chinaman in a white native dress.</p> + +<p>The room was quite a large one, well fitted up with comfortable American +furniture.</p> + +<p>It looked what it actually was, a club-room. Several Chinamen, mostly in +American dress, were sitting or standing in groups.</p> + +<p>One came forward looking questioningly at Harry.</p> + +<p>Lung said something, apparently vouching for him as a friend, and the +man walked away.</p> + +<p>Nobody else spoke to them.</p> + +<p>Going up to a handsome buffet, Lung poured out tea for himself and +Harry, helping him also to sweetmeats and Chinese cakes.</p> + +<p>"Is this just a business club?" asked Young King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Just that and nothing else," was the reply; "there are several clubs +meeting down here. While the members are all part of one grand +organization, these clubs are organized for different purposes, and a +man may belong to one without belonging to another or knowing anything +about the others. That's the way we work it."</p> + +<p>"Is your man here?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet. He is expected, however. I must hurry and get you placed."</p> + +<p>They now left the club-room, Ah Lung, opening the next door beyond with +a latch-key.</p> + +<p>This ushered them into a narrow corridor lighted by colored red +lanterns.</p> + +<p>From it opened several small alcoves before which fancy-colored curtains +hung.</p> + +<p>Harry saw that they were intended for opium smokers, and that each would +hold two persons. They were provided with soft couches instead of the +usual Chinese wooden bunks.</p> + +<p>An attendant in white came forward. Ah Lung spoke to him in Chinese and +gave him money.</p> + +<p>"I have engaged two of these rooms," he said. "You must take one now and +pretend to smoke and go to sleep. Watch and listen for me, for I shall +come into the next alcove with my man. I never smoke opium myself, but +he does, and he always prefers to talk business over a pipe."</p> + +<p>And this programme was carried out.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung left Harry, who lost no time in pretending to go to sleep. The +curtain was drawn before the alcove.</p> + +<p>Harry waited an hour and grew so drowsy that at last he actually did +drop off, to be suddenly awakened by hearing somebody give a loud cough. +As he opened his eyes he saw a hand draw his curtain shut.</p> + +<p>He was on the alert instantly, for he could hear two men entering the +next alcove.</p> + +<p>"And now for business," one said. Harry recognized the voice of Ah Lung.</p> + +<p>"Wait till I get my pipe going," replied the second person.</p> + +<p>The voice and accent were peculiar.</p> + +<p>It seemed to Young King Brady that he recognized both.</p> + +<p>"Surely I have heard that voice before," he said to himself. "But +where?"</p> + +<p>This was a question that as Harry lay listening he found himself unable +to decide.</p> + +<p>The pipe filling was so quickly completed and the smell which arose so +different from ordinary opium that Harry concluded the man must be +merely smoking some sort of opium saturated tobacco.</p> + +<p>The talk then began.</p> + +<p>It was precisely what Ah Lung had hinted at, a transaction in cheap +opium.</p> + +<p>The word smuggled was not used.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung bought a thousand dollars worth, which was to be delivered next +day at the store.</p> + +<p>There was considerable haggling, the talk lasting all of twenty minutes, +and all this time Young King Brady was puzzling his brains to know where +he had heard that voice before, but memory refused to serve him.</p> + +<p>As for the man's English, it was almost as good as Ah Lung's, which +amounts to saying that it was nearly perfect.</p> + +<p>Harry heard, although their voices were keyed low. It vexed him to think +that Ah Lung could not have spoken the man's name, but he never did +once.</p> + +<p>Now suddenly the conversation took a different turn.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my good friend," said Ah Lung with a sigh, "I am in deep trouble. I +know you will sympathize with me when I tell you what it is."</p> + +<p>"Of course," was the reply. "I always have sympathy for those in +trouble. What is the matter now?"</p> + +<p>"My princess."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ha! She is ill?"</p> + +<p>"Not that. She failed to arrive on the Manchuria."</p> + +<p>"Is it so? Did she not sail then?"</p> + +<p>Ah Lung told the story he had given the Bradys.</p> + +<p>"It must be very hard for you, Lung," replied the other. "I wish I could +help you. Perhaps I can."</p> + +<p>"You? How can that be possible?"</p> + +<p>"Listen! I heard it rumored—only rumored by men—you know who—that +there was a Chinese woman of high rank who was a passenger on the Dover +Castle. With her was a man who claimed to be her cousin. The man was +smuggled in, Lung. I saw and talked with him. His name was Wang Foo!"</p> + +<p>"You don't mean it!" cried Ah Lung, excitedly.</p> + +<p>"Hush! We shall be heard."</p> + +<p>"No, no! I tell you the man in the next bunk is deaf and dumb. Besides, +he is a good friend of mine."</p> + +<p>"But on the other side?"</p> + +<p>"It is empty."</p> + +<p>"Sure? Some one may have come in."</p> + +<p>"I'll look and see."</p> + +<p>Ah Lung did so and reported the alcove empty.</p> + +<p>"Go on!" he said eagerly. "You are interesting me greatly. What became +of this woman of high rank?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! That I do not know, my friend, but I do know that she did not land +openly. Then she must have been smuggled ashore. Probably she is +concealed somewhere in Chinatown now."</p> + +<p>"I must find out. I will employ detectives."</p> + +<p>"Do nothing of the sort. If the woman is here, if she really is the +Princess Skeep Hup, then I am the man who can get her for you. What will +you pay, Ah Lung?"</p> + +<p>"Pay! I thought you were my friend."</p> + +<p>"I am out for the dollars, brother. Out for the dollars every time."</p> + +<p>"What is it worth to you then to go to the trouble to make these +inquiries?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing to make inquiries, but if this Chinese woman should prove to be +the Princess Skeep Hup, and I am the means of delivering her up to you, +I shall expect half of that money you told me you were going to get with +her, or, in other words, $5,000."</p> + +<p>Harry heard Ah Lung give an angry exclamation, and he feared that he was +going to say something which would spoil everything, but the Chinaman +controlled himself.</p> + +<p>"Why, this is almost as bad as blackmail," he said, sarcastically. "I +don't mind paying a thousand dollars, but five thousand! It is +nonsense!"</p> + +<p>"It has to be or I won't work."</p> + +<p>"Come, I'll be liberal with you. I'll make it two thousand. Go ahead and +find out for me."</p> + +<p>"Not a cent less than $5,000, Brother Lung."</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski, I believe you know something definite, that this is a +deal to blackmail me."</p> + +<p>Dr. Garshaski! Harry almost jumped off the couch.</p> + +<p>Now he knew whose voice he had been listening to.</p> + +<p>He wondered at himself.</p> + +<p>How could he ever have forgotten?</p> + +<p>"That scoundrel!" he thought. "Alice in his hands? This is terrible, but +it explains her disappearance, all right."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the talk was going right on.</p> + +<p>"Have it your own way, Mr. Lung," said the doctor, "but you want to +decide. Do I work or don't I work? Which?"</p> + +<p>"I will give up no more than I said. I won't be swindled."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then I won't do anything about your Chinese princess. Your +opium will be delivered. I am going now. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Go," replied Lung. "I shall not forget this, doctor."</p> + +<p>"No, I don't think you will," replied the doctor, and Harry heard him +leave the room.</p> + +<p>Instantly Ah Lung drew aside the curtain.</p> + +<p>But Harry did not wait for him to speak.</p> + +<p>"After him!" he whispered. "I know that fellow! He is a scoundrel! No +doubt he is at the bottom of this whole business, and of the +disappearance of Miss Montgomery, too."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>IN A TORTURE CHAMBER.</h3> + + +<p>Alice felt that her situation was bad enough as she passed through the +"door of death" without Dr. Garshaski adding to it by clap-trap.</p> + +<p>This she was sure he had done, for while the Chinese characters on the +other doors were painted directly on the woodwork, in this case it was a +piece of red paper, upon which the character had been written with a +Chinese pen.</p> + +<p>That it had been put there for her special benefit Alice did not doubt.</p> + +<p>It was just like Dr. Garshaski, who was forever doing something dramatic +in the old days.</p> + +<p>He hurried Alice along the empty corridor and down a short flight of +stairs.</p> + +<p>Coming to a door, he let go his hold and knocked.</p> + +<p>It was instantly opened by a very Chinese-looking Chinaman wearing a +rich native dress.</p> + +<p>The room was rather small, but well fitted up as a bed chamber, partly +in Chinese and partly in American style. In the middle of the floor +stood the box which was supposed to contain the Chinese princess.</p> + +<p>"So you have come at last!" exclaimed the Chinaman in his own language. +"I thought you never would."</p> + +<p>"Patience, Wang Foo," replied the doctor. "We can't get there all in a +moment."</p> + +<p>"But the princess may die. She may be dead now. I believe it. She ought +to have been released long ago."</p> + +<p>"Patience, I tell you. I know my business. She is in no danger of death +whatever."</p> + +<p>"And the woman you were to bring to look after her. She must have an +attendant. She is not to be ill treated. She is of my own blood."</p> + +<p>"The woman is here."</p> + +<p>"What, a white woman?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Of what use can she be?"</p> + +<p>"I know her of old. She is an excellent nurse. None better."</p> + +<p>"But she cannot talk to the princess."</p> + +<p>"There you are quite mistaken. Better be careful what you say to her. +She speaks Chinese as well as you do."</p> + +<p>Wang Foo stared at Alice and asked her name.</p> + +<p>He managed to grasp the Alice part, but the rest was quite beyond him.</p> + +<p>"Hurry! Hurry," he cried.</p> + +<p>"Alice," said the doctor, "I am going to resurrect the princess now. Sit +down in that easy-chair and make yourself at home."</p> + +<p>Alice silently obeyed. Thus far there seemed nothing so terrible coming +out of the passage through the door of death.</p> + +<p>The doctor asked for a screw-driver, and Wang Foo produced one, with +which he made short work of opening the box.</p> + +<p>There, apparently, in a deep sleep, lay a little doll of a Chinese woman +upon blankets carefully fitted into the box.</p> + +<p>She was in plain native dress, and her feet were not bigger than those +of a good-sized doll.</p> + +<p>This alone proved that she belonged to a good family.</p> + +<p>The ordinary Chinese women do not compress their feet.</p> + +<p>The doctor bent over the box and listened at her heart.</p> + +<p>"She's all right," he said. "I'll have her out of this in no time."</p> + +<p>He produced a leather medicine case, and, taking a tumbler from the +washstand, proceeded to mix small portions of the contents of two +different vials.</p> + +<p>The result was a reddish liquid, of which he administered a few drops to +the princess.</p> + +<p>"Now, Alice," he said, "we can talk freely before this man, who is just +from China and can't speak a word of English. Our love affairs can hang +over a few days. Just now I am going to explain about this woman. She is +the daughter of a rich Pekin Mandarin, who has sold her to an equally +rich merchant here in Chinatown. They are really in love with each +other, and the woman came to California of her own accord, although not +in just the way she set out to do. She is also the granddaughter of a +rich old Chink on her mother's side, who died in San Francisco at the +time of the great fire. He left a pile of ready cash behind him, but no +one knows where he hid it. That he did hide it somewhere on the night of +the fire is certain. Just before his death, as I have the best of reason +for believing, old Gong Schow wrote out this secret of the buried money +and sent it to a man in China with instructions for him to deliver the +letter containing the secret to his granddaughter on her twentieth +birthday. It was done. This funny little midget alone knows where Gong +Schow's wealth is buried. She has kept her secret well. She promised her +lover to reveal it to him on their marriage day. Wang Foo knows all +this. He is my partner in certain business transactions. He is her +cousin. He started to escort her to Shanghai from her home in Pekin. +There she was to sail on the Manchuria for San Francisco. But Wang Foo +deceived her and took her aboard an English tramp steamer, the Dover +Castle. He has delivered her to me. She must be made to give up her +secret, fair Alice. That was another reason why I kidnaped you. I want +you to do the detective act. Get the secret out of the princess as best +you can, only get it. Make her understand that if she don't give it up +she will surely die. You have followed me in all this, I hope?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly have," replied Alice, adding: "At your old tricks, doctor. +Forever plotting and scheming. Am I to be kept alone with this Chinese +princess then?"</p> + +<p>"That's what you are, and it's up to you to work my schemes out to +success, for it is I and not Wang Foo who must have this hidden +treasure——But she is waking; my drug has done it's work."</p> + +<p>It was so. Inside of a few minutes the Chinese princess had fully +revived.</p> + +<p>She was little, but she made it hot for those around her.</p> + +<p>Such a temper Alice never saw displayed in any Chinawoman.</p> + +<p>She began by screaming, demanding to know where she was and why she was +there.</p> + +<p>She turned on Wang Foo with all the fury of a tigress, accused him of +drugging her, of kidnaping her, and then began yelling to be taken to Ah +Lung.</p> + +<p>As for Dr. Garshaski, she did not appear to know him. She seemed to feel +an instinctive hatred for him, however. She clawed at his face and tried +to hit him when he started to help her out of the box.</p> + +<p>She got out herself, however, and promptly tumbled over on her little +feet. Like many another Chinawoman of her class, she could scarcely +walk.</p> + +<p>Wang Foo did not attempt to reply.</p> + +<p>At last he and Dr. Garshaski left the room, taking the box away with +them.</p> + +<p>After a while they returned with two trunks containing the belongings +of the princess, whom they found crying in Alice's arms.</p> + +<p>"That's right, Alice, that's right," said the doctor, delightedly. "I +see you know your business as well as ever. Keep it up, my dear, and see +here, I have determined to make you a promise. If you succeed in worming +the secret out of that horrid little fright, you shan't marry me unless +you really want to—so there!"</p> + +<p>"That's certainly kind of you," said Alice with a half sneer. "All +right, doctor, I'll see what I can do."</p> + +<p>She did nothing of the sort, of course.</p> + +<p>During the days of her unexplained absence, Alice remained shut in that +room with Skeep Hup, the Chinese princess, an old Chinawoman serving +them with their meals and otherwise attending to their wants.</p> + +<p>Two Chinamen with drawn revolvers stood outside the door every time it +was opened. There was no possibility of escape.</p> + +<p>During this time Alice got very close to the princess.</p> + +<p>Little Skeep Hup seemed to take a great liking to her from the first, +which increased as the days dragged by.</p> + +<p>She told Alice about everything she knew except the secret of the +hiding-place of her grandfather's buried treasure, which she claimed she +knew. She confirmed Dr. Garshaski's story in every particular, and +upbraided herself bitterly for having been foolish enough to listen to +the lies of Wang Foo.</p> + +<p>But where was Wang Foo?</p> + +<p>They saw no more of him.</p> + +<p>Dr. Garshaski came every day towards night asking as to Alice's success.</p> + +<p>She put him off as best she could.</p> + +<p>"The princess will not reveal her secret," she said at last, "and who +can blame her? The best thing you can do, doctor, is to go and blackmail +Ah Lung out of a few thousand and set her free."</p> + +<p>This was on the night the Bradys had the call from Ah Lung.</p> + +<p>The doctor's face grew dark as Alice said it.</p> + +<p>"Do you say so?" he exclaimed. "Well, we shall see!"</p> + +<p>He turned on the princess and said:</p> + +<p>"Now look here, little woman, to-night you have to tell your secret or +take the consequences. Understand?"</p> + +<p>Then Skeep Hup flew into one of her rages, and the doctor was getting it +good and plenty when he abruptly left the room, saying in English to +Alice as he went out:</p> + +<p>"This is played out. She shall be made to tell, and you, who I believe +have put her up to this, shall see the job done. You will find out that +it is no joke to have passed through the door of death."</p> + +<p>And this Alice translated for the benefit of Skeep Hup, asking her what +she supposed it meant.</p> + +<p>"It means torture, that's what it means," replied the princess, +promptly. "No matter. They will never get the secret out of me. I will +never reveal it to any one but Ah Lung."</p> + +<p>And here is what followed:</p> + +<p>No supper came that night.