The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-13
les who had formed this foreign settle
ment in CALIFORNIA; largest city.


| Chinese stepped forth and held out q
lean hand toward them.
"Come." he said in shriIl whisper,
| and the two followed, knowing that
they had received the dreaded sum-
mons.
Down the alley, lighted at long dis
tances by small smoky oil lamps above
grim doorways, through broken arch,
| turn to the left, through a swiftly
opened door, down an Ill lighted pas
sage, at the end Of which were broken
steps leading down into black void
| Their guide produced candle, lighted
1t and led the way down other steps
f-fnto the bowels OF the earth. AZ last
he paused before black painted door
and raped softly three times, then
| three times again.
The door swung inward and dis
closed dimly lighted room.
Under a canopy of richly embroid-
cred satin there sat on a cushioned
lockwood chair dignifed figure clad
in a Chinese robe of stiff bdocade. On
| the breast Of the tunic hung heavy
| chain of amber beads and from the
beads there swung a life size waxen
| hand-the replica of the three that
John Murray had received, and of the
| two that had come to Swinnerton.
The face of the man in the chair
| was hidden under a queer mask of
| painted porcelain, but his bright dark
| eyes shone through narrow Sits
| beneath the painted brows.
| the door was closed and their guide
| had disappeared. They were alone
with the grim figure in the chair.
advance" mumbled the figure In
English, and the two obeyed mechan-
fcal'y. Murray's hand rested on the
revolver in his coat pocket
you have come in obedience to the
| reckoning Of the Yellow Claw" went
on the voice monotonously; "are you
prepared to keep your promise made to
| the most high Feng Soy?" His voice
| dropped to whisper as he AIDED
few words Of secret import. A dead
silence followed his speech.
what is it you wish US to doT ask
| ed Murray at last.
Again the parsonage bowed his COW
cred head and whispered short abrupt
| sentences that caused his heroes to
| stiffen with horror.
Their faces were white like drifted
snow when they lifted them to the i'm
passive porcelain mask. Swinnerton's
| eyes were fixed on the bright dark
] eyes Of the parsonage with strange
| intensity; it was as If he was trying
| to wiring some secret from the keeper
| Of the Yellow Claw-as If he was rack
ing his memory for some clew. Muir
| ray broke the silence.
"And if we refuse?" he asked.
IF you refuse" answered the voice,
Henderson and Moore viii no longer
be alone'' -.
Tom was laughing and in either
clutched hand was revolver; his long
neck was thrust forward and his head
] nodded waggishly at the parsonage.
| For the first time the figure in the
lockwood chair moved, the hands
sought folds of the voluminous robes
| and flashed out again.
| -Four revolver shots deafened the air,
and when the smoke had cleared away
| Swinnerton was sitting on tho floor
with a bullet through his arm, while
the teakwood chair was empty.
| On the silken carpet before the dais
was a huddled form under folds Of
stir brocade.
Murray leaned over his friend and
| assisted him to rise.
| Tom, are you badly hurtT'
"A scratch on my arm. believe
Perkins is dead. Better look and see"
returned the other with dry laugh.
perkins! What are you talking
aboutr
"Why, guess you'll find that the
Yellow Claw is nothing less than your
confidential clerk, Perkins. thought
his face was familiar, but couldn't
place it. Remember Blake, the rene
gade white man who got Henderson
into that trouble up the YangtzeT
Eyes, Of course; but Perkins
perkins Is Blake, and the rascal has
been working us four to the limit
Must have robbed and murdered Moore
and Henderson. Both wore handsome
jewelry and carried large sums Of
get out of this"
"But the Yellow Claw" protested
Murray, unconvfnced that all these
years Of uneasiness and the last few
weeks of terror had been inspired by
the Vaccinations of his snaky eyed
clerk.
Perkins is the Yellow Claw. It
doesn't exist outside Of China. That's
my best bet He's used his knowledge
to blackmail US, and he may be the
tool for reasonable powers higher up.
Remember the sums Of money he de-
manded? Whew"
Murray stepped to the PROSTATE form
and turned it over. The porcelain
mask fell away and disclosed the dead
face of Perkins The waxen hand at
his neck was red with blood.
Without another word the two Amer
leans left the room. Together they fed
silently by strange passages and
through crooked corridors, darting
blindly here and there. up darksome
stairways. until, guided by watchful
Providence, they found themselves In
a dim courtyard that was peopled only
In the shadows. No one stayed their
flight, for no one cared. Each had his
own affairs. and murder was COM
mon thing.
Finally they came to the Signal
building, and Murray helped his COM
panion up to the Office and telephoned
for a physician to attend to Swimmer
tons wounded arm.
"Now to i've" muttered Swinnerton
with a grim smile. "The Yellow Claw
is dead"
But Murray shivered as II he felt the
Lid breath Of some evil lpremonition. r
4 am cot SO sure 1bout that Sc
said slowly.
A Cincinnati man who attemptAd