The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-22
THE SIGNAL OF DEATH

She turned hurriedly to other details
Of the murder 50 that her miEd might
not dwell upon so dread possibility. .
AS for the motive of the murder or
Mr.. Bates the newspaper men were
agreed in imputiug IT to disobedlehce
or disloyalty toward the rules or the
society; for they held that his agltateq
cry, 1t is the signal Of deathi showed
he was In all probability conversant
with the ways Of the tong
As an importer of Oriental goods he
was thrown into daily touch with the
tong members Of Chinatown, and
was without doubt fully aware of the
criminal character of their organiza-
tions.
A fear of treachery on his part, a
threat TO expose something he had
learned, had doubtless marked him Tor
speedy sacrifice.
The reason for the connection of the
student, Moore, with the band, and or
his having been chosen as the active
agent of their vengeance YVES more dit-
ticult to find; but ii was pointed out
that as an habitue of Chinatown he
might readily have become addicted TO
opium smoking, and thus had been
drawn into the society's tolls.
Such a recruit, with will enfeebled and
dread Of the consequences disobedi-
ence would entail upon himself. would
have been just the person chosen by the
willy chiefs to execute their bloody
plans
There was evidence. too, to indicate
that Moore had had some weighty prof.
eCt in contemplation. He had recently
withdrawn himself from all his aSSD-
Ciates. had given up his place at the
eating house where he boarded. aud act
ing like a man with something preying
upon his mind, had kept entirely to him
self
One of his close friends divu sged also
that the Georgian had confded to him
he was desperately hard up. and had
said in a significant way that ne would
have to raise money In some fashion.
and didn't care much how il WIS done.
The night before he mad told the land
lady Of his rooming house that he eX-
pected to remain in all evening, but at
a late hour had hurriedly left the place,
probably in response to some secret sig
nal Subsequent developments indicated
that he had gone direct TO Chinatown.
Whether he had noted the direction In
which Mr.. Bates party was bound, and
had scurried ahead of them into the
restaurant or whether Bates mistaken
BELLE. as expressed to the girls, that
he vas safe only in this place. was also
known to the conspirators, could not be
told; but from the clockwork precision
with which the plot had worked out,
some idea might be gained Of the sys-
tematic workings Of the order.
Tt could hardly be doubted that the
importers intention to visit Chinatown
had been known and reported almost
as soCn as conceived; and this argued
the existence Of most elaborate meth
cd Of espionage and Information.
At this point in her reading. Millieent
was interrupted by bellbOy VINO bore a
card. She had given instructions that
she was not to be disturbed on any ac-
count, except by a message from the
police; but fl was explained that this
caller was so insiStent and so certain
that she would consent to see him, an
exception had been made IN his case.
She glanced frowningly 1T the card
intending to have it returned with a
rehuke for there was no one in New
York she could conceive of as having
any claim TO an interview; but as she
glanced at the name she gave a start
Mr. Register Spargur." she read
upon the bit of pastebOaTd. and below
was the penciled line. Mr. Bates friend
and partner"
Millicent sprsng toward the bureau
and reached for her comb and powder
pun.
ASK the gentleman TO wait" she said
over her shoulder "and tel him I viii
be down at once
The Continuation OF This story VIII
BE Found in TOmOrrOv's
Issue of The Times.