</p> + +<p>Alice and the princess waited until they were tired, and were just +preparing to go to bed when the door was suddenly thrown open and two +men wearing hideous paste-board masks after the Chinese style entered +the room.</p> + +<p>Dr. Garshaski and another followed them, an old Chinaman with a long, +drooping mustache. A person Alice had never seen.</p> + +<p>"Young women," said the doctor, "you are to follow us to the torture +room, unless you, Princess Skeep Hup, instantly reveal what I wish to +know, or, rather, give me your promise to do so, for it must be revealed +to me alone."</p> + +<p>The princess set her lips together, and, throwing intense scorn into her +speech, defied him.</p> + +<p>They were then led along the passage, through a door at its end, up +steps and through another passage, winding up in a room all draped in +black, which was dimly lighted by a solitary candle placed within a +human skull resting on an old-fashioned coffin, which looked as if it +may have been made to fit the princess, judging from its size.</p> + +<p>Beyond this was a low table provided with an arrangement of ropes +attached at one end to a post at the other to a large wooden jackscrew.</p> + +<p>It was a wicked-looking engine.</p> + +<p>Alice shuddered.</p> + +<p>"We have fallen into the hands of a bunch of yellow fiends," she +thought. "I wonder if there is anything too wicked for Dr. Garshaski to +do?"</p> + +<p>The two masks now seized the princess and laid her down upon the table +on her back.</p> + +<p>They then proceeded to tie her hands to the ropes attached to the post, +while her feet were made fast to those attached to the screw.</p> + +<p>The brave little woman never let out a whimper—never said one word.</p> + +<p>"You see, Alice," said the doctor, taking his place beside her. "Don't +you think of interfering, or you shall get your dose."</p> + +<p>"You yellow fiend!" breathed Alice, feeling that such cruelty was beyond +endurance. "Wouldn't I like to have the turning of that screw with you +on the table! How dare you resort to such barbarous methods as this?"</p> + +<p>"Have a care!" hissed the doctor. "That's the rack—the old-fashioned +rack, such as your white holy men used to resort to when they wanted to +make a man holy in some other way than his own. It is still in use in +China for extorting confessions from thieves. Nice contrivance, isn't +it? But its use has been by no means confined to the Chinese."</p> + +<p>"What you allude to happened two hundred years ago, and you know it," +retorted Alice. "It takes yellow fiends like you and your friends here +to torture a woman in these days!"</p> + +<p>"Bah! They would rack people to death for religion's sake to-day if they +dared," answered the doctor.</p> + +<p>"But you have your warning, so heed it," he added, and advancing to the +princess, he again asked her if she was ready to reveal the secret.</p> + +<p>"Never!" she cried. "You can torture me all you will, but you will never +learn from me that which will place in your hands what I choose shall +belong to my husband, Ah Lung."</p> + +<p>"Ah Lung is not your husband nor will he ever be unless you yield to my +request," declared the doctor.</p> + +<p>She gave him one look and turned her head away.</p> + +<p>"Give the screw a twist!" cried the doctor, and the old Chinaman obeyed, +the two masks standing on each side reciting something in old Chinese +which Alice could make nothing of.</p> + +<p>Skeep Hup bore the pain thus inflicted unflinchingly.</p> + +<p>She shut her eyes, set her lips, and never uttered a sound.</p> + +<p>"Will you tell?" demanded the doctor.</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>"Give it another turn!" he thundered.</p> + +<p>The screw was turned again.</p> + +<p>The masks chanted louder than ever.</p> + +<p>The Chinese princess groaned in her misery. Alice was forced to turn her +head away.</p> + +<p>They let her lie so for a few minutes before the doctor again put the +question.</p> + +<p>This time she answered, declaring that never would she tell.</p> + +<p>"You fool!" cried the doctor. "Do you realize that I mean to continue to +order that screw turned until your limbs are wrenched off?"</p> + +<p>"I believe you," replied the princess, "but I shall never tell."</p> + +<p>He let her lie there in agony for a few minutes, and then put the +request again.</p> + +<p>This time there was no answer.</p> + +<p>The victim of this yellow fiend was almost past speech.</p> + +<p>"Go it again!" thundered the doctor.</p> + +<p>"You fiend!" cried Alice. "Release that woman or I'll do something +desperate. In the name of humanity! In the name of your mother! Dr. +Garshaski, forbear!"</p> + +<p>"Interfere at your peril!" thundered the doctor, and as he spoke the +screw was turned once again.</p> + +<p>If Alice had been in possession of her revolver she surely would have +shot the fiend, but that had long ago been taken from her.</p> + +<p>Helplessly she turned her head away, stopping her ears that she might +not hear the cries which the wretched Chinese woman could no longer keep +back.</p> + +<p>But the cries suddenly <i>ceased</i>.</p> + +<p>"She has fainted," said the torturer.</p> + +<p>"You have killed her, poor soul!" moaned Alice. "Oh, you yellow fiends!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>OLD KING BRADY BLUNDERS AHEAD AS BEST HE CAN.</h3> + + +<p>It was undoubtedly the mildness with which the old detective spoke which +influenced the young woman to stand her ground.</p> + +<p>"Who are you? What are you doing in this room?" she faltered.</p> + +<p>"I might put the same question to you, young woman," Old King Brady +replied. "I was a witness to your display of rage against a picture. You +must be in love with Dr. Garshaski, then?"</p> + +<p>"In love with him!" she cried with a hysterical laugh. "I hate him! I am +his wife."</p> + +<p>"So? In that case I may as well introduce myself. Did you ever happen to +hear him speak of Old King Brady, the detective?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; many a time. He also was a detective. He once worked for you in +New York."</p> + +<p>"Yes, for a short time. Were you his wife then, may I ask?"</p> + +<p>"Sure I was. I married him five years ago. He deserted me. He has never +provided for my support since. I have been living in Los Angeles. I only +came to San Francisco day before yesterday. I happened to meet him in +the street. I tell you I made it hot for him. He gave me the slip or I +would have had him arrested. I learned that he was living here. I have +been here again and again, but this is the first time I have been able +to get into the room."</p> + +<p>"Do you know whose picture that was which you destroyed?"</p> + +<p>"Sure I do. A woman he married in New York two years ago. He is living +with her here now, but I'll have him arrested. I am his lawful wife."</p> + +<p>"You are quite mistaken. He never married her."</p> + +<p>"He told me he did. He showed me her picture one time about a year ago."</p> + +<p>"He lied. That lady is my partner. Dr. Garshaski so pestered her with +his attentions that I had to have him arrested. Then I was told that he +went to China."</p> + +<p>"So he did. Twice since then. Mr. Brady, I begin to believe you are +telling me the truth."</p> + +<p>"I certainly am, but let us leave this house. I don't wish the doctor to +know I have been here. I should like to talk with you further, Mrs. +Garshaski."</p> + +<p>"I'll go, but you needn't call me that. I go now by my mother's maiden +name. I am known as Inez Reyes."</p> + +<p>"Mrs. or miss?"</p> + +<p>"Miss."</p> + +<p>"Very well, Miss Reyes. Let us get out; that is if you have accomplished +your purpose here."</p> + +<p>"My purpose!" she replied, grimly. "My purpose is to catch my husband +and make him give me money to live on. He is an opium smuggler. He is +rolling in wealth. I don't care what he does so long as he gives me +money to live on."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I may be able to help in that, but we won't talk any more about +it till we get on the street."</p> + +<p>They then hurriedly left the house.</p> + +<p>As they walked along, Old King Brady explained about the disappearance +of Alice.</p> + +<p>"You say you heard that Dr. Garshaski had her in his power," he added. +"Who told you this?"</p> + +<p>"A Chinese woman I know. She is my aunt."</p> + +<p>"You are Chinese on your father's side?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am, and I'm not ashamed of it, either. My father was a good +man."</p> + +<p>"He is dead?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and so is my mother. She was a Mexican woman. I was born and +brought up in Mexico. I wish I had never left it."</p> + +<p>"Listen, Miss Reyes," said the old detective. "You say you need money. +If through your means I can rescue Miss Montgomery from the clutches of +Dr. Garshaski, I am going to give you $200."</p> + +<p>"And you will arrest him and send him up?"</p> + +<p>"I most certainly shall."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll help. My aunt told me that the doctor had Miss Montgomery at +the House of the Seven Delights, but she did not say he was holding her +a prisoner. She lives there herself. She ought to know."</p> + +<p>"Where is this House of the Seven Delights?"</p> + +<p>"It runs through from Dupont street to China alley," was the reply, and +the woman named the block.</p> + +<p>"And what is it?" persisted Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Oh, a sort of club-house. A lot of different Chinese clubs meet there. +There is a big restaurant on the ground floor; there are opium joints +and fan-tan joints in it."</p> + +<p>"Same place," thought the old detective. "But where are the dungeons of +this House of Delights, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>"Can you find out in just what part of the house the doctor has Miss +Montgomery concealed?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Listen here," replied the woman. "The only thing I can do is to see my +aunt and tell her that you have promised to aid me. She hates my husband +as much as I do. Still, you know how helpless Chinese women are, so just +what she will do I cannot say.</p> + +<p>"But we must not be seen together on Chinese alley, Mr. Brady. Where can +I find you? Appoint a place."</p> + +<p>"How long shall you probably be gone?" asked the old detective.</p> + +<p>"Not over half an hour. I will keep on the block on the Dupont street +side. Meet me there."</p> + +<p>They parted at the alley, Old King Brady pushing on to Dupont street.</p> + +<p>He had scarcely turned the corner when he ran into Detective Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Well?" he demanded. "What about Volckman?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't seen him since," was the reply. "Evidently he has given me +the slip somehow."</p> + +<p>"Let him go. I have secured evidence against him which will enable us to +arrest him at any time," and the old detective went on to explain.</p> + +<p>"I want your help in this new business," he said.</p> + +<p>"Right," replied Leggett. "Can't we go it alone, thin?"</p> + +<p>"I'm going to try it that way, anyhow. You follow me right after I make +the start. If I want you to join me I'll let you know."</p> + +<p>They separated then, and for more than half an hour Old King Brady paced +the block; finally he was joined by Inez Reyes.</p> + +<p>She did not stop to talk to him, but merely said as she walked slowly +past the doorway in which the old detective was standing:</p> + +<p>"We must not be seen together. You follow me."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady fell in behind.</p> + +<p>Looking back he caught sight of Leggett on the other side of the street, +and made a sign for him to join the procession.</p> + +<p>The woman rounded the corner and entered the alley, slipping in at the +door of the House of the Seven Delights.</p> + +<p>She did not ascend the stairs, but passed along the dimly lighted hall +till she came to a door under the main stairway. There appeared to be +nobody but themselves in the hall. Looking sharply up and down, the +woman halted and waited for Old King Brady to come up in response to her +signal.</p> + +<p>"All I could get out of my aunt," she whispered, "is that this door is +one way of getting into the private rooms in this building. It is not +the way used by the club members; there are several other ways in and +out. She says that Miss Montgomery was still there this evening; she is +locked in one of the secret rooms. She won't tell me which one nor how +to find it. There seems to be some mystery about it all which I can't +fathom, and she is evidently afraid to reveal it. But she says that what +you tell me is true, Mr. Brady. Miss Montgomery hates my husband.—It is +such a relief to know it. I tried every way I knew to persuade my aunt +to help up, but she is afraid to make a move. I don't know what more to +do."</p> + +<p>"There is nothing more you can do," replied the old detective. "Go and +leave me to do the best I can. You will probably see a tall man standing +just outside the door. Tell him I want him, please. I am staying at the +Palace Hotel. Call there to-morrow and I will give you your money in +case I succeed. I shall be glad to do what I can to help you in any +case."</p> + +<p>She thanked him and left; in a moment Leggett joined the old detective +who in the meantime had unlocked the door with his skeleton keys.</p> + +<p>Three Chinamen came shuffling through the hall from the Dupont street +end, evidently diners from the restaurant going out that way.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady with his back to the door talked aloud to Leggett on a +different subject.</p> + +<p>The men, paying no attention to them, passed on.</p> + +<p>"All the young woman has been able to learn is that this stairway leads +down to the private rooms," Old King Brady then explained. "I have +managed to unlock the door. Let us push right ahead."</p> + +<p>He opened it and a long, dark, narrow stairway was revealed.</p> + +<p>"This is probably intended for a way of escape in case of fire," said +the old detective. "Shut the door, Leggett, I'll get out my flash light +and we will go on down."</p> + +<p>"It's mighty dangerous business, Mr. Brady."</p> + +<p>"Of course. Come on!"</p> + +<p>He led the way and they descended the stairs, ending up at a door +covered with sheet iron which had neither lock nor knob.</p> + +<p>"Balked," breathed Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Balked nothing," replied Old King Brady. "This door is controlled by a +spring which works in the simplest sort of fashion."</p> + +<p>He pressed it and the door flew open.</p> + +<p>The long, lighted corridor already described lay beyond.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady surveyed its many doors in silent dismay.</p> + +<p>"Now we are balked," he whispered. "This is more than a Chinese puzzle. +Which door to choose?"</p> + +<p>"You may search me," replied Leggett. "What can be the object of all +these doors?"</p> + +<p>"Stand back!" breathed Old King Brady, and he allowed the iron door +which was self-closing to swing almost to.</p> + +<p>For out of one of the doors a man now came and that man was Dr. +Garshaski.</p> + +<p>Hastily closing the door behind him he walked on rapidly along the +corridor, opened another door and disappeared.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady carefully noted the door and was about to venture in, +when the first door opened and two Chinamen emerged.</p> + +<p>Both were in American dress. One pointed along the corridor in the +direction taken by the Doctor. They halted at the door through which +Garshaski vanished.</p> + +<p>It was too far off to enable the watching detectives to see their faces +plainly, the dim red lights making it additionally obscure.</p> + +<p>The two men stood talking for a few seconds then one of them got out +what seemed to be a bunch of keys and began fumbling with the lock. As +their backs were now turned to the detectives it was impossible to make +out just exactly what they were doing.</p> + +<p>In a moment the door was opened and they disappeared inside.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady was about to press forward, but now came other delays.</p> + +<p>A different door opened and four Chinamen came out. They shuffled along +the corridor, talking, and entered at still a different door.</p> + +<p>At the same time five others came out of that door and for fully ten +minutes stood talking in the corridor, vanishing at last through the +door out of which the others came.</p> + +<p>Again Old King Brady thought he had got his chance, but once more he was +balked in the same way.</p> + +<p>At last his chance really did come and finding that they had the +corridor to themselves he and Leggett pushed on.</p> + +<p>Now at the start the old detective had been at particular pains to +identify that door.</p> + +<p>But did he still remember it? was the question.</p> + +<p>He could not feel by any means certain and the worst of it was a quick +decision was absolutely necessary.</p> + +<p>"I think this is it," he said, pausing before a certain door.</p> + +<p>"You want to be sure," replied Leggett.</p> + +<p>"I am as sure as I can be. Yes. I think this is it."</p> + +<p>The door was locked and the old detective getting out his skeleton keys +went at the job of opening it vigorously.</p> + +<p>He quickly succeeded.</p> + +<p>A narrow, dark staircase leading up lay beyond; leaving the door +unlocked, Old King Brady pressed on to the top flight, no great +distance, coming out upon a semi-circular platform where there were +three doors.</p> + +<p>There was no light here.</p> + +<p>The old detective flashed his electric lantern around.</p> + +<p>"Your Chinese puzzle isn't it, Mr. Brady," whispered Leggett. "Is there +any end to the mysteries with which these Chinks like to surround +themselves?"