The Cairo bulletin., 1912-03-04
CHAPTER |.
A Present from, China.

SeeHeu 10 CdtcH my eye anu HOlu IL.
| screwed my glass tight and ex-
amined the thing with interest Moth
ing remarkable; just a tiny, oblong
package, bearing curious foreign
markings, its wrapper plainly ad-
dressed to me, but
by Jove! From China!" ! ejacu-
lated.
Somebody in far-off China sending
me- present. with duties and charges
prepaid evidently.
Anybody | know In China. Jen-
kins?" | asked. And to help him out,
I added; Fact is, some chaps sent
me a package, you know
Name on box, sir, perhaps" Said
it offhand, just like that-no trouble
of thinking, dash 1t all-never even
biinked, Just instinct, by Jove,
And there 1t was, nicely printed in
the corner with pen:
Roland Mastermann, Government
House, Hong Kong, China,
/ read 1t aloud--can't read anything,
you know, unless l read it alond--and
looked at jenkins inquiringly. But
he came right up to the scratch; just
seemed to get 1t from somewhere
right out Of the wall over my head;
Beg pardon, sir; but think it's that
London Observation-Disclosures you
at the Carlton when you were over
the other side"
Mastermann! BY Jove. so 1t was
began TO remember him now, be-
cause | remembered his dinner, sew
eraI of them, in fact, during the three
years had lived over there, aequir-
ing the English accent-manner, You
know--and all that sort of thing.
Mastermann-oh, yes, had him,
nowl Jolly rum old boy, but enter,
tanning and clever--long hair, pink
wart on jaw! And. by Jove, | had
promised him--promised hin-what
the deuce was 1t had promised him?
Let me see: he was something or
other in the foreign ofElcei yes, had
that-and tremendously interested in
mummies and psyehical investigation
and rum sort of things like that, and
by Jove" / calculated. as it came
to me. And for that reason he want
ed them to send him out to China
Beg pardon, sir put in Jenkins
but think YOU had letter with
chinese postmarb last week
He looked around at my little writ
ing-desk and coughed slightly behind
his hand.
WAS just a-wondering, sir, If 1t
might not be among those you haven't
opened-there are several piles, II 1
might look sir"
| nodded Fact is, 4 allow jenkins
much privilege, owing to long service.
Then, you know-oh, dash it. he's so
original-so refreshing ard that sort
of thing-so surprising. Just as in
this case, he thinks OF so many devil
ishiy ingenious. out-ofthe-way sort OF
things!
1t was Jenkins idea that | find out
what was In the box by just opening
the dashed thing while he looked for
the letter.
Clever that. eh2.f Well, rather!
So | unsheathed my little cket
manicure knife, cut the strings and
removed the wrapper. Inside was
Just little, straw-covered box with a
telescope cover and f@ide the box,
wrapped in tissue, was tight roll OF
bright red silk
That was all--not another thing but
this little silk roll. It was wad as
thick as three fingers and perhaps
twice as long, tied with a bit Of com
mon string, ending in loose bow
knot.
pinched the roll gloomily.
IF it's red silk muffier, Jenkins,
catch me wearing it, that's all!' 1
burst out Indignantly, Rotten bad
form, If You ask me. I'd look like an
out-and-out bounder!n
Then had a horrible thought:
"Or--or the Salvation Army, dash
it,"
Here Jenkins thrust letter at me.
Perhaps this may explain 1t, sir" he
suggested a ~
Sure enough, 1t was from Hong
Kong, and from that chap, Master
mann Out there on special mission
for his government, he said. I don't
know what 1t wasA-never did know,
in fact, for skipped down to this
paragraph, which Tread aloud:
Every puff of those rare cigars you
sent me has but reminded me that my
debt to you is still unpaid"
read thus far; then read it again.
But could make nothing OF II.
"Cigars--cigars?' / exclaimed, puz.
zled.
Then forgot the letter as | stared
at Jenkins.
"And what's the matter with your"
demanded.
For | had caught him with his hand
over his mouth, obviously trying to
suppress chuckTe He sobered in
stautly, but seemed embarrassed for
a reply.
'Oh, I say, you know!"I urged him.
I He started to speak, then pulled up.
His breath went out In sort Of Sigh,
And he Just stood there looking at
me, and looking kind Of scared.
! Fact! Perfectly irreproachable sorv.
ice for five years; and now here, dash
1t, showing emotion and that sort Of