The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-03-14

Fact is. for the moment, IL was the
only thing saw Somehow, it's splash
of yellow there under the shaded lamp
seemed to catch my eye and hold It,
screwed my glass tight and ex
amined the thing with interest. Moth
Ing remarkable; just tiny, oblong
package, bearing curious foreign
markings. It's wrapper plainly ad-
dressed to me, but
by Jove! From China!" eiactl-
lated
Somebody in far-off China sending
me present. with duties and charges
prepaid evidently
Anybody know in China, Jen-
kins7" asked And TO help him out,
added Fact Is, some chaps sent
mo package. you know"
Name on box, sir. perhaps" Said
It offhand. Just Ike that-no trouble
OF thinking, dash It all-neyer even
blinked. Just instinct. by Jove!
And there It was. nicely printed In
the corner with pen:
Roland Mastermann. Government
MOUSE, i1Oub hOuS, (ulhh
read II aloud-can't read anything,
you know. unless / read it aloud-and
looked at Jenkins inquirngly. But
he came right up TO the scratch; just
seemed TO get It from somewhere
right'out OF the wall over my head:
Beg pardon, sir but think it's that
London gentleman-entertain you
at the Carlton when you were over
the other side"
Mastermann BY love. so 1t was
began 10 remember him now, be-
cause | remembered his dinner, sew
eral OF them. In fact, during the three
years / had lived over there, acquir-
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
taining and clever-long hair, pink
wart on jaw! And. by Joye. / had
promised him-promised hinl-what
lhe deuce was IL had promised him?
Let me see: he was something or
other In the foreign Office; yes. had
that-and tremendously interested In
mummies and psychical investigation
and rum sort OF things like that, and
by Jovel" ] calculated as 1t came
10 me. And for that reason be want
cd them TO send him out to China"
Beg pardon, sir" put In jenkins.
but think you had letter with a
Chinese postmark last week"
he looked around at my little writ
ing-desk and coughed slightly behind
his hand.
Was just a-wondering. sir, II 1t
might not be among those you haven't
lopened--there are several piles. IL
might look, sir"
nodded Fact is, | allow Jenkins
much privilege, owing 10 long service
Then. you know-oh, dash 1t, he's SO
original-so refreshing and that sort
OF thing-so surprising. Just as In
this case. he thinks of so many devil
ishly ingenious, out-of-the-way sort OF
things!
IL 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, Ell? Well rather!
= 80 / unsheathed my little pocket
manicure knife. cut the strings and
removed the wrapper Inside was
Just little. straw-covered box with
telescope cover and inside the box,
wrapped In tissue, was tight roll OF
bright red silk
- That Was all--not another thing but
this little silk roll 1t was wad as
thick as three fingers and perhaps
twice as long. tied with bit OF COM
mon string. ending in a loose bow
knot.
/ pinched the roll gloomily.
IF it's red silk mufller, Jenkins.
catch me wearing 1t. that's ALL" l
burst out Indignantly. Rotten bad
form. II you ask me. I'd look like an
out-and-out bounder!"
Then | had horrible thought:
~Or-or the Salvation Army. dash
I'll"
Hero Jenkins thrust letter at me.
r~Perhaps this may explain II, sir" he
suggested.
Sure enough. II was from Hong
Kong. and from that chap. Master
mann. Out there on special mission
TOR his government. he said. don't
nnow what II was-never did know.
IN fact. for / skipped down to this
paragraph, which I read aloud:
"Every puff of those rare cigars you
sent me has but reminded me that my
debt to you Is still unpaid"
I read thus far; then read It again
HUT ! could make nothing OF 1t.
~Cigars-cigars?" ! exclaimed. puz
nied.
rnen / forgot the letter as ! stare<
nt Jenkins.
-And what's tns matter with your
Z demanded
For bsd caught him with his hant
~ver his mouth. obviously trying y
suppress Q. cnuck.e- He sobersd In