</p> + +<p>"None, absolutely none," replied the old detective. "It makes one tired +to try to follow their curves. But listen a moment. We may catch on to +something."</p> + +<p>"It's a blame sight more likely that someone will catch on to us," +growled Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Hush! Hush! Listen!"</p> + +<p>He had scarcely spoken when someone behind the middle door called out in +a loud voice in English:</p> + +<p>"Now, Ah Lung, I've got you. You scoundrel! It was I myself who +kidnapped your princes! The secret of Gong Schow's hidden treasure is +mine! Now you die!"</p> + +<p>Bang! Bang! Bang!</p> + +<p>Three shots were instantly fired.</p> + +<p>"This is murder!" cried Old King Brady, and he threw himself against the +middle door from behind which the shots came.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE BRADYS GET TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN. BUT THE PRINCESS SLIPS THROUGH THEIR +FINGERS.</h3> + + +<p>Urged by Harry, Ah Lung jumped to the outer door of the smoking room as +this part of the House of the Seven Delights was called.</p> + +<p>Young King Brady hastily adjusting his clothes—he had taken off his +coat and vest after the manner of opium smokers—prepared to follow him, +but Ah Lung was back before he could get ready.</p> + +<p>"Well?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"I know where he went," replied Lung. "Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then come with me."</p> + +<p>They passed out into the corridor.</p> + +<p>There were the "two Chinamen" seen by Old King Brady and Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Where did he go?" demanded Harry.</p> + +<p>"Listen," replied Lung. "We—the organization, I mean—don't make use of +all this big building. Our part is only on this side. There are rooms on +the other side which we rent, some to secret societies, others to +individuals; most of them are vacant just now. The Doctor went in +through a door leading to a suite of these supposed-to-be vacant rooms +and here it is."</p> + +<p>He paused before the door which Dr. Garshaski had called the "Door of +Death."</p> + +<p>It carried no red paper on it now, but a Chinese character painted on +the panel.</p> + +<p>"What does that say?" asked Harry, pointing to it.</p> + +<p>"Flat to let," replied Ah Lung, "but I strongly suspect that our janitor +is allowing the Doctor to use it for purposes of his own. Otherwise why +should he be going through that door? Still it may have been rented to +him for all I know. Anyhow that's where he went. What do you think of +it? Shall we attempt to follow him up?"</p> + +<p>"By all means," replied Harry. "Let me tell you something. I know this +Dr. Garshaski. He is an infamous scoundrel."</p> + +<p>Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"We meet all kinds," he replied. "They are necessary to make up the +world. But you heard what was said; you heard him try to blackmail me. +Do you believe he really knows anything about the princess, or is it all +bluff? There was nothing that he said he had not heard from me before."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it was bluff and I do believe he has the princess," +replied Harry, "and I'll tell you why."</p> + +<p>He went on to explain about Alice, and this while he was trying his +skeleton keys.</p> + +<p>"I believe he has Miss Montgomery a prisoner in the rooms you speak of," +he declared, "and it would not surprise me a bit if the princess was +there too. Hello! I've got the door open now. Shall we go exploring and +see what we find?"</p> + +<p>"Surely. If that is your belief. I am with you, of course," replied Ah +Lung. "But lock the door behind you," he added. "We don't want anybody +prowling after us."</p> + +<p>Harry scarcely saw the necessity of it, but he locked the door.</p> + +<p>The long corridor was dimly lighted by a solitary gas jet.</p> + +<p>"Why this is strange," said Ah Lung. "I never was in this part of the +building before."</p> + +<p>"This corridor surely leads in under the next building," said Harry.</p> + +<p>"Of course, it does, I never knew of its existence. I shall inquire into +this."</p> + +<p>"Sure you've got the right door?"</p> + +<p>"Positive. Come on."</p> + +<p>At the end of the corridor they made the same turns Alice took and at +last found themselves up against three doors.</p> + +<p>The ones on the right and the left were locked, but the middle one stood +slightly open.</p> + +<p>Harry pushed it wide open and flashed his light inside, having already +drawn his revolver in case of emergency.</p> + +<p>The room was entirely unfurnished.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung stepped in and looked around.</p> + +<p>"Nothing here," he remarked, when the door shut with a bang.</p> + +<p>Harry sprang to it, but all too late.</p> + +<p>Somebody must have been watching them, for now somebody had bolted that +door on the other side.</p> + +<p>"Well, upon my word!" cried Ah Lung, "we have walked right into a trap."</p> + +<p>"That is certainly what we have done," replied Harry disgustedly, "and +the worst of it is here I've been talking. I suppose every word we have +spoken has been overheard."</p> + +<p>"Every word, Mr. Young King Brady," spoke a voice above them.</p> + +<p>"Garshaski, you villain! What do you mean by this?" shouted Ah Lung, +recognizing the Doctor's voice.</p> + +<p>"Business," was the reply. "You would not accede to my very modest +request so I have to do the best I can for myself. So Young King Brady +was your deaf and dumb friend in the next alcove, was he? Say, Lung, I'm +going to read you a lesson. I'm going to teach you how dangerous it is +to muss with me. As for little Brady he knows how I love him and what +good reasons I have for my extreme affection. But you are dead wrong if +you think the fair Alice is here, Harry."</p> + +<p>"Did you kidnap her, Garshaski?" demanded Harry.</p> + +<p>"Did I? Why sure I did," was the reply. "Who else? And I bagged your +princess, too, my bold Lung. Listen, brother Chink; the plot was all +mine. It was I who put up the job with Wung Foo. He brought your little +would-be bride over to the boat on the Dover Castle. Same boat we +brought that hop on, Lungy, old man! To avoid trouble, for Wang Foo had +to be smuggled in as well as the hop, I drugged your pretty princess and +boxed her up. Then in butted the Bradys after their usual fashion, but I +watched my chance and got there and, Harry, I got your Alice, too. That +pleased me more than all."</p> + +<p>From where was the man speaking?</p> + +<p>The sound of his voice seemed to be from above.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of it Harry shut off his flash light and they had been +standing there in the dark, but now he turned it on again and flashed it +around.</p> + +<p>There was no one to be seen. He could see no opening in the ceiling +overhead.</p> + +<p>"Hide and seek! You can't find me!" cried the voice with a chuckle. +"Say, Lungy, old man. I know why you were so stuck on marrying Skeep +Hup. I know her secret! Did you think I'd sell out for any $5,000? No, +not for five times five. I'm out for bigger game."</p> + +<p>"Has she betrayed the secret to you?" cried Ah Lung quickly.</p> + +<p>There was no answer.</p> + +<p>Again and again the merchant repeated the demand, but it was just the +same until all at once the voice fairly shouted:</p> + +<p>"Now, Ah Lung, I've got you! It was myself who kidnapped your princess! +The secret of Gong Schow's hidden treasure is mine. Now you die!"</p> + +<p>As he spoke these ominous words three shots were fired in quick +succession through some hole in the ceiling.</p> + +<p>Instantly Harry shut off the light.</p> + +<p>Probably he was not quick enough to prevent the would-be murderer from +taking some sort of aim, for Ah Lung with a deep groan dropped to the +floor.</p> + +<p>At the same time a violent banging was heard overheard.</p> + +<p>Harry held his breath and waited, not daring to turn on the light.</p> + +<p>"Lung, are you badly hurt?" he breathed.</p> + +<p>There was no reply.</p> + +<p>"Lung! Speak! Where are you hit?" persisted Harry.</p> + +<p>Still no answer.</p> + +<p>The banging kept right up.</p> + +<p>"He is dead," thought Young King Brady. "Merciful heavens! What about +Alice's fate in the hands of that yellow fiend?"</p> + +<p>Just then came a crash. Hurrying footsteps were heard overhead.</p> + +<p>"Why there is nobody here, Leggett!" Old King Brady's voice exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Upon my word!" thought Harry. "And just in the nick of time!</p> + +<p>"Governor! Oh, Governor!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Harry, my dear boy, where are you?" cried Old King Brady, for like +Harry and Ah Lung, he and the Secret Service man had penetrated into a +seemingly vacant room.</p> + +<p>"I fancy I am in the room below you!" replied Harry. "So? Who fired +those shots? You?"</p> + +<p>"No, that yellow fiend, Garshaski!"</p> + +<p>"As I supposed. You are not hurt, I judge from the way you speak."</p> + +<p>"I am not, Governor, but poor Ah Lung who is here with me got it in the +neck and I greatly fear he is dead."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, that's a bad job. Do you know anything of Alice?"</p> + +<p>"Only that Garshaski said she is far enough away if you can believe him, +which is more than I can. Can't you come down here?"</p> + +<p>"I must try to get there. Are you locked in?"</p> + +<p>"Bolted in, most securely."</p> + +<p>"There seems to be but one door here; I daresay there is another, a +secret door. But I am going to take the back track and try it another +way."</p> + +<p>"I don't care what way you try it as long as you get here. I'm in a bad +enough fix. I have no doubt Ah Lung is dead."</p> + +<p>All this talk took place in the dark.</p> + +<p>Harry was so rattled that he did not turn on his flash light. He never +even thought of it until now, and he flashed it on Ah Lung.</p> + +<p>Evidently the Chinaman had been hit in the head for his face was all +covered with blood.</p> + +<p>He was breathing, however. There seemed to be some slight hope.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Old King Brady, who had broken the door down after several +attempts, returned to the semi-circular hall outside.</p> + +<p>"This is a great piece of business, Leggett!" he exclaimed. "We must +make haste and get Harry out."</p> + +<p>As he said it there came a loud pounding on the door at their left and +Alice's voice called:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Brady! Oh, Mr. Brady!"</p> + +<p>"Well, upon my word!" exclaimed Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Alice, are you all right?" cried the old detective with deep anxiety in +his tone.</p> + +<p>"As right as I can be under the circumstances," replied the voice behind +the door, "but they have taken the poor little princess away. This is +Garshaski's work. Perhaps you don't know?</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know. I had as soon see you in the clutches of the arch fiend +himself as in that man's power."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's a fiend, all right, and don't you forget it," replied Alice, +"and a yellow one at that. I have a lot to tell you, Mr. Brady, but if +Harry needs you, do attend to him first."</p> + +<p>"He can wait. Patience a moment. I have unbolted the door. I shall soon +find a key to fit."</p> + +<p>The old detective was trying his skeletons and in a moment he had the +door open.</p> + +<p>It was the same room in which Alice had passed those dreary days with +the princess.</p> + +<p>But now she was alone and the room was all in disorder.</p> + +<p>As for Alice herself she was tied in her chair, being bound hand and +foot.</p> + +<p>She had been gagged also, she explained, a handkerchief having been tied +over her mouth, but this she managed to work off.</p> + +<p>"I heard you when you called murder," she said, "but I couldn't speak +then. Who fired? Who was killed?"</p> + +<p>"Ah Lung," replied the old detective, and he explained as he cut Alice's +bonds.</p> + +<p>"As for my story, it is too long to tell now," she said. "Go for Harry."</p> + +<p>"If we can get there. We seem to have taken another door than the one we +intended."</p> + +<p>"From that long corridor?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I came in at the Door of Death as they call it. It has nearly been the +death of me."</p> + +<p>She shuddered at the recollection of the cruelties she had witnessed in +the torture room.</p> + +<p>They hurried down stairs and passed out into the corridor again.</p> + +<p>Alice could see no "Door of Death" now.</p> + +<p>"This next door says To Let," she said. "Suppose you try that."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I think it is the one," replied Old King Brady, again working +his skeleton keys.</p> + +<p>Fortunately they found themselves with the corridor at their own +disposal.</p> + +<p>In a moment they had the door open.</p> + +<p>"This is the road I travelled," Alice instantly declared.</p> + +<p>This lengthy cross corridor seemed certain to lead them away from the +room in which Harry was confined, but Alice explaining its windings they +determined to try it.</p> + +<p>They were a story lower than the room in which they had been before and +when they came to the semi-circular hall with the three doors exactly +like the arrangement above Old King Brady felt that they must be right.</p> + +<p>"Harry!" he called in a low voice, for he had no desire to bring the +Chinks down upon him.</p> + +<p>"Here," replied Harry instantly. "Behind the middle door."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady shot the bolt and threw back the door, which was not +locked.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung was sitting up leaning on Harry.</p> + +<p>He certainly was a horrible looking object with his face all bathed in +blood.</p> + +<p>"Not dead!" exclaimed Old King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Not dead, but in a mighty bad way," gasped Lung. "The princess!" he +added. "I see you have Miss Montgomery all right."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to say we have seen nothing of the princess," replied the old +detective. "I haven't had time to ask Miss Montgomery about her yet. +What has become of her, Alice?"</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski carried her off," replied Alice.</p> + +<p>"Did—did she give away what he wanted to know?" asked Ah Lung.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid she did. They tortured the poor creature terribly."</p> + +<p>"We must get you out of here without delay, Ah Lung," interrupted the +old detective. "As for the rest it will have to keep. Where shall we +take you—home?"</p> + +<p>"Wait," said Ah Lung. "Connected with this place is a club of which I am +a member. I have a room here where I sometimes sleep. Take me there +first and go for Dr. Gim Suey on Sacramento street."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you better have an American doctor," protested Harry.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," replied Ah Lung, decidedly. "I have doctored both ways, I +greatly prefer the Chinese treatment. Dr. Gim Suey will save my life if +it can be saved."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>TREASURE HUNTING.</h3> + + +<p>Harry and Detective Leggett carried Ah Lung out into the long corridor +head and heels.</p> + +<p>Here they ran into a bunch of Chinks just coming out of the main club +room.</p> + +<p>There were friends of Ah Lung's among them, and a tremendous pow-wow +and excitement followed, all in Chinese.</p> + +<p>Alice explained that it was partly sympathy, partly indignation against +Dr. Garshaski, who was a club member, and partly about the presence of +detectives in the House of the Seven Delights.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung quieted them, however.</p> + +<p>"Leave me now," he said. "I am in the hands of my friends. They will do +all for me that can be done. They are not willing that you should enter +the club room."</p> + +<p>So the detectives were escorted back to earth by the way Old King Brady +and Leggett had come down into these lower regions and glad enough they +were to find themselves safe on China alley.</p> + +<p>Parting from Leggett, they started, reaching it shortly before midnight.</p> + +<p>Alice was so exhausted that Old King Brady insisted that she should +postpone her story till morning.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that it will do any good to tell it now," she said. "But I +must give you a hint. There is buried or hidden money at the bottom of +all this business."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I know," said Old King Brady. "I heard Garshaski call out +about it. Do you know where the hiding place is?"</p> + +<p>"In an old house down by the North Beach."</p> + +<p>"Does he know?"</p> + +<p>"He does. He has had plenty of time to get there and get the treasure if +it still exists."</p> + +<p>"If that is the case," said the old detective, "then I think the best +thing that all of us can do is to go to bed."</p> + +<p>They did so and it was not until the next morning at breakfast in the +private parlor of the detective's suite that Alice's story was told.</p> + +<p>We need only take it up at the scene in the torture room when the +princess fainted and Alice thought her dead.</p> + +<p>"They ran me out then," she said, "so I don't know exactly what the +yellow fiends did to her after that.</p> + +<p>"They tied me to the chair and I think Garshaski meant mischief.</p> + +<p>"After a little he brought the princess into the room and laid her on +the bed. She was in a dreadful condition, but she was game still. She +had not given the secret away. I begged Garshaski to untie me and allow +me to attend to her, but he wouldn't hear to it.