Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-05


bled and leaned back against the wal
as if for support; he had not heard
that name for many years.
Hush! Not here in this neighbor'
hood of all in New York;" Afar
through the storm, came the faint
twing- twang of a Chinese musical in.
strument.
"Come!" said Bruce facetiously
Our little walk-shall we not take it;
And our little talk-we must not miss
that. regret the weather Is not more
favorable for a charming heart-to-
heart conversation and stroll"
How long have you known?" the
secretary managed to say. All the
antagonism had left him now; he
glanced over his shoulder into the
darkness as a man might turn for q
moment to look back into a black
past.
Il think" said Bruce easily, Il half
placed you when first saw you, al
though you have changed much and
have a beard. 1t was your eyes that
gave me the first inkling Of the truth;
I never forget eyes"
They walked on, out into the street
on and on, away from Ting's place.
You thought might recognize you
sometime" murmured Bruce, very
close to the other, a hand In his pock-
ct, holding now the something hard
that just touched, made itself felt to
his companion. And so, at Comscot,
as / passed the back Of Mr.. Woods
place, you sought to make me a slight
present, but only succeeded in notch
ing my new straw hat"
Would you believe me If I denied
it?"
'You?" murmured Bruce in mild
surprise. who have made lying q
profession? Beside whom, Cateline,
Lazarillo de Tormes and all the other
menteurs a triple etage of history, ap-
pear models of candor and veracity!
You! My dear friend!" An accent of
panied reproof manifested itself in his
tones
Il wish the slight present. as you
call it, had done more than notch q
new hat" muttered Caglioni.
Bruce gave a care-free laugh. How
charming! To see you recovering
your spirits, my. good fellow" He
stopped. But alas! soon now must
we part. And never more do expect
to see you. Never more" he repeated
-"mournful words!"
Caglioni waited; looked at him. Il
suppose that's not all, is it?" he asked.
Almost" Bruce regarded him up
and down. "Ive arranged that If any
thing happens to me tonight your Sc
cret will not be kept. There's a bit of
paper in my strong box with a little
writing on it that will become the
property of others, in case You un-
derstand" The secretary swallowed.
The Nine Nine numbers only
a few million members, more or less.
1 neither condemn nor approve of
them; but they exist. l accept them
merely as fact. They never forget,
nor forgive-if they know" he added
significantly, where to put their
hands on whom they seek, the traitor,
he who betrayed them.
Let us go back, You belonged TO
them; you sold their secrets. You
even managed to capture, for the re-
ward offered, a certain benevolent pi-
rate, when Well, l, as you know,
with a small band. hurriedly organized
from the children of the plain, inter-
fered. We freed Ting's father, the pl-
rate, for good and sufficient reasons.
It was great sport" Caglioni bestow-
ed upon him a malicious look.
You did not find it so? You man.
aged to escape, disguised, made your
way by devious routes, as priest, into
upper India, where you fell in with our
good, hut rather stupid friend, Sir
Archibald-the secretarys teeth made
a sound-"who was engaged by his
government in the vain task of elimi-
mating the Nine times Nine in India
eliminating by substitution, a la An
glo- Saxon; giving them something
better! Unfortunately for you, wher-
ever Buddhism reigns your life would
have been forfeited If it became known
who you were. Chance brought you
here. You knew me-a possible men,
ace to your own safety and probably
represented to Sir Archibald / was a
member Of the Nine times Nine-a
mistake, though they forced on me this
symbol of power among them, out OF
gratitude for having saved one of the
number-a better man than you!"
Bruce showed a ring with a design,
the Dawn" a circle above a straight
line, the sun rising above the earth.
Very eloquent, these Chinese charac-
ters. Don't you think so?"
Il have no opinion" said the Sec
retary sourly.
And yet you should have; you who
are part Chinese. Your Mother was
a Manchu girl. Are you ashamed or
herr"
Come to the point!" said Caglioni
hoarsely. Rage, terror. humiliation
burned in his eyes.
"Oh, most filial son!" murmured
Bruce softly; then his voice suddenly
changed. YOU" he went on crisply,
ARE thought to be dead; it was clev-
erly arranged, on your part. Lo, you
are found to be living! Is there a
spot in this world where you would
be safe from death? Worse! From
torture? You know these people"
Caglionrs expression showed that
he did. What do you want?' ne SAID.
Bruce's eye lighted approvingly. L
see you appreciate the point-fully!'
he observed, with merry accent on the
last word. TOO bad we did not un-
derstand each other better before, eh,
mon ami? Since last night you have
been to me slightly irritating, like
disagreeable insect. But forgive you;
between us in the future exist only
halcyon thoughts"
Anything more?" observed the Sec
....o,,, III, fo,a ,rnra an odd DallOr;