The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-02-14
The Japanese
Umbrella
A Chinese Episode and lis
Horrible Effect
By CLARlSSA MACKlE
Copyright, 1871. by American Press
ASSOpiuffOn
Copyright. 1871. by American Press
Association.


. 4
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A whole year passed after Nelson's
return from Asia before he found him
self again trcadine an oriental street
and rubbing elbows with slant eyed
blue bloused Chinese. His present pc.
sition in the custom house made il
necessary that he should visit well
known silk importer, whose place of
business lay in the heart Of San Fran
} cisco's reconstructed Chinatown.
jay Nelson had been glad enough to
eliminate all memory of his last year
in China. There had been one horri-
BILE incident from which he had fed,
but whose shadow had lurked in the
background OF his daily life since his
return TO America. In broad daylight
he had laughed at the fears that pur-
sued his first sleepless fear haunted
nights. After awhile the fear gave
place TO sense OF security fostered
by the practical workaday happenings
Of his busy life.
Today, however, as he passed along
Dupont street and turned into mar
rover thQroughfare there burst upon
him the significant fact that this part
of Il great city was but fragment of
the old eastern world after all.
lie had TO pause once or twice and
inquire his way. for the house of the
importer was set in the heart Of the
web of streets and alleys Then when
his goal lay but a few yards ahead
! there sprang into sudden view. bob
! bling along i'm the crowd before him. a
certain green and gold paper parasol.
! the meaning of which was all too
! clear to JAY Nelson. He had vague
' realization that this emblem Of an old
horror might have been evolved from
his own morbid fancy.
He pressed forward eager to stretch
forth his hand and prove that the
Japanese umbrella was a thing of air,
was an optical Illusion. But always it
danced before him like a will-o'-the-
wisp, now showing n CLINT Of gold and
green and then melting into a dozen
Elusive tints.
Where 1t went there he too must
follow until he could prove by actual
contact with its surface that It was a
creation of his fancy and not the
dreaded emblem of the White Brother
hood
1t drew him on down into the very
bowels of the earth.
The paper umbrella collapsed and
was cast aside, while the bearer turn
ed to confront Nelson Then the lat
ter awolle from his trance-like state
and stared first ut the strange face
that confronted him, then about the
small dungeon-lile room, empty of fur
niture and reeking with foul odors
and lighted by single swinging oil
lamp. Nelson's gaze came back to the
face of the Chinese. and he shivered
slightly. for the face was that Of a
member OF the dreaded order-the sign
was written on the mans brow.
Instantly Nelson whipped off his
coat, holding it before him as a shield
and backed to the stairway leading
upward.
Hold a moment" said the Chinese
In the Cantonese dialect; II am not
alone"
"'Who else?" demanded Nelson
sharply in the same tongue.
'"The brotherlood--at each stair
head they await your coming If you
contemplate flight returned the Chi
nese imperturbably.
What do you want with me?"
Command of the big brother that
you be brought before him for trial"
"He came on from Hongkong to
seek me?"
The Chinese cacllled shrilly. Then
he spat contemporary. "The broth.
erhood is everywhere, Captain Lesson
wherever there are offenders there
also will be found a tribunal of the
brotherhood"
'Why do you call me by Captain
Lessons name" questioned Nelson
warily.
Because you are he."
Suppose l am not?"
"You arep asserted the man rough
ly. ''The brotherhood does not make
mistakes"
"You blunder this time. / am Mel
SON."
The other laughed derisively. 81
was told you would claim that name.
Nelson died that night"
"Ah," cried Nelson suddenly, "you
are the big brotherl This is the tri-
bunal. You are alone; you thought to
fool me; see you later. Tai Laaop' He
started TO leap up the stairs and then
stopped short.
Tai LAO made no move to arrest his
fight. He merely folded his long claw
tipped fingers into either capacious
sleeve and smiled widely.
1t was this smile that halted Nelson's
departure, the smile and certain hiss
Ing whisper that sang down the stair
way and bore warning on its breath.
Again he turned TO the Chinese.
Have 1t over with-this court of
yours! BE quick. for have business
to attend to-matters Of Importance"
VERY good, Captain Lesson" COM
mented the man called Tai Laao. "Fol-
low me-"
He led the way to n shadowy corner
and pushed open n door into another