</p> + +<p>"'She'll come around all right,'" he declared; adding:</p> + +<p>"'And for your interference you have to suffer, Alice. I will make you +feel sorry you ever insulted me in the way you did.' He then left us, +and I tried to question the princess, but she would not talk about +herself.</p> + +<p>"'Listen, Alice,' she said. 'That fiend has killed my cousin Wang Foo. +He told me so. He means to kill me, I know it, but I will never tell him +where my grandfather hid his money. I will tell you, though, for you may +live to get out of this and I want you, if you do, to go and get that +money and give it to Ah Lung. Promise me that.'</p> + +<p>"I gave her the promise and asked how much the money amounted to.</p> + +<p>"She declared that her grandfather's letter did not state.</p> + +<p>"She then went on to tell me that it was hidden under the headstone of +an old house near the North Beach, the location of which she described +so carefully that I am sure I can find it. It appears that her +grandfather, although he lived in Chinatown, carried on business in this +house selling cigars, soda water and so on, probably doing a little +opium smuggling on the sly."</p> + +<p>"Let's see!" exclaimed Old King Brady. "What was the old fellow's name +again? I heard Garshaski speak it, but I forget."</p> + +<p>"His name was Gong Schow," Alice replied.</p> + +<p>"Why, I knew him!" cried the old detective. "Of course, he smuggled +opium. The cigar and soda water business was only a blind. I can locate +that house if you can't Alice. But do you suppose it is still standing?"</p> + +<p>"The princess thinks so at all events. That is all I know about it."</p> + +<p>"Very likely it is then. We must go down there at once. On the way we +will look in at Lung & Lung's and learn how it fares with Garshaski's +unfortunate victim."</p> + +<p>"Go on with your story," said Harry.</p> + +<p>"There is little more to tell," replied Alice. "Garshaski must have had +his ear at some listening hole, for he now burst in on us and, gagging +me carried Skeep Hup off, declaring that he had heard all."</p> + +<p>And this ended what Alice had to say.</p> + +<p>They started away right after breakfast.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Old King Brady called up Mr. Narraway on the telephone and +suggested—for he was in no position to order it—the immediate arrest +of Volckman.</p> + +<p>"That has already been attended to," replied the Secret Service +commissioner over the wire, "Leggett was at my house early this morning +and told me what happened last night."</p> + +<p>At Lung & Lung's they ran into Wun Lung.</p> + +<p>"Ah was still at his club," he said. "He had seen him that morning. Dr. +Gim Suey thought he would recover." That was all he could say.</p> + +<p>The Bradys and Alice now went to the North Beach.</p> + +<p>Here they met with disappointment.</p> + +<p>They passed on to a point at some distance from the bathing houses to a +place where there had once been quite a little grouping of little shacks +where various kinds of small business had once been carried on.</p> + +<p>But these, owing to certain changes, had all been abandoned since the +fire. Many of them had been pulled down and carried away for firewood. +The few which still remained were all unoccupied and fast going to ruin.</p> + +<p>Skeep Hup's description of the place would have fitted either one of +those remaining.</p> + +<p>Even Old King Brady was at fault, sure as he had been that he could +easily identify the house.</p> + +<p>They returned to the North Beach proper and started to inquire.</p> + +<p>They could not find any one who remembered old Gong Schow, strange as it +seemed, for the man had been there for several years.</p> + +<p>"It looks as though we should have to give it up altogether," remarked +Harry when this stage of the game was reached.</p> + +<p>"It does," replied Old King Brady, "and it don't give us the Chinese +Princess either. There is but one way to solve the mystery that I can +think that is to get hold of some old Chink who knew and had business +with Gong Schow."</p> + +<p>"But it is doubtful if such a person can be made to tell."</p> + +<p>"Very."</p> + +<p>"Do you know such a man?"</p> + +<p>"I think I do."</p> + +<p>"Who is he?"</p> + +<p>"Now, Harry, I feel under obligations not to tell you. He is a Chinaman +who was at one time largely engaged in opium smuggling. I knew it, but I +was never called upon to proceed against him, so as he once did me an +important service I made no move. I found out that he was in the hop +business by the merest accident and I swore to him that I would never +tell."</p> + +<p>And Harry knew that this was final.</p> + +<p>So they gave it up and went back to town, leaving Old King Brady to look +up his man.</p> + +<p>Alice was still suffering from the effects of what she had been through +in those underground rooms, so she remained at the hotel while Harry +started out to see what he could do towards locating Dr. Garshaski.</p> + +<p>He called first at the Stockton street house and entered the Doctor's +room with a skeleton key.</p> + +<p>It was a case of no doctor, but there was evidence that he had recently +been there.</p> + +<p>Hardly knowing what to do or where to go, Harry bent his steps towards +the North Beach again.</p> + +<p>When he got there the water looked good to him, so he went in swimming.</p> + +<p>The day was cool and there were few bathers.</p> + +<p>One old white-haired man, a splendid swimmer, particularly attracted +Young King Brady's attention and he fell into conversation with him.</p> + +<p>He learned that the old fellow suffered terribly from insomnia.</p> + +<p>"Why I often come down here and go in alone at midnight," he said, "and +sometimes in the early morning hours. I was here this morning at a +quarter to one."</p> + +<p>"Is the place deserted then?" Harry asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe the North Beach baths are ever deserted," replied the +old man. "There are always a few old cranks like myself paddling about; +sometimes we see strange sights."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so. Suicides for instance?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have seen more than I like to think of. I have personally +prevented three. Last night I saw something which interested me, but, of +course, I didn't butt in. I never do. I learned long ago to mind my own +business in my nightly wanderings."</p> + +<p>"What was that?" inquired Harry carelessly, for he was not paying very +close attention to the old man's talk.</p> + +<p>"See those old shacks away down there where the pavilion used to be," +pointing to the very place which interested Young King Brady most.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes. What about them?"</p> + +<p>"Last night, just as I came here and before I had undressed—it was +about a quarter to one, I should say—I saw an old-fashioned hack drive +up on the top of the bank and stop. A man got out and then lifted out +what I took to be a little girl, and the hack drove away. Next thing I +knew he was coming down the long steps carrying the girl in his arms."</p> + +<p>"Going to drown her!" cried Harry.</p> + +<p>"I thought so," replied the old man. "There was nobody here but me. I +determined to prevent it if I could so I sneaked along under the bank +making as good time as possible and managed to get where I could see +what was going on, just as the fellow reached the bottom of the steps. +You can judge of my surprise when I tell you that I saw that he was a +Chinaman, and that what I had taken to be a little girl was actually a +very small Chinese woman, one of the kind with little feet. I hid under +the bank ready to jump on him if he attempted any funny business, but I +now saw that he had no notions of drowning the woman. He wandered about +among the old shacks talking to her in Chinese. They seemed to be trying +to find something."</p> + +<p>"And did they succeed?" asked Harry quickly.</p> + +<p>"They did not as far as I could judge," replied the swimmer. "They hung +around for half an hour. The Chinawoman apparently could not walk; he +had to carry her all the time. At last they seemed to give it up. He +carried her up the steps again and they got into the hack and were +driven away."</p> + +<p>"Garshaski and the princess," thought Harry. "It could have been no one +else. What can it mean? Has he given up the treasure hunt then?"</p> + +<p>He asked the old fellow his name and was told that it was Abner Dawson.</p> + +<p>They went out of the water now after that and while they were dressing +an idea suddenly occurred to Young King Brady.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Dawson," he asked, "is there any other place around San Francisco +which goes by the name of North Beach?"</p> + +<p>"There might be, over the Bay," said Dawson. "They have a lot of our San +Francisco names duplicated over there."</p> + +<p>Harry left him wondering if there could be anything in his idea.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>TOO LATE.</h3> + + +<p>Old King Brady had two good reasons for keeping his mouth shut about the +Chinaman whom he hoped might furnish him information about Gong Schow.</p> + +<p>In the first place this man, who went by the name of Ed. Woo, had once +saved his life during a mix-up in a Dupont street opium joint, a service +which the old detective was not the kind to forget, and in the next +place the man had long since given up his crooked ways and now held a +position in a certain prominent bank on Montgomery street where he had +charge of all Chinese business, commanded a good salary and was highly +respected.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady was not the man to throw a stone in the way of such a +character, for which who can blame him?</p> + +<p>Business of importance prevented the old detective from calling at once +on Ed Woo, but during the morning he went to the bank and calling him +out into the hall briefly explained the situation in part.</p> + +<p>He told him about the princess, but made no mention of the +supposed-to-be-hidden money.</p> + +<p>"I have every reason to believe that Gong Schow before his death hid +papers of importance in the little shack where he used to carry on +business near the North Beach," he said. "This man Ah Lung is most +anxious to recover those papers as well as the princess. I have been +there, but everything seems to be in ruins. I can't even locate the spot +where the shack stood. I am afraid the case is hopeless, but I thought +that perhaps you could help me out, Woo."</p> + +<p>"I will if I can, you may be sure," replied the Chinese bank clerks, +"but I must say, Mr. Brady, you are rather indefinite."</p> + +<p>"I know it," answered the old detective, "but to tell the truth, I have +to be. The affair concerns only Ah Lung."</p> + +<p>"And you are the best man in the world for keeping others people's +secrets. But I did not refer to that. Which Gong Schow do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"What! Was there more than one of that name in Chinatown?"</p> + +<p>"There were four."</p> + +<p>"Bless me! That certainly complicates matters. But surely there was only +one who ran a business at the North Beach and engaged in hop smuggling +on the side."</p> + +<p>"There again you are wrong. There were two; what is more, there was +another place called North Beach in those days."</p> + +<p>The Chinaman named the location. It was over the Bay above Saucelito.</p> + +<p>There, Ed Woo explained, a certain cove was once called North Beach and +enjoyed a short-lived popularity as a Sunday bathing resort, but had now +been entirely abandoned for several years.</p> + +<p>"And was there a Gong Schow in business over there?" asked the old +detective.</p> + +<p>"There was," replied Ed Woo, "there was one out there and one at the old +North Beach in San Francisco. Both took a hand at hop smuggling. I knew +them both, so you see, Mr. Brady, it is important that I should know +which one you mean."</p> + +<p>"Well, under the circumstances I should say so," exclaimed the old +detective. "The man I refer to died shortly after the fire."</p> + +<p>"Then he was the Gong Schow over the bay," was the reply. "The other one +so far as I know is living still."</p> + +<p>Here was information of real value.</p> + +<p>Hurrying back to the hotel Old King Brady found Harry had just come in.</p> + +<p>"Have you accomplished anything?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Nothing, I may say," replied Harry, "except that by mere accident I +learned that Dr. Garshaski took the princess to the North Beach last +night and made a hunt for Gong Schow's house, but failed to find it."</p> + +<p>"Which North Beach?"</p> + +<p>"What? Are there two?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean it. Do you know that is just what I was wondering. You +certainly know San Francisco better than I do, Governor."</p> + +<p>Old King Brady smiled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't lay claim to have been in possession of the knowledge for +any length of time," he said, and went on to explain.</p> + +<p>"Singular that I should have been seized with the same idea," remarked +Harry. "Alice, how does it strike you? Can this and not the regulation +North Beach be the place?"</p> + +<p>"Easily," replied Alice. "Skeep Hup knows nothing of San Francisco, +remember. When she said North Beach, she was only repeating what she had +read in her grandfather's letter. She told me that the letter stated +that the house was a little frame affair standing back under the bluff, +and that it had a green door; that there were other houses near it and +that all had been abandoned."</p> + +<p>"Hello!" exclaimed Harry. "You did not mention the green door before."</p> + +<p>"Didn't I? Then it must have slipped my mind. But when one comes to +think of it, no Chinaman in his senses would ever think of hiding money +anywhere around North Beach, San Francisco."</p> + +<p>"Dr. Garshaski seems to have been as badly deceived as ourselves," +observed Harry.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but he may have become undeceived by this time," replied Old King +Brady. "We want to get across the bay at once and do our investigating +there."</p> + +<p>They lost no time in putting this plan into effect, starting for the +foot of Clay street where, as Old King Brady knew, there was a man who +had naphtha launches to rent.</p> + +<p>As they were about to enter the little office of this individual who +should they run into but Detective Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Volckman has given us the slip," said Leggett. "I am going across the +bay after him."</p> + +<p>"You started to arrest him?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't; Narraway sent a man to do it; some one must have tipped +Volckman off, for he didn't come to business this morning nor send any +word. I happened to be at the office when the man came in with this +report; Narraway told me to go to Volckman's house and see if I could +nail him there."</p> + +<p>"And you failed?"</p> + +<p>"Failed because he wasn't there. Wasn't any one there? The house was +shut up. I managed to get in all the same. Found most everything packed +up. I prowled about and came across some letters in an old desk which +are mighty interesting. Want to see them?"</p> + +<p>"What are they about?"</p> + +<p>"Opium smuggling. Five names are mentioned. The gang has had a bad scare +through our operations. They have changed their base. There's another +lot of hop expected in to-night it seems and the landing is to be made +at a lonely spot over the bay. I'm bound for there now. Want to size up +the place and report to Narraway. I shall recommend that you be put in +charge of the raid, Mr. Brady."</p> + +<p>"I am not sure that I want the contract," replied the old detective.</p> + +<p>"Got the princess yet?"</p> + +<p>"No. We are still hunting Garshaski; but where is this place you speak +of?"</p> + +<p>"It's above Saucelito; used to be called North Beach."</p> + +<p>The Bradys and Alice glanced at each other.</p> + +<p>"How are you going, Leggett?" the old detective asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, I was going to hire a launch."</p> + +<p>"Then you may as well come along with us, for that's just the place we +are bound for."</p> + +<p>And thus it came about that once again Detective Leggett came to be +associated with the Bradys in their chase after the Chinese Princess.</p> + +<p>The launch was engaged and with the detectives on board and Harry +running the motor, it started in the direction of the Golden Gate.</p> + +<p>It now became necessary to take Leggett fully into their confidence, for +the Secret Service man had not understood about the hidden money.</p> + +<p>He grew quite excited and talked of little else the rest of the trip.</p> + +<p>It made matters easier for the Bradys that Leggett knew the exact +location of this other North Beach.</p> + +<p>In due time they ran into the shallow cove under the green hills where +there was a small pier, sort of boat-house on piles and several frame +shacks which had once been devoted to such business as is usually found +about a bathing place.</p> + +<p>All happened to be deserted.</p> + +<p>The Bradys instead of landing at the pier ran further down and tied up +at a float from which they passed to the shore.</p> + +<p>The Bradys walked up the beach surveying the different shacks.</p> + +<p>"There's your green door, Alice," Harry suddenly exclaimed, as he +pointed on ahead.</p> + +<p>It was attached to a one-story building scarcely larger than a good +sized hencoop, that green door.</p> + +<p>"Looks as if it might be the place," observed Old King Brady, adding:</p> + +<p>"But who owns the sailboat tied up at the pier, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>They had not observed it as they approached the pier from the other +side.