Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-03

Barnes blandly and. suitinG the action to
the word he screwed the bottom on again
and placed the idol on its pedestal in its
former position The next moment they
had closed the door and were on the out
side of the temple. Their exit was in the
nick of time, for 1t was dusk and the expo
sition grounds were beginning to fill up.
Barnes paused to think for moment, and
then said:
Get In communication with the inspec-
tors at once. Have men sent out here to
watch both the joss house and Lew Pang's
shack. and wait until I give the word and
then seize the struggled stun and arrest the
men,"
Within few minutes the orders had been
put into effect. After that Clancy looked
up into Barnes face so appealingly that he
could not withhold the explanation.
"Con. my boy. that little news item in
this mornings paper kept sticking in my
craw."
'Why?"
'"WelI, 1t was so puzzling, Why should
anyone want to steal a Chinese idol. and,
having stolen II, why should 1t be re-
placed? There were two probable explana-
TONS The first was that 1t might have
been a lark on the part OF some college
students The second was some deeper and
more serious reason. Almost instantly I
rejected the notion of a boyish prank, and
in the next thought my mind said opium
The nationality and the drugs are almost
inseparable. A lot of struggled opium has
found its way into the local market. How?
All OF the incoming ships have been closely
watched, What more natural than that the
stolen idol should come under suspicion?
Once out here the fear and the guilelessness
Of oil RI solution Ching
Moy has been in love with Woo Tong for a
long while, but through fear of Lew Pang
did not declare herself. My presence gave
her the courage to do so a little while ago.
After that her desire was to be rid Of
Lew Pang. to give him into the hands Of
the authorities, where he could not disturb
her in her new found bliss. She suspected
the fellow of being a smuggler, and had
proved it by the scheme of the sifted -four
in order 10 entrap him. His methods have
been wary. He feared to dispose of all the
opium at once That might have aroused
suspicion and caused his arrest. So he
took II out little, at a time, and was
selling It by degrees. He feared discovery
while abstracting 1t from the idol, so he
boldly carried the statue to his room,
where he could work I'm comfort and safety.
That explains the mysterious disappear
ance of the idol. You will learn further
that he has been absent for about two
hours every day between the afternoon and
evening performances, That's where he is
now-on to the city disPosing of his ill-got-
ten stun"
win we lock him up when he returns?"
The chief rubbed his chin refiectively.
Il think I'll let him finish the evening
performance. After that he'll go to the
temple to take his regular supply of opium.
I'd like to get him with the goods"
Al this point Ching Moy came running
out Of the dining room, her face flushed
with excitement. She timidly touched
Barnes on the arm with her little waxen
fingers. He followed her into the build
ing A Hood OF light blinded his eyes and
a pungent odor, like incense. assailed his
nOstrils. The long table had been arts
tcally decorated; candles were burning In