The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-09-26

As they passed uark alley
Chinese stepped forth and held out a
lean hand toward them.
Come" he said in a shrill 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.
a 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 a candle. lighted
1t and led the way down other steps
into the bowels Of the earth. At last
he paused before black painted door
and raped softly three times. then
three times again.
The door swung inward and dis
closed a dimly lighted room.
Under a canopy Of richly embroid-
cred satin there sat on a cushioned
teakwood chair dignified figure clad
in a Chinese robe Of stiff bdocade. On
the breast of the tunic hung a heavy
chain Of amber beads and from. the
beads there swung 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 queer mask of
painted porcelain. but his bright dark
eyes shone through narrow Sits
beneath the painted brows.
Murray looked around to find that
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-
ically. 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 a
few words of secret import A dead
silence followed his speech.
what is 1t yon wish us to do?" ask
ed Murray at last.
Again the parsonage bowed his Gov
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 a strange
intensity; Il was as If he was trying
to wiring some secret from the keeper
Of the Yellow Claw-as II 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 will no longer
be alone"
Tom was laughing and in either
clutched hand was a revolver; his long
neck was thrust forward and his head
nodded waggishly at the parsonage.
For the first time the figure in the
teakwood 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 the f1ooi
with bullet through his arm, while
the lockwood chair was empty.
On the silken carpet before the dais
Pol a. ~
st1ff 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
aboutY'
why. l guess you'll find that the
Yellow Claw is nothing less than your
confidential clerk, Perkins. l 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 Yangtzer
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
money when they disappeared. Let us
get out of this"
"But the Yellow Claw" protested
Murray, unconvinced 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. 1t
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? Whewp'
Murray stepped to the PROSTATE form
and turned 1t 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, darling
blindly here and there. up darksome
stairways. until. guided by watchful
Providence. they found themselves I'm