</p> + +<p>"Suggests Garshaski," said Harry.</p> + +<p>They pushed on to the green door.</p> + +<p>"Go on in, Harry and Alice," said the old detective. "Leggett and I will +watch that house on the piles. The owner of the sailboat may be inside."</p> + +<p>Harry and Alice then pushed on into the shack.</p> + +<p>"Too late!" cried Alice, "Garshaski has been here ahead of us!"</p> + +<p>And indeed it looked so, for there in the middle of the floor lay a flat +stone broken in two pieces.</p> + +<p>Evidently it had served as a hearth stone and beneath where it had lain +at the foot of the chimney was a newly dug hole.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3> + + +<p>"Just in time to be too late!" exclaimed Harry, pointing at the hole.</p> + +<p>"So it would seem. But it may not be so. That sailboat!" said Old King +Brady.</p> + +<p>"That's what's the matter!" cried Harry. "That boat-house, you may say. +Who is inside? That's what we want to know now."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Brady! Oh, Mr. Brady!" called Leggett excitedly.</p> + +<p>All hurried outside.</p> + +<p>"Look!" said Leggett, pointing up the bay.</p> + +<p>A good-sized launch was rapidly approaching, evidently heading for this +abandoned beach.</p> + +<p>"Can it be the hop gang?" asked Leggett.</p> + +<p>"Who can tell?" replied the old detective. "Sneak on beyond the +boat-house and get a sight of them. If you find they are Chinks hold up +two fingers and get back as fast as you can. Don't show yourself any +more than you have to."</p> + +<p>"Right. What about the treasure?"</p> + +<p>Harry hastily explained and Leggett hurried away, passing behind the +boat-house.</p> + +<p>The Bradys approached it leisurely.</p> + +<p>The building was much larger than an ordinary boat-house. Indeed, +perhaps it had never been intended for a boat-house at all, but for the +office of the proprietors of the beach.</p> + +<p>It had a door opening on the pier, also a window.</p> + +<p>They stepped upon the pier and were just about to pass around to the +front of the building when suddenly they heard the door open noisily.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" breathed Old King Brady, "we want to know what that means."</p> + +<p>He was about to peer around the corner of the building when a harsh +voice called out something in Chinese.</p> + +<p>"Mercy!" whispered Alice. "Garshaski! He says 'Now I'm going to be rid +of you, princess!'"</p> + +<p>Before Alice finished speaking, Old King Brady knew.</p> + +<p>Peering around the corner of the building, he saw Dr. Garshaski starting +down the pier carrying the Princes Skeep Hup in his arms crossing a sort +of runway or gang plank which connected the pier with the house.</p> + +<p>"Stop where you are, Doctor!" shouted the old detective, as all three +showed themselves now.</p> + +<p>The old detective ran to head him off. Harry and Alice were now on the +side platform separated from the runway by considerable space.</p> + +<p>Instantly the Doctor saw them.</p> + +<p>With an exclamation of surprise and disgust he turned and took the back +track.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady rushed after the flying Chinaman who was carrying the +princess.</p> + +<p>He crossed a gang plank and entered the house on the piles.</p> + +<p>The next instant part of the runway flew up, closing the doorway, while +Harry and Alice looked on.</p> + +<p>"You scoundrel!" shouted Old King Brady. "Harm that woman at your +peril!"</p> + +<p>"Leggett is signalling!" cried Harry. "There are Chinks in the launch!"</p> + +<p>"Save the princess!" exclaimed Alice. "That yellow fiend has unearthed +the treasure and now he will kill her."</p> + +<p>"But how to get at him!" cried Old King Brady. "You two keep guard here. +There must be a rear entrance. I'll tackle him there."</p> + +<p>He ran around to where they were standing.</p> + +<p>"Let Harry go too!" cried Alice. "If he comes out with the princess I'll +shoot him."</p> + +<p>"Come, Harry," said the old detective, and around the house they went.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Leggett was hurrying along the beach.</p> + +<p>There proved to be a back door to the house, but it was shut. There was +no window here, thus it was impossible to tell what Garshaski was about, +but as they drew nearer they could hear him fumbling with the lock of +the door.</p> + +<p>"Stand in close, Harry," whispered the old detective.</p> + +<p>The order was a wise one, for the next instant the door slightly opened +and Garshaski peered out.</p> + +<p>He jumped back, closing the door, but before the Bradys had time to +think twice it was opened again on the crack and a revolver was fired.</p> + +<p>The shot went through Old King Brady's hat.</p> + +<p>The instant the crack of the revolver was heard, Harry, who had drawn +his weapon, fired.</p> + +<p>His aim was true, the shot flew in through the crack of the door.</p> + +<p>There was a yell of pain and something was heard to fall.</p> + +<p>"Forward!" cried the old detective.</p> + +<p>As he said it a succession of queer little squeals began inside the +house and a woman's voice chattered in Chinese.</p> + +<p>It was the princess!</p> + +<p>The Bradys rushed inside.</p> + +<p>Harry's shot had taken Dr. Garshaski in the right hand.</p> + +<p>He dropped the revolver and starting back had stumbled over a chair and +fallen.</p> + +<p>The princess lost no time in improving her opportunity.</p> + +<p>She could not stand on her little feet owing to the damage done those +nearly useless members by that terrible rack, but she had free use of +her hands as she sat there on the floor.</p> + +<p>Garshaski, as we should have mentioned, was now in full Chinese costume +even to a false pigtail, but his natural hair was long enough for Skeep +Hup to get a good hold, and there she was yanking it for all she was +worth.</p> + +<p>The scene was a comical one, but it might have been a tragedy, for the +Doctor had just managed to get hold of the princess with his unwounded +left hand, when the Bradys burst into the room.</p> + +<p>Harry covered the Doctor, Old King Brady managed to make the princess +let go her hold on his hair, but not without some difficulty.</p> + +<p>Quickly they tied his legs together, searched and captured another +revolver.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Garshaski had not spoken a word. His face was deathly white, +the sight of his own blood which flowed freely had apparently turned him +faint, for by the time the Bradys succeeded in securing him he had +relapsed into unconsciousness.</p> + +<p>"Call Alice!" ordered the old detective. "We want to find out about the +treasure while we have so good a chance."</p> + +<p>Alice came. The princess almost fell over herself in her delight, +chattering eagerly in Chinese.</p> + +<p>"Well?" demanded the old detective. "Well?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he got the treasure all right," said Alice. "It is in here."</p> + +<p>She led the way into the front room, which was fitted up with a bar and +upon this stood an old dress-suit case.</p> + +<p>"That's it!" cried Alice. "They have but just finished their work. +Garshaski was going to drown her and make off with the money. The +princess says that he found it under the hearth stone and that there is +a lot of it."</p> + +<p>Leggett now burst into the roam.</p> + +<p>"That launch is full of Chinks!" he said, "but they have shoved off. I +think they saw Mr. Brady's big hat and were scared away."</p> + +<p>Perhaps it was so, for they did not return.</p> + +<p>The suit-case, being opened, was found stuffed with yellow-backs with +some gold.</p> + +<p>When counted later the amount proved to be a little over $75,000.</p> + +<p>Garshaski was rounded up in San Francisco jail, later going to a +hospital.</p> + +<p>The Princess Skeep Hup was turned over to the Lung Brothers with the +treasure. Some weeks later she married Ah Lung, who made a quick +recovery.</p> + +<p>That night the Bradys with Leggett and other Secret Service men returned +to the abandoned beach.</p> + +<p>Here they went into hiding, waiting for the opium smugglers.</p> + +<p>And again it proved a foggy night, which greatly aided them in their +work.</p> + +<p>Two boats landed between one and two o'clock.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Volckman, five Chinamen and a white representative of the +crooked commercial house were on land to receive the cargo.</p> + +<p>At the right moment the Bradys rounded up the whole outfit; thus that +incident was closed.</p> + +<p>Dr. Garshaski went to San Quentin for ten years. The opium smugglers +received various short sentences.</p> + +<p>Volckman's was five years.</p> + +<p>But what became of Wang Foo?</p> + +<p>This was never known.</p> + +<p>Mysteriously he seemed to have vanished.</p> + +<p>Garshaski denied all knowledge of the man, but Alice is firmly of the +opinion that he was murdered in the torture room connected with the +House of the Seven Delights.</p> + +<p>The police raided the place and cleaned out all its occupants.</p> + +<p>Old King Brady looked up Inez Reyes and not only gave her $200, but paid +her way back to Mexico.</p> + +<p>Ah Lung treated the Bradys most liberally and Leggett came in for his +share.</p> + +<p>Well could Ah Lung afford it, for, thanks to skillful detective work, he +had secured old Gong Schow's hidden treasure and his Chinese Princess.</p> + +<p>Next week's issue will contain "THE BRADYS AND 'OLD DANGEROUS'; OR, +AFTER THE KING OF THE BANK BREAKERS."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>SPECIAL NOTICE:—All back numbers of this weekly, except the following, +are in print: 1 to 6, 9, 13, 42, 46, 47, 53 to 56, 63, 81. If you cannot +obtain the ones you want from any newsdealer, send the price in money or +postage stamps by mail to FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New +York City, and you will receive the copies you order by return mail.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figright"> +<a href="images/ads29-big.jpg"><img src="images/ads29.jpg" alt=""/></a> +</div> + +<p>Ayvad's Water-Wings</p> + + +<p>Learn to swim by one trial</p> + +<p>Price 25 cents, Postpaid</p> + +<p>These water-wings take up no more room than a pocket-handkerchief. They +weigh 3 ounces, and support from 50 to 250 pounds. With a pair anyone +can learn to swim or float. For use, you have only to wet them, blow +them up, and press together the two ring-marks under the mouthpiece.</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>LAUGHING CAMERA.—Everybody grotesquely photographed: stout people look +thin, and vice versa.</p> + +<p>Price, 25c., postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>FALSE NOSES</p> + +<p>Change your Face!</p> + +<p>Have a Barrel of Fun!</p> + +<p>They are lifelike reproductions of funny noses, made of shaped cloth, +waxed, and colored. When placed over your nose, they remain on securely, +and only a close inspection reveals their false character.</p> + +<p>ALL SHAPES, SUCH AS BUGS, HOOKS, SHORT HORN LEMONS, AND RUM BLOSSOMS.</p> + +<p>BETTER THAN A FALSE FACE</p> + +<p>CAN BE CARRIED IN THE VEST POCKET</p> + +<p>PRICE 10 CENTS EACH BY MAIL</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 WEST 44th ST., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>LOOK BACKWARD</p> + +<p>WONDER OF THE 20th Century</p> + +<p>THE GREATEST NOVELTY OUT</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">ENJOY YOURSELF OWN ONE<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>When placed to the eye, you can see what is taking place in back and +front of you at the same time. No need to wish for eyes in the back of +your head, as with this article you can observe all that occurs in that +direction without even turning your head. How often are you anxious to +see faces in back of you or observe who is following without attracting +attention by turning around. This instrument does the trick for you. +Lots of fun in owning a Seeback Scope.</p> + +<p>Price 15 cents each in money or postage stamps</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>WE SHIP ON APPROVAL <i> without a cent deposit</i>, prepay the freight and +allow 10 DAYS FREE TRIAL.</p> + +<p>IT ONLY COSTS one cent to learn and <i>unheard of prices</i> and <i>marvelous +offers</i> on highest grade 1912 model bicycles.</p> + +<p>FACTORY PRICES <i>Do not buy</i> a bicycle or a pair of tires from <i>anyone</i> +at <i>any price</i> until you write for our large Art Catalog and learn our +<i>wonderful proposition</i> sample bicycle going to your town.</p> + +<p>RIDER AGENTS everywhere are making big money exhibiting and selling our +bicycles. We sell cheaper than any other.</p> + +<p>TIRES, Coaster-Brake rear wheels, lamps, repairs and all sundries at +<i>half usual prices</i>. Do 'Not' Wait; write <i>to-day</i> for our <i>special +offer</i>.</p> + +<p>MEAD CYCLE CO., Dept. P-282 CHICAGO</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>I will send as long they last my 25c Book</p> + +<p>STRONG ARMS</p> + +<p>For 10c in Stamps or Coin</p> + +<p>Illustrated with 20 full-page half-tone cuts, showing exercises that +will quickly develop, beautify, and gain great strength in shoulders, +arms, and back without any apparatus.</p> + +<p>PROF. ANTHONY BARKER</p> + +<p>Barker Bldg., 110 W. 42nd St., New York</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>CAMERA and Complete Outfit for 25c</p> + +<p>Takes pictures 11.8×11.8 inches. With plates, paper, chemicals, etc.; +leatherette covered, full instructions so that any small boy or girl can +take pictures. The complete outfit will be sent you securely packed and +delivered for only 25c or 3 for 60c. W. E. McNEIL & CO.</p> + +<p>Dept. 6245 Chicago</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>MAGIC SKULL</p> + +<p>10c. Shines in dark; funny. Catalog free.</p> + +<p>KLEIN, 1403 Broadway, New York.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>LOTS OF FUN FOR A DIME</p> + +<p>Ventriloquists Double Throat! Fits roof of mouth & always invisible; +greatest thing yet. Astonish and mystify your friends. Neigh like a +horse; whine like a puppy; sing like a canary and imitate birds and +beasts of field and forest. LOADS OF FUN. Wonderful invention. Price +only 10 cents; 4 for 25 cents or 12 for 50 cents.</p> + +<p>DOUBLE THROAT CO. DEPT. K FRENCHTOWN, N. J.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>ASTHMA</p> + +<p>& HAY FEVER REMEDY sent by experts to you on Free Trial. If it cures +send $1; if not, don't. Give express office. Write to-day.</p> + +<p>NATIONAL CHEMICAL CO., 426 Poplar St., Sidney, Ohio</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE CROWN STYLO</p> + + +<p>Made of Aluminum, Satin Finish, Guaranteed Not to Leak</p> + +<p>PRICE 25c. EACH, POSTPAID</p> + +<p>This stylographic ink pencil is made on a new plan. It cannot corrode +and will outlast and outclass any similar pencil on the market. It is a +splendid writer, and is easily kept in order. Each one packed with a +clip to hold it in your vest pocket.</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N.Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE MAGNETIC TOP</p> + +<p>PRICE 5 CENTS, POSTPAID</p> + +<p>A handsome metal, highly magnetized toy. A horseshoe, and a spiral wire +furnished with each top. When spun next to the wires, they make the most +surprising movements. You can make wires of different shapes and get the +most peculiar effects.</p> + +<p>L. Senarens, 347 Winthrop St., Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>REMINGTON UMC</p> + +<p>Nº 6 .22 Rifle</p> + +<p>Do You Want a Rifle as accurate and reliable as the world-renowned +<i>Remington-UMC</i> big game rifle that the famous hunters use?</p> + +<p>The No. 6 single shot has tapered barrel, case-hardened frame, genuine +walnut stock and fore-end, rifle butt plate, rear and tang peep sight.</p> + +<p>Shoots .22 short, .22 long and .22 long rifle cartridges. Also made to +shoot .32 short rim-fire cartridges.</p> + +<p>You'll actually be surprised at its moderate price. Ask your dealer.</p> + +<p><i>FREE—Set of targets. Write to-day</i></p> + +<p><i>Remington-UMC</i></p> + +<p>—the perfect shooting combination</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">REMINGTON ARMS—UNION<br /></span> +<span class="i0">METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">299 BROADWAY<br /></span> +<span class="i0">New York City<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The new .22 "LESMOK" Cartridges</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>"HUMANTONE"</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">U.S. PAT. NOS.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">77167<br /></span> +<span class="i0">31876<br /></span> +<span class="i0">41025<br /></span> +<span class="i0">TRADE MARK<br /></span> +<span class="i0">OTHER PATENTS PENDING.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>HUMANATONE.—The improved Humanatone. This flute will be found as the +most enjoyable article ever offered, nickel plated, finely polished; +each put up in box with full instruction how to use them.</p> + +<p>Price, 18c., postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2>"Secret Service"</h2> + +<h3>NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 1, 1911.</h3> + +<h4>TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS</h4> + +<table> +<tr><td>Single Copies </td><td align="right">.05</td><td>Cents</td></tr> +<tr><td>One Copy Three Months </td><td align="right"> .65</td><td>Cents</td></tr> +<tr><td>One Copy Six Months </td><td align="right"> $1.25</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>One Copy One Year </td><td align="right"> $2.50</td><td></td></tr> +</table> + +<p>Postage Free.