Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-30
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Specter Bird-By Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press.

gong beside him and the curtains
parted to admit the recreant secretary,
who doubtless had been within ten
feet of his master during the entire
voyage.
The mandarin uttered a few words
in Chinese and the secretary moved
swiftly to the heavy draperies that
covered the walls of the cabin and
lifted them one by one, revealing rows
OF armed servants in grim outline
against the carved background.
When the Americans had counted
thirty in all the last curtain dropped
from the hand of the secretary.
"a holdup for sure!" murmured Pom
sonby, drawing q small leather covered
book from his pocket. From among
the leaves of cigarette wrappers he
drew a thin folded slip Of paper, tore
it in two and passed half to his com
panion.
Smoke your last cigarette, Burnett"
he said significantly. offering his to
bacco pouch.
Burnett smiled sardonically as he
deity rolled a cigarette and watched
Ponsonby do the same. Then as be
touched a match to his smoke his
glance caught the malevolent gaze Of
the mandarin.
Ling To Fey uttered a few sharp
orders and the secretary motioned the
foreigners away from their stand be-
hind the table. Reluctantly they
stepped aside, careful that their backs
should be against a suffered incur
tanned window.
The secretary opened a wide panel
in the bulkhead. disclosing a canOpied
dais on which was a gilded and inlaid
chair. On either side of the chair
stood one of the mandarin's retainers,
splendid in purple and silver and bear
ing tall staff tipped with red feathers.
A low lacquercd table was placed be-
fore the dais and spread with a cloth
of golden tissue. Then the mandarin
slowly arose and mounted into the
chair of state.
"Sons of dogs" began the mandarin
politely, because 1 am a merciful ruler
shall give you an opportunity to die
respectfully that your wretched souls
may be afforded some solace when you
taste the bitter fortunes of the neither
to drink a cup of poison instead Of
having your heads cut of as you de-
serveI"
Ponsonby Iounged forward and re-
moved his half consumed cigarette
from between his smiling lips.
'Then the deal is off?' he queried.
The mandarin frowned thoughtfully.
81 do not understand your meaning"
he said at last.
The millionaire explained. Burnett,
his broad back pressed against the
window, felt the shutter give beneath
his weight. A little rush of cool air
came in the opening, and with it came
a distant sound that awoke every
sense.
Ling To Fey was speaking: "The
only deal that will be consummated be-
tween US tonight is that you will place
the documents that have been drawn
up, together with Mr.. Ponsonby's
check on the Shanghai bank, on the ia
BILE before me-"
"And after that?" queried Ponsonby.
"After that you may quaff the pol
soned cup" answered the mandarin
amiably.
Burnett over at the window had man.
aged to slip his handkerchief through
the crack at his back and wedge one
corner so that it fluttered out into the |
night. Then he came forward and
stood beside his companion.
Ling To Fey's face was inlexible in |
its cruelty. "Place the check on the |
tableY' he commanded.
In unison the two Americans flung
the remnants of their cigarettes on the |
low table. There's what's left of it,"
said Burnett grimly.
Before the mandarin could COM
mand the servants TO kill Burnett's
hand shot up in the air with a ges-
ture.
"Excellency, Hsteni The cry of the
specter bird"' he shouted
The mandarin seemed to shrivel in
size as he bent forward. one fat hand
raised to his ear. his face pallid with
fear. The servants had paused as If
frozen in their tracks. with their jet
eyes fixed in terror, arms unified. !