</p> + +<p>HOW TO SEND MONEY—At our risk send P. O. Money Order, Check, or +Registered Letter: remittances in any other way are at your risk. We +accept Postage Stamps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap the +Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope. <i>Write +your name and address plainly. Address letters to</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Sinclair Tousey</span>, President }<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">N. Hastings</span>, Treasurer }<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Owen E. Nylander</span>, Secretary }<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Frank Tousey, Publisher<br /></span> +<span class="i0">24 Union Sq., New York<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>ITEMS WORTH READING</h3> + +<p>The superintendent of an orphan asylum in Oxford, N. C., lately received +the following letter, offering a good education to some deserving boy: +"Dear Doctor, I wants to git a gude boye from the assylim to hep mee in +mye farm wurk. I will treet him cindely and giv him as gude edicatin as +I hev got myself. Your truly," etc.</p> + +<p>By way of reply to the 14-inch gun which has been adopted, by some other +navies, the British Admiralty are constructing, we understand, a +15-inch, 50-caliber gun. If the present rate of increase continues, it +will not be long before we are back to the 17-inch caliber, which was +used in a few monster weapons of 20 years ago that were mounted in +certain Italian warships.</p> + +<p>For conniving at the crimes of notorious robbers, eleven of the +detective officers of Moscow have been sentenced to various terms of +imprisonment—five of them to hard labor in the Siberian mines. The +detectives were denounced in a private letter to the czar, written by a +thief who had refused to operate with the officers and divide his +plunder with them.</p> + +<p>One hundred dollars for one standing white pine tree was the stiff price +paid to George Burgess of Clark County, Wis. The tree was cut and scaled +slightly over 5,000 feet when cut into six logs, making a good profit +for the buyer at the present price of lumber. At that rate a quarter +section of pine would make a man a millionaire many times over.</p> + +<p>According to cable dispatches from Gibraltar, the new battleship +"Neptune" has recently made a test of a new system of aiming the main +battery, which has been originated by Percy Scott, the father of the +modern system of target firing. It is stated that while the "Neptune" +was steaming at 13-knots she fired two broadsides in quick succession at +a target moving at the same speed at a distance of 8,000 yards, and that +every shot went home. The aiming and firing of the guns is done entirely +from the conning tower, the duties of the gun crews being merely to load +the guns. If this be true, Scott has made an advance second only in +importance to his famous improvements of five or six years ago.</p> + +<p>At Douen, in France, on the River Seine, there is a bridge that is a +sort of aerial ferry. In order to avoid interference with shipping at +this point, it was determined to place no structure in the stream or +near its surface. Instead of a bridge in any of the ordinary forms, a +horizontal flooring, sustained by steel towers and suspension cable, was +stretched across the river at an elevation of 167 feet. On this flooring +run electrically-driven rollers, from which is suspended, by means of +steel ropes, a car that moves at the level of the wharves on the river +banks. The car is 36 feet wide and 42 feet long, and is furnished, like +a ferryboat, with accommodations for carriages and foot passengers. The +ropes that carry the hanging car are interlaced diagonally in such a +manner that the support is rigid, and a swinging motion is avoided.</p> + +<p>To secure sound rock for the entire length of the Catskill aqueduct +tunnel it has been necessary to go down over one thousand feet below the +river surface. Investigation was made by wash borings, by diamond drills +operated from scows on the river, and by inclined diamond borings +started from the bottom of shafts sunk 300 feet on each side of the +river. One of these inclined holes was over 3,000 feet long. The +inclination was determined by sinking the shaft glass tubes filled with +hydrofluoric acid, which etched a true horizontal line on the interior +surface.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>WITH THE FUNNY FELLOWS.</h3> + +<p>Shockit—Does learning the bicycle require any particular application? +Sprockitt—No; none in particular. But arnica is about as good as +anything.</p> + +<p>Visitor—What makes you so ugly, Tommy? Don't you love your baby +brother? Tommy (viciously)—Well, I did till somebody came in and said +he looked like me.</p> + +<p>Waiter (seeing dissatisfaction on guest's face)—Wasn't the dinner +cooked to suit you, sir? Guest—Yes; all but the bill. Just take that +back and tell them to boil it down a little.</p> + +<p>"George, I wish you'd leave this little package at the express office." +Me carry a bundle? I guess not. Besides, I've got to lug both my tires +and a handle bar down to the repair shop.</p> + +<p>Lawyer—I'll defend you, Sambo, in this bigamy case, but what defense +have you? Sambo—I kin prove an alibi. Lawyer—An alibi? How will you +prove it? Sambo—By two odder wives whut I had.</p> + +<p>Miss Smart (after an hour of patient listening to a tortured violin)—Do +you play a great deal, Mr. Sawton? Mr. Sawton (modestly)—Oh, not a +great deal, I assure you. I play only to kill time. Miss S. +(enthusiastically)—How well you succeed!</p> + +<p>Judge—Have you anything to say, prisoner? Prisoner—Yes. I'm engaged to +be married. I've been engaged for the last ten years. Judge—Why aren't +you married? Prisoner—Because we've never been out of jail together. +She comes out to-morrow.</p> + +<p>The pupils in a school in Boston were asked to give in writing the +difference between a biped and a quadruped. One boy gave the following: +"A biped has two legs and a quadruped has four legs, therefore, the +difference between a biped and a quadruped is two legs."</p> + +<p>Mistress—Oh, Briget! Briget! What an awful numbskull you are! You've +put the potatoes on the table with their skins on, right in front of our +visitors, too. You—you—what shall I call you? Briget (affably)—Call +me "Agnes," if ye loike, mum; 'tis me other name.</p> + +<p>A real joke was sprung by a student at the Western Reserve University +last week. This student suffers from the stigma of obesity; it appears +that even professors do not love a fat man. After a particularly +unsuccessful recitation in English III., the professor said: "Alas, Mr. +Blank! You are better fed than taught." "That's right, professor," +sighed the youth, subsiding heavily. "You teach me—I feed myself."</p> + +<p>A writer in the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post tells of a big, +overgrown, bashful booby of a farmer's boy who was afraid even to speak +to a girl, and whose father one day finally lost patience and scolded +him roundly for not looking about and finding some girl to marry. "Why," +he said, "at your age I had been married three years and had a house and +farm of my own!" "Well, but, dad," complained the boy, "that ain't the +same thing at all. You only had to marry mother, while I've got to go +and hunt up some strange girl and ask her to marry me!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>THE MARSHLEA TRAGEDY</h3> + +<h4>By Col. Ralph Fenton</h4> + + +<p>Three years ago I went down to Marshlea to spend the summer. It is a +sea-breezy, bird-singing country, and the Ocean House, having been taken +by a friend of mine for the season, I knew I should have unexceptionable +quarters, and "rust" as my friend Charley Williard says, to my heart's +content.</p> + +<p>Change of scene is a good thing, but utter solitude, under the names of +rustication and rest, is a penalty I never willingly undergo.</p> + +<p>I knew that there would be plenty of people at Marshlea—people in +undress and holiday tempers—fashionables exhibiting, scholars seeking, +invalids languishing, flirts flirting, and many good people simply +enjoying relief from care and the salubrious situation.</p> + +<p>I expected as much of the people as I did of the place, and accepted +them quite as willingly.</p> + +<p>My quarters were comfortable, a cool northeast room and a little east +bedroom looking upon the sea, both rooms furnished freely in bamboo and +India matting.</p> + +<p>I wheeled my bed so that I could see the sun rise in the morning, quite +comfortable, and with no thanks to Mr. Bierstadt, and heard the gong +sound two hours later, while I was reading Thackeray.</p> + +<p>I never took morning sea-baths—they did not agree with my +constitution—but at noon, when the tide lapped the shingles, full of a +soft wash and warm swells, I took a stretch of half a mile, and felt the +better for my tonic.</p> + +<p>But of a morning, as the tide came in, it was pleasant to watch the +bathers—men swimming with fearless little boys, mothers dipping +astonished babies, and acres of scarlet-clad figures tripping along the +sand, or waltzing in the surf, like blossoms blown about—while the sky +lay low and fleecy and warm over the scene.</p> + +<p>I remember the sand-piper's cry, the peals of laughter, and lowing of +the cattle in the marshes.</p> + +<p>I recollect the saxifrage that grew among the rocks, the spring that +pushed its way over the salt pebbles to the waters of the cove, and the +sweet notes of the little brown shore birds.</p> + +<p>I recall a day when the sunshine was very bland; glittering carriage +loads of dolce far niente pleasure-seekers rolled slowly down the sands. +Staniels' canopied boat, its silken flag fluttering, softly rocked at +his moorings, little white tents, the mushroom dwellings of sportsmen, +dotted the rocks, and the sea glittered and tossed under the serene +blueness of the sky.</p> + +<p>It was all enjoyable then, but an element of tragedy entered into it +afterwards which makes me recall the place with a pang of sorrow.</p> + +<p>I seem to hear a woman's shrieks ringing out over that blue, smiling +water.</p> + +<p>I was smoking in the bowling alley one evening, when a light coupe came +dashing over the sands, and stopped at the door of the hotel.</p> + +<p>John Saunders, my good friend and host, came out to meet a singularly +handsome man, who alighted, and entered into conversation with him.</p> + +<p>"By jingo!" exclaimed a volatile voice in my ear. "Colonel Staniels!" +and my mercurial friend, Walt Summers, finished his exclamation of +surprise with a prolonged whistle.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?" I asked, for I knew the name, though not the man then.</p> + +<p>"Yes; know his carriage. And then no one could ever see Eben Staniels +and mistake him afterwards."</p> + +<p>I was certain of that when I saw the gentleman at supper.</p> + +<p>He was about the medium height, with a magnificent chest, a handsome +head covered with curling brown hair, and a prompt, military bearing.</p> + +<p>His eyes were gray, bright, unflinching and very handsome.</p> + +<p>He wore a closely-trimmed dark beard, and his regular features, straight +brows and bold white forehead made his face as fine as it was fearless.</p> + +<p>He seemed entirely indifferent to the sensation he produced.</p> + +<p>It was generally known that he had been divorced from his wife two years +previous, and this fact, together with his wealth, standing and personal +appearance, made him an object of attention to everybody.</p> + +<p>His manner was unexceptionable, and his bearing perfectly cool, to an +ordinary observer; but as I passed him on the porch, late in the +evening, smoking, I saw him looking silently over the moon-lighted sea, +and wincing at his secret thoughts.</p> + +<p>His room adjoined mine. He was at Marshlea three weeks before I made his +acquaintance.</p> + +<p>He knocked at my door one evening just at sunset.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Cathmor, would you like to drive in town with me to-night? The +sunset promises us a fine evening."</p> + +<p>I had planned a sail by the moonlight, but an impulse to accept Colonel +Staniels' invitation instantly seized me.</p> + +<p>I admired the colonel, was glad to know more of him, as this opportunity +suggested, and I liked fine horses, and the colonel's were very fine. I +accepted the invitation.</p> + +<p>When we went out the sun had just set, and a boy was holding the horses.</p> + +<p>As soon as he left their heads we sailed away.</p> + +<p>The animals were magnificent, wanting nothing but guiding.</p> + +<p>In town we went to the postoffice and bank, and then turned homewards.</p> + +<p>The colonel talked well. We touched briefly on a score of standard +subjects, and momentarily my respect for the man beside me increased.</p> + +<p>He made many remarks worth recording, among these this:</p> + +<p>"It is a very common mistake among men that they must rule their wives."</p> + +<p>This was nearly four years ago, before the diffusion of the woman's +rights question, now so generally discussed. The words, and his manner +of saying them, gave me a clew to the track of his observations, if not +his experience.</p> + +<p>I glanced at the stern contour of his face, the unquiet glance of his +eye, and chose to believe the latter.</p> + +<p>Suddenly his manner changed.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Cathmor, I have a fancy to receive your congratulations first. I am +to be married in a few days, and bring my wife to the Ocean House," he +said.</p> + +<p>I expressed the pleasure his manner conveyed to me.</p> + +<p>"My little girl will like this place, I think," he said.</p> + +<p>The singular sweetness of his smile charmed me. After a moment he took a +little oval miniature case from his breast and handed it to me. It +contained a sweet, pure, earnest face—a sparkle in the modest eyes, +too, that told of exuberant life.</p> + +<p>"That is what I call lovable," I exclaimed, in enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>My praise seemed to touch him to the quick.</p> + +<p>"I think so, too," he answered, quietly, putting the picture back in its +hiding-place, with a moment's happy abstraction.</p> + +<p>We drove fleetly up to the door. A little knot of men gathered about the +horses as usual. I went up to my room with a new item for thought.</p> + +<p>The next day Colonel Staniels took the boat for New York. In three days +he was back with his wife.</p> + +<p>Brides are not generally to my taste, they are usually too suggestive of +clothes, and plume themselves to a fatiguing extent. They are too +demonstrative and important, too publicly tender, and too generally +oppressive. But I liked Mrs. Staniels the moment I heard her glad +laugh. It was a laugh, and her face was like a sunbeam.</p> + +<p>She was not overdressed or burdened with the consciousness of her +position; she did not caress her husband in public, or betray any +unusual excitement.</p> + +<p>She talked in an arch, merry little way with everybody she won to her +side, telling of places, things, people, anybody but herself and the +colonel.</p> + +<p>She had just returned from Europe. She was pretty, and an heiress, but +she was not spoiled.</p> + +<p>I admired the colonel more than ever at that time. He received the +ladies' congratulations and compliments on his wife with a grave +sweetness; I noticed that the men did not jest with him, and that their +appearance did not suggest any of the stale jokes and comments on +matrimony, common to a mixed company. More than all this, their composed +and friendly demeanor when together, and the quiet system of their +glances, pleased me.</p> + +<p>But I knew that Staniels was very happy. His face unbent—its only fault +had been a little coldness and sternness—and revealed a warmth and +geniality that made him quite resistible.</p> + +<p>He formed the habit of coming into my room to smoke, remarking that: +"Say did not like tobacco smoke."</p> + +<p>I never saw him smoke in her presence.</p> + +<p>The name on her wedding cards was Sarah Fay Pomfret, but this stately +appellation the colonel abbreviated to the diminutive title, "Say," and +it seemed to quite suit her.</p> + +<p>One day, about three weeks after their arrival, a party of us went down +the shore gunning, Colonel Staniels was of the number.</p> + +<p>My luck was unusually good. My game bag became heavy.</p> + +<p>Towards noon I flung myself down under a tree to rest.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes Staniels appeared and took a seat beside me. He was out +of spirits.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" I asked.</p> + +<p>He tried to smile, ruthlessly, but I saw a tear flash in his eye.</p> + +<p>"My cursed obstinacy! I was cross to Say this morning."</p> + +<p>He arose restlessly, and walked away. I saw that he was far from being +happy, but it was a matter requiring no interference of mine.</p> + +<p>"Who breaks—pays," I muttered, and lay flat on my back for a full hour +before the rest came up.</p> + +<p>I reached home first.</p> + +<p>The day had been unusually hot, but a cooling breeze had sprung up as +the sun set.</p> + +<p>I entered the house, and passing up to my room met Say Spaniels, all in +white, in the hall.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Cathmor, is Eben coming?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"He has come; he will be up directly," I answered.</p> + +<p>"Keep still as a mouse," she whispered, "I am going to play a trick on +him. Don't tell where I am—hush!" as a step sounded on the stair.</p> + +<p>She turned and fled noiselessly into an alcove of the hall.</p> + +<p>Staniels came rather slowly up the stairs. I thought he was deliberating +what kind of a reception might greet him, fearing, perhaps, tears, pouts +or frowns.</p> + +<p>But I, seeing the merry, peeping face, knew that the matter to which he +was probably keenly sensible was utterly disregarded by the sweet, +healthy nature of his wife.</p> + +<p>He entered the room, closed the door. All was silent after he crossed +the floor. Say tiptoed down the hall and stood listening, her head with +its glossy waves of chestnut hair bent, her red lips parted, her cheek +dimpling.</p> + +<p>Suddenly we heard the report of a pistol. She started bewildered. I +leaped from my seat, and sprang past her into the room. Staniels lay +dead on the floor, shot through the heart. Beside him lay the innocent +paper which had caused the deed.</p> + +<p>It was a little note saying:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"You do not love me. I have gone away. Good-by. Say."</p></blockquote> + +<p>The cheat had been too certain. With a sore conscience, and a heart in +which memories of a hidden past had probably rankled all day, the +husband had been thoroughly duped. The thoughts that rushed upon him +maddened him; the first act was self-destruction.</p> + +<p>And so, when I think of beautiful Marshlea, I always hear above the +murmur of the sea and the songs of the birds, the dreadful shrieks of an +agonized woman, whose innocent, childlike love had been the cause of so +terrible a tragedy.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>A WILDCAT FULL OF FIGHT.</h3> + + +<p>A fierce fight between a monster wildcat and two dogs was witnessed the +other day by Henry T. Frankelfield on Saw Creek, a tributary of the +Bushkill, in lower Pike county, Pa. Mr. Frankelfield is the landlord of +the Falls House at Resaca, Pa. He had been hearing the cries of the +wildcat for several nights. A recent snowfall made excellent tracking +and he started out in pursuit of the animal in company with his dogs, +Sport and Watch.</p> + +<p>The hunter had not gone far when Sport struck the trail of the wildcat. +The two dogs started off with a yelp and followed the scent almost to +Saw Creek and then stopped. When Frankelfield came up he found one of +the dogs smelling around an old tree stump. It was evident that the cat +had been there recently, but had left again, after Watch found the trail +again, and the animal was traced into Little Pine Swamp. Frankelfield +remained at the edge of the swamp while the dogs entered it. He heard +them bark and knew that they had found their game, and he made his way +to the spot. He found both dogs at the foot of an old tamarack stump +which had fallen against another tree, and in the top of the stump was +the wildcat eying them both.</p> + +<p>Frankelfield took deliberate aim and discharged both barrels of his gun +at the animal, but failed to kill it outright. Wounded and maddened with +pain, the cat gave a loud screech, sprang from the tree stump to the +ground, and landed on the back of one of the dogs. The infuriated beast +got one of its paws in on Sport and almost scalped the dog, while Watch +planted his teeth in the cat. Then began one of the liveliest scrapping +matches Frankelfield has ever seen. Snarling and snapping, the cat +fought both animals, the blood from the gunshot wounds dyeing the snow a +deep red. Frankelfield watched the battle some time, and tried to shoot +the animal, but the combatants seemed to be all in a snarl, and he was +afraid to fire lest he should hit the dogs. It was nip-and-tuck for a +long time, and the wildcat, although fighting against odds, clawed and +chewed first one dog and then the other, as the trio rolled over and +over. At last the cat, exhausted from loss of blood, gave up the fight +and was killed by its opponents. Frankelfield carried the animal home, +and intends having it mounted. It weighed forty pounds, and is the +largest cat that has been killed in Poke County in many years.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>A clerk in Belgrade, Servia, named Vellslaw Simmonovitch, on the +strength of an increase of salary, recently telegraphed to a young woman +of Losnitsa and asked her to share his fortunes. The regulation tax +allows ten words for the minimum fee, and her answer ran: "Yes, gladly, +willingly, joyfully, delightfully, gratefully, lovingly, yes, yes, +yes."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figright"> +<a href="images/ads33-big.jpg"><img src="images/ads33.jpg" alt=""/></a> +</div> + +<p>The Dissolving Penny.—A genuine penny is held by the fingertips. You +offer it to your friend, and when he attempts to take it, the penny +suddenly vanishes without any trace and is immediately reproduced from +some quite unexpected place. Price, 12c</p> + +<p>CHAS. UNGER, 316 UNION ST., JERSEY CITY, N. J.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>MOSSBERG WRENCH DCO. ATTLEBORO MASS. U.S.A.</p> + +<p>DEVILINE'S WHISTLE.—Nickel plated, polished; it produces a +near-piercing sound, large seller; illustration actual size.</p> + +<p>Price, 12c., by mail.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>MICROSCOPE.—By use of this wonderful little microscope you can magnify +a drop of stagnant water until you see thousands of crawling insects; is +also useful for inspecting grain, pork, linen and numerous other +articles. This little instrument does equally as good work as the best +microscopes and is invaluable to the household. Is made of best finished +brass; size when closed one inch by two and a half inches. Price, 30c.</p> + +<p>L. SENARENS,<br /> +347 Winthrop St.,<br /> +Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + + +<p> </p> + +<p>MANY TOOL KEY RING.</p> + +<p>The wonder of the age. The greatest small tool in the world. In this +little instrument you have in combination seven useful tools embracing +Key Ring, Pencil Sharpener, Nail Cutter and Cleaner, Watch Opener, Cigar +Clipper, Letter Opener and Screw Driver. It is not a toy, but a useful +article, made of cutlery steel, tempered and highly nickeled. Therefore +will carry an edge the same as any piece of cutlery. As a useful tool, +nothing has ever been offered to the public to equal it.</p> + +<p>Price, 15 cents, mailed, postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>VANISHING CIGAR.—This cigar is made an exact imitation of a good one. +It is held by a rubber cord, which with the attached safety pin, is +fastened on the inside of the sleeve. When offered to a friend, as it is +about to be taken, it will instantly disappear. Price by mail, postpaid, +10c. each.</p> + +<p>Chas. Unger, 316 Union St., Jersey City, N. J.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>LINK THE LINK PUZZLE.</p> + +<p>The sensation of the day. Pronounced by all, the most baffling and +scientific novelty out. Thousands have worked at it for hours without +mastering it, still it can be done in two seconds by giving the links +the proper twist, but unless you know how, the harder you twist them the +tighter they grow.</p> + +<p>Price, 6 cents; 3 for 15 cents; one dozen, 50 cents, by mail, postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>CACHOO OR SNEEZING POWDER.—The greatest fun-maker of them all. A small +amount of this powder, when blown in a room, will cause everyone to +sneeze without anyone knowing where it comes from. It is very light, +will float in the air for some time, and penetrate every nook and corner +of a room. It is perfectly harmless. Cachoo is put up in bottles, and +one bottle contains enough to be used from 10 to 15 times.</p> + +<p>Price by mail, 10c. each; 3 for 25c.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>ROUGH AND READY TUMBLERS.</p> + +<p>These lively acrobats are handsomely decorated with the U. S. flag and +with gold and silver stars and hearts. Upon placing them upon any flat +surface they at once begin a most wonderful performance, climbing and +tumbling over each other and chasing each other in every direction, as +if this evil spirit was after them, causing roars of laughter from the +spectators. They actually appear imbued with life. What causes them to +cut up such antics is a secret that may not be known even to the owner +of the unruly subjects. If you want some genuine fun send for a set of +our tumblers.</p> + +<p>Price, per set, 10 cents; mailed postpaid.</p> + +<p>A. A. WARFORD, 16 Hart St., Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE GERMAN OCARINO.</p> + +<p>A handsome metal instrument, made in Germany, from which peculiar but +sweet music can be produced. Its odd shape, which resembles a torpedo +boat, will attract much attention. We send instructions with each +instrument, by the aid of which any one can in a short time play any +tune and produce very sweet music on this odd looking instrument.</p> + +<p>Price 10 cents by mail postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>TRICK PUZZLE PURSE.—The first attempt usually made to open it, is to +press down the little knob in the centre of purse, when a small needle +runs out and stabs them in the finger, but does not open it. You can +open it before their eyes and still they will be unable to open it. +Price by mail, postpaid, 25c. each.</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE JOKER'S CIGAR.</p> + +<p>The biggest sell of the season. A real cigar made of tobacco, but +secreted in center of cigar about one-half inch from end is a fountain +of sparklets. The moment the fire reaches this fountain hundreds of +sparks of fire burst forth in every direction, to the astonishment of +the smoker. The fire is stage fire, and will not burn the skin or +clothing. After the fireworks the victim can continue smoking the cigar +to the end.</p> + +<p>Price, 10 cents; 3 for 25 cents; 1 dozen, 90 cents, mailed, postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>JAPANESE TRICK KNIFE.—You can show the knife and instantly draw it +across your finger, apparently cutting deep into the flesh. The red +blood appears on the blade of the knife, giving a startling effect to +the spectators. The knife is removed and the finger is found in good +condition. Quite an effective illusion. Price by mail, 10c. each.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>Good Luck Banks</p> + +<p><i>Price 10 Cents</i></p> + +<p>Ornamental as well as useful. Made of highly nickeled brass. It holds +just One Dollar. When filled it opens itself. Remains locked until +refilled. Can be used as a watchcharm. Money refunded if not satisfied.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">L. SENARENS<br /></span> +<span class="i0">347 WINTHROP ST.,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BROOKLYN, N. Y.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p> </p> + +<p>HAPPY HOOLIGAN JOKER</p> + +<p>With this joker in the lappel of your coat, you can make a dead shot +every time. Complete, with rubber ball and tubing.</p> + +<p>Price, 15 cents, by mail, postpaid.</p> + +<p>Chas. Unger, 316 Union St., Jersey City, N. J.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE GREAT FIRE EATER.</p> + +<p><i>A great Sensational Trick of the Day!</i> With the Fire Eater in his +possession any person can become a perfect salamander, apparently +<i>breathing fire</i> and ejecting <i>thousands</i> of brilliant sparks from his +mouth, to the horror and consternation of all beholders. Harmless fun +for all times, seasons and places. If you wish to produce a <i>decided +sensation</i> in your neighborhood don't fail to procure one. We send the +Fire Eater with all the materials, in a handsome box, the cover of which +is highly ornamented with illustrations in various colors. Price of +<i>all</i> complete only 15 cents, or 4 boxes for 50 cents, mailed postpaid; +one dozen by express $1.20.</p> + +<p>N. B.—Full printed instructions for performing the trick accompany +<i>each</i> box, which also contains sufficient material for giving <i>several</i> +exhibitions.</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE SURPRISE BOUQUET.</p> + +<p>The best practical joke of the season. This beautiful button-hole +bouquet is made of artificial flowers and leaves which so closely +resemble natural flowers that not one person in a thousand would detect +the difference. After placing the bouquet in your button-hole you call +the attention of a friend to its beauty and fragrance. He will very +naturally step forward and smell of it, when, to his utter astonishment, +a fine stream of water will be thrown into his face. Where the water +comes from is a mystery, as you can have your hands at your side or +behind you, and not touch the bouquet in any manner. You can give one +dozen or more persons a shower bath without removing the bouquet from +your button-hole, and after the water is exhausted it can be immediately +refilled without removing it from your coat. Cologne can be used in +place of water when desired. We have many funny things in our stock, but +nothing that excels this.</p> + +<p>Price, complete in a beautiful box, with full printed instructions, 25 +cents, or three for 60 cents; by mail post paid.</p> + +<p>Chas. Unger, 316 Union St., Jersey City, N. J.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figright"> +<a href="images/ads34-big.jpg"><img src="images/ads34.jpg" alt=""/></a> +</div> + + +<p>IMITATION GOLD TEETH.—Gold plated tooth, shape made so that it will fit +any tooth.</p> + +<p>Price, 5c., postpaid</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>CARTER AEROPLANE No. 1</p> + +<p>Will fly on a horizontal line 150 feet! Can be flown in the house, and +will not injure itself nor anything in the room. The most perfect little +aeroplane made.</p> + +<p>The motive power is furnished by twisted rubber bands contained within +the tubular body of the machine. It is actuated by a propeller at each +end revolving in opposite directions. Variation in height may be +obtained by moving the planes and the balance weight. It can be made to +fly either to the right or the left by moving the balance sidewise +before it is released for flight. PRICE 35 Cents Each, Delivered.</p> + +<p>L. Senarens, 347 Winthrop St., Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>SNAKES IN THE GRASS.</p> + +<p>Something entirely new, consisting of six large cones, each one nearly +one inch in height. Upon lighting one of these cones with a match, you +see something similar to a 4th of July exhibition of fireworks. Sparks +fly in every direction, and as the cone burns down it throws out and is +surrounded with what appears to be grass; at the same time a large snake +uncoils himself from the burning cone, and lazily stretches out in the +grass, which at last burns to ashes, but the snake remains as a +curiosity unharmed. They are not at all dangerous, and can be set off in +the parlor if placed on some metal surface that will not burn. An +ordinary dust pan answers the purpose nicely.</p> + +<p>Price of the six cones, packed in sawdust, in a strong wooden box, only +10 cents, 3 boxes for 25 cents, 1 dozen boxes 75 cents, sent by mail +post paid.</p> + +<p>M. O'NEILL, 425 W. 56th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>COMICAL RUBBER STAMPS.</p> + +<p>A complete set of five grotesque little people made of indestructible +rubber mounted on black walnut blocks. The figures consist of Policeman, +Chinaman, and other laughable figures as shown in pictures. As <span class="smcap">EACH</span> +figure is mounted on a separate block, any boy can set up a regular +parade or circus by printing the figures in different positions. With +each set of figures we send a bottle of colored ink, an ink pad and full +instructions. Children can stamp these pictures on their toys, picture +books, writing paper and envelopes, and they are without doubt the most +amusing and entertaining novelty gotten up in years. Price of the +complete set of Rubber Stamps, with ink and ink pad, only 10 cents, 3 +sets for 25 cents, one dozen 90 cents, by mail postpaid.</p> + +<p>L. Senarens, 347 Winthrop St., Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>ELECTRIC PUSH BUTTON.—The base is made of maple, and the center piece +of black walnut, the whole thing about 1-1/4 inches in diameter, with a +metal hook on the back so that it may be slipped over edge of the vest +pocket. Expose to view your New Electric Bell, when your friend will +push the button expecting to hear it ring. As soon as he touches it, you +will see some of the liveliest dancing you ever witnessed. The Electric +Button is heavily charged and will give a smart shock when the button is +pushed.</p> + +<p>Price 10c., by mail, postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE FLUTOPHONE.—A new musical instrument, producing the sweetest dulcet +tones of the flute. The upper part of the instrument is placed in the +mouth, the lips covering the openings in the centre. Then by blowing +gently upon it you can play any tune desired as easily as whistling. But +little practice is required to become a finished player. It is made +entirely of metal, and will last a lifetime. We send full instructions +with each instrument.</p> + +<p>Price, 15c., or 2 for 25c., by mail, postpaid.</p> + +<p>A. A. WARFORD, 16 Hart St., Brooklyn, N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>Good Luck Puzzle</p> + +<p>It consists of three horseshoes fastened together. Only a very clever +person can take off the closed horseshoe from the two linked horseshoes. +But it can be done in a moment when the secret is known.</p> + +<p>Price by mail, 10 cents each</p> + +<p>FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. Y.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>THE MAGIC CARD BOX.</p> + +<p>One of the best and cheapest tricks for giving parlor or stage +exhibitions. The trick is performed as follows: You request any two +persons in your audience to each select a card from an ordinary pack of +cards, you then produce a small handsome box made to imitate pebbled +leather, which anyone may examine as closely as they will. You now ask +one of the two who have selected cards to place his or her card inside +the box, which being done, the lid is shut, and the box placed on the +table. You then state that you will cause the cards to disappear and +upon opening the box the card has vanished and the box found empty. The +other card is now placed in the box; the lid is again closed and when +the box is opened the first card appears as strangely as it went. Other +tricks can be performed in various ways. You may cause several cards to +disappear after they are placed in the box, and then you can cause them +all to appear at once. You may tear a card up, place it in the box, and +on lifting the cover it will be found whole and entire. In fact, nearly +every trick of appearance and disappearance can be done with the Magic +Card Box.</p> + +<p>Full printed instructions by which anyone can perform the different +tricks sent with each box.</p> + +<p>Price 20 cents, by mail postpaid.</p> + +<p>WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>LATEST ISSUES</h3> + +<h4>"WORK AND WIN"</h4> + +<p>657 Fred Fearnot's Three-Bagger; or, The Hit That Won the Game.</p> + +<p>658 Fred Fearnot's Border Scouts; or, After Mexican Outlaws.</p> + +<p>659 Fred Fearnot's Best Pitching; or, Putting Them Right Over.</p> + +<p>660 Fred Fearnot and the Saloonkeeper; or, Working for Temperance.</p> + +<p>661 Fred Fearnot's Ninth Inning Rally; or, Turning Defeat Into Victory.</p> + +<p>662 Fred Fearnot at New Era; or, A Week Among Old Friends.</p> + +<p>663 Fred Fearnot and the Cave Men; or, Lost in the Mountains.</p> + +<p>664 Fred Fearnot's Game for Life; or, Taking the Last Chance.</p> + +<p>665 Fred Fearnot and "Scrapper Sam"; or, Always in a Fight.</p> + + +<h4>"THE LIBERTY BOYS OF '76"</h4> + +<p>548 The Liberty Boys with Morgan's Riflemen; or, Dick Slater's Best +Shot.</p> + +<p>549 The Liberty Boys as Privateers; or, The Taking of the "Reward."</p> + +<p>550 The Liberty Boys' Redcoat Enemy; or, Driving Howe from Boston.</p> + +<p>551 The Liberty Boys and Widow Moore; or, The Fight at Creek Bridge.</p> + +<p>552 The Liberty Boys Saving the Colors; or, Dick Slater's Bravest Deed.</p> + +<p>553 The Liberty Boys' Swamp Angels; or, Out with Marion and His Men.</p> + +<p>554 The Liberty Boys' Young Spy; or, Learning the Enemy's Plans.</p> + +<p>555 The Liberty Boys' Runaway Battle; or, Foiling a Tory Plot.</p> + +<p>556 The Liberty Boys' March to Death; or, Escaping a Terrible Fate.</p> + + +<h4>"WILD WEST WEEKLY"</h4> + +<p>456 Young Wild West and the Ropers; or, A Finish Fight on the Range.</p> + +<p>457 Young Wild West Trailing the Express Thieves; or, Arietta's Golden +Reward.</p> + +<p>458 Young Wild West Trimming the Toughs; or, Making Music for a Dance.</p> + +<p>459 Young Wild West's Bandit Shake-Up; or, Arietta's Daring Deception.</p> + +<p>460 Young Wild West's Red Hot Fight; or, The Hidalgo's Hidden Haunt.</p> + +<p>461 Young Wild West's Lariat Swing; or, Arietta and the Broken Bridge.</p> + +<p>462 Young Wild West and the Redskin Road Agents; or, Trouble at the +Double Six Ranch.</p> + +<p>463 Young Wild West Shooting for His Life; or, Arietta's Able +Assistance.</p> + + +<h4>"FAME & FORTUNE WEEKLY"</h4> + +<p>301 Clear Grit; or, The Office Boy Who Made Good.</p> + +<p>302 Dealing in Stocks; or, Saved by a Wall Street Ticker.</p> + +<p>303 The Sailor's Secret; or, The Treasure of Dead Man's Rock.</p> + +<p>304 Capturing the Coin; or, The Deals of a Boy Broker. (A Wall Street +Story.)</p> + +<p>305 On His Own Hook; or, Making a Losing Business Pay.</p> + +<p>306 Lucky Jim; or, $100,000 from Stocks. (A Wall Street Story.)</p> + +<p>307 "Millions in It"; or, A Boy with Ideas.</p> + +<p>308 The Mystery of the Mining Chart, and the Wall Street Boy Who Solved +it.</p> + +<p>309 Grasping His Chance; or, The Boy Merchant of Melrose.</p> + + +<h4>"PLUCK AND LUCK"</h4> + +<p>684 Fighting for Greece; or, Three Yankee Boys Against the Turks. By +Gen. Jas. A. Gordon.</p> + +<p>685 The Winning Nine; or, Batting for a Fortune. By H. K. Shackleford.</p> + +<p>686 Lost Hope Mines; or, The Boy of the Haunted Diamond Claim. By Jas. +C. Merritt.</p> + +<p>687 A Paper of His Own; or, How Phil Bright Became an Editor. By Allan +Arnold.</p> + +<p>688 The Lost Schoolship; or, Twenty Boys Afloat. By Capt. Thos. H. +Wilson.</p> + +<p>689 Wall Street Will; or, Winning a Fortune in a Week. By A Retired +Banker.</p> + +<p>690 10,000 Miles from Home; or, The Boy Ivory Hunters of the Congo. By +Richard R. Montgomery.</p> + +<p>691 Toney, the Boy Clown; or, Across the Continent with a Circus. By +Berton Bertrew.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt +of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by</p> + +<p>Frank Tousey, Pub., 24 Union Sq., N. Y.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>SECRET SERVICE</h3> + +<h4>—LATEST ISSUES—</h4> + +<p>620 The Bradys Best Trick; or, The Clew in the Glass Jar.</p> + +<p>621 The Bradys and the Cracksmen; or, A Desperate Game For Millions.</p> + +<p>622 The Bradys in the Coal Mines; or, The Mystery of Shaft No. 10.</p> + +<p>623 The Bradys and the Voodoo Queen; or, A Dark Case From San Juan Hill.</p> + +<p>624 The Bradys and the Boy Spy; or, Solving a Secret of Seven Years.</p> + +<p>625 The Bradys and the Missing Money; or, Shadowing a Suspected Man.</p> + +<p>626 The Bradys' Chinatown Case; or, The Hidden Den of Pell Street.</p> + +<p>627 The Bradys and the Double Daggers; or, The Secret Sign of Vengeance.</p> + +<p>628 The Bradys and "Old Breaklock"; or, Trapping a Desperate Crook.</p> + +<p>629 The Bradys on a Raid; or, Rounding Up the Circus Fakirs.</p> + +<p>630 The Bradys and the Snake Charmer; or, The Search for the Hindoo +Idol.</p> + +<p>631 The Bradys After the Bronx Burglars; or, Nabbing the Gas House Gang.</p> + +<p>632 The Bradys and the Dumb Boy; or, The Fate of Messenger No. 9.</p> + +<p>633 The Bradys and the Blind Chinaman; or, The White Slaves of Mott +Street.</p> + +<p>634 The Bradys Tracking a Skeleton Arm; or, The Clew in the Tree.</p> + +<p>635 The Bradys and the Factory Boy; or, The Mystery of the Mill Pond.</p> + +<p>636 The Bradys and the Poisoned Pen; or, Foiling a Desperate Plot.</p> + +<p>637 The Bradys Chasing the Black Crook; or, Solving a Fifth Avenue +Mystery.</p> + +<p>638 The Bradys and the Banker's Boy; or, The Kidnappers of Mulberry +Bend.</p> + +<p>639 The Bradys After the Gold Brick Men; or, Chasing a Gang of +Swindlers.</p> + +<p>640 The Bradys and the Diamond Heart; or, The Mystery of a Mummy.</p> + +<p>641 The Bradys' Red Glove Clew; or, The Secret Band of Seven.</p> + +<p>642 The Bradys and the Man Next Door; or, The Mystery House on High +Street.</p> + +<p>643 The Bradys' Case in Chinatown; or, Tracking the Hip Sing Tong.</p> + +<p>644 The Bradys and the Mad Barber; or, Solving a Singular Secret.</p> + +<p>645 The Bradys' Six Days' Chase; or, Running Down a Clever Crook.</p> + +<p>646 The Bradys and the Black Dwarf; or, Working Up a Poison Clew.</p> + +<p>647 The Bradys' Masked Foe; or, The Man With the Missing Finger.</p> + +<p>648 The Bradys and the Sneak Thieves; or, Running Down the Red Hook +Gang.</p> + +<p>649 The Bradys Working a "Blind"; or, The Secret of the Sealed Room.</p> + +<p>650 The Bradys and the Laundry Check; or, A Dangerous Hunt in Chinatown.</p> + +<p>651 The Bradys on a Hot Trail; or, The Boy Who Escaped From Sing Sing.</p> + +<p>652 The Bradys and the Conspirators; or, The Case That Came From Mexico.</p> + +<p>653 The Bradys After the Second Story men; or, Tracking a Box of +Treasure.</p> + +<p>654 The Bradys and the Mad Student; or, The Mystery of the Medical +College.</p> + +<p>655 The Bradys' Desperate Deal; or, Foiling a Slick Bunch.</p> + +<p>656 The Bradys and the Brass-Bound Chest; or, The Case Which Came Out of +the Sea.</p> + +<p>657 The Bradys Leather Locket Clew; or, The Secret of the Old Grave +Yard.</p> + +<p>658 The Bradys after a Chinese Princess; or, The Yellow Fiends of +Frisco.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt +of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by</p> + +<p>FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 UNION SQUARE, N. Y.</p> + +<p>IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our weeklies and cannot procure them +from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write +out and fill in your Order and send it to us with the price of the +weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return mail. POSTAGE +STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY.</p> + +<p>FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 UNION SQUARE, N. Y.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h3>OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS</h3> + +<p>No. 43. HOW TO BECOME A MAGICIAN.—Containing the grandest assortment of +magical illusions ever placed before the public. Also tricks with cards, +incantations, etc.</p> + +<p>No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL GUIDE AND JOKE BOOK.—Something +new and very instructive. Every boy should obtain this book, as it +contains full instructions for organizing an amateur minstrel troupe.</p> + +<p>No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy book for boys, containing +full directions for constructing canoes and the most popular manner of +sailing them. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 49. HOW TO DEBATE.—Giving rules for conducting debates, outlines +for debates, questions for discussion, and the best sources for +procuring information on the questions given.</p> + +<p>No. 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND ANIMALS.—A valuable book, giving +instructions in collecting, preparing, mounting and preserving birds, +animals and insects.</p> + +<p>No. 51. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containing explanations of the +general principles of sleight-of-hand applicable to card tricks; of card +tricks with ordinary cards, and not requiring sleight-of-hand; of tricks +involving sleight-of-hand, or the use of specially prepared cards. +Illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS.—Giving the rules and full directions for +playing Euchre, Cribbage, Casino, Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw +Poker, Auction Pitch, All Fours, and many other popular games of cards.</p> + +<p>No. 53. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS.—A wonderful little book, telling you how +to write to your sweetheart, your father, mother, sister, brother, +employer; and, in fact, everybody and anybody you wish to write to.</p> + +<p>No. 54. HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS.—Giving complete information as to +the manner and method of raising, keeping, taming, breeding, and +managing all kinds of pets; also giving full instructions for making +cages, etc. Fully explained by twenty-eight illustrations.</p> + +<p>No. 55. HOW TO COLLECT STAMPS AND COINS.—Containing valuable +information regarding the collecting and arranging of stamps and coins. +Handsomely illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER.—Containing full instructions how to +become a locomotive engineer; also directions for building a model +locomotive; together with a full description of everything an engineer +should know.</p> + +<p>No. 58. HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE.—By Old King Brady, the well-known +detective. In which he lays down some valuable rules for beginners, and +also relates some adventures of well-known detectives.</p> + +<p>No. 59. HOW TO MAKE A MAGIC LANTERN.—Containing a description of the +lantern, together with its history and invention. Also full directions +for its use and for painting slides. Handsomely illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER.—Containing useful information +regarding the Camera and how to work it; also how to make Photographic +Magic Lantern Slides and other Transparencies. Handsomely illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 62. HOW TO BECOME A WEST POINT MILITARY CADET.—Explains how to gain +admittance, course of Study, Examinations, Duties, Staff of officers, +Post Guard, Police Regulations, Fire Department, and all a boy should +know to be a cadet. By Lu Senarens.</p> + +<p>No. 63. HOW TO BECOME A NAVAL CADET.—Complete instructions of how to +gain admission to the Annapolis Naval Academy. Also containing the +course of instruction, description of grounds and buildings, historical +sketch, and everything a boy should know to become an officer in the +United States Navy. By Lu Senarens.</p> + +<p>No. 64. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES.—Containing full directions for +making electrical machines, induction coils, dynamos, and many novel +toys to be worked by electricity. By R. A. R. Bennett. Fully +illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 65. MULDOON'S JOKES.—The most original joke book ever published, +and it is brimful of wit and humor. It contains a large collection of +songs, jokes, conundrums, etc., of Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, +humorist, and practical joker of the day.</p> + +<p>No. 66. HOW TO DO PUZZLES.—Containing over three hundred interesting +puzzles and conundrums, with key to same. A complete book. Fully +illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 67. HOW TO DO ELECTRICAL TRICKS.—Containing a large collection of +instructive and highly amusing electrical tricks, together with +illustrations. By A. Anderson.</p> + +<p>No. 68. HOW TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS.—Containing over one hundred highly +amusing and instructive tricks with chemicals. By A. Anderson. +Handsomely illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT-OF-HAND.—Containing over fifty of the latest +and best tricks used by magicians. Also containing the secret of second +sight. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 70. HOW TO MAKE MAGIC TOYS.—Containing full directions for making +Magic Toys and devices of many kinds. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 71. HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRICKS.—Containing complete instructions +for performing over sixty Mechanical Tricks. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 72. HOW TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Embracing all of the latest +and most deceptive card tricks, with illustrations.</p> + +<p>No. 73. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS.—Showing many curious tricks with +figures and the magic of numbers. By A. Anderson. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 74. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS CORRECTLY.—Containing full instructions +for writing letters on almost any subject; also rules for punctuation +and composition, with specimen letters.</p> + +<p>No. 75. HOW TO BECOME A CONJURER.—Containing tricks with Dominoes, +Dice, Cups and Balls, Hats, etc. Embracing thirty-six illustrations. By +A. Anderson.</p> + +<p>No. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY THE HAND.—Containing rules for telling +fortunes by the aid of lines of the hand, or the secret of palmistry. +Also the secret of telling future events by aid of moles, marks, scars, +etc. Illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containing deceptive Card +Tricks as performed by leading conjurers and magicians. Arranged for +home amusement. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 78. HOW TO DO THE BLACK ART.—Containing a complete description of +the mysteries of Magic and Sleight-of-Hand, together with many wonderful +experiments. By A. Anderson. Illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 79. HOW TO BECOME AN ACTOR.—Containing complete instructions how to +make up for various characters on the stage; together with the duties of +the Stage Manager, Prompter, Scenic Artist and Property Man.</p> + +<p>No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS' JOKE BOOK.—Containing the latest jokes, anecdotes +and funny stories of this world-renowned German comedian. Sixty-four +pages; handsome colored cover containing a half-tone photo of the +author.</p> + +<p>No. 81. HOW TO MESMERIZE.—Containing the most approved methods of +mesmerism; animal magnetism, or, magnetic healing. By Prof. Leo Hugo +Koch, A.C.S., author of "How to Hypnotize," etc.</p> + +<p>No. 82. HOW TO DO PALMISTRY.—Containing the most approved methods of +reading the lines on the hand, together with a full explanation of their +meaning. Also explaining phrenology, and the key for telling character +by the bumps on the head. By Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S. Fully illustrated.</p> + +<p>No. 83. HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.—Containing valuable and instructive +information regarding the science of hypnotism. Also explaining the most +approved methods which are employed by the leading hypnotists of the +world. By Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S.</p> + +<p>No. 84. HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR.—Containing information regarding +choice of subjects, the use of words and the manner of preparing and +submitting manuscript. Also containing valuable information as to the +neatness, legibility and general composition of manuscript.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt +of price, 10 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by</p> + +<p>FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher 24 UNION SQUARE, N. Y.</p></blockquote> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bradys After a Chinese Princess, by +Francis Worcester Doughty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRADYS AFTER A CHINESE PRINCESS *** + +***** This file should be named 37314-h.htm or 37314-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/3/1/37314/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net +(Stanford University, SUL Books in the Public Domain) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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