The Ordway new era., 1913-05-09

than that which she had already con-
veyed to US.
We're Just starting in taxicab."
came at length from O'Hara over the
wire. "Wen be there in less than half
an hour"
And In less than half an hour they
came. an ignoble. vulgar quartette
against a stately, pompous back
ground.
met them in the great hall. stand
ing before the broad. sculptured chin
ney-piece. ~s.7.
The three detectives were more or
less Of a piece-gross, coarse. red
faced men whose hands and feet
seemed out Of all proportion to their
size, bulky as 1t was. OF the three
O'Hara, possibly because Of familiar.
ity, struck me as the least offensive.
But after all it was not the detectives
who claimed and held my chief inter
est, but the shrunken. shadow-like
creature they had in charge. whom
recognized instantly as the, supposed
castaway the Sibylla had picked up
,, that warm October day somewhere
east of Nantucket-the sinking figure
l
Doyers street almost to my death.
MY conjecture was thus in part veri-
fed; John Soy and Peter johnson
were the same, and 1t only remained
now to prove that the rest Of my
guess was as well founded.
Stepping to the door Of the recep-
ton room. made brief apology for
my detention and bade my two Cath
ayan visitors Join the others.
81 think, Mr.. Yup," observed. that
we have here the Eurasian cook OF
the Sable Lorcha about whom you
told me-"
suppose was foolish enough to
fancy that the merchant would at once
make the Identification l desired.
should have known better. In sub
tlety we are no match for the ancient
race to which Yup Sing belonged. as
was evidenced by the absolute tmpene-
tration of his manner. as. after gaz-
ing sharply at John Soy. he turned to
me with visage as blank as the mar
BILE wall. and. in . voice without .
shade Of infection. said:
II do not know him. have never
seen him until now"
Had white man dared to make
such denial. l should have laughed in
his face. But the dignity Of the
Oriental. the perfect aplomb Of his
manner, including an utter absence of
sll that could be construed as feign-
ing. forbade such rejoinder; yet
knew that he had lied.
Come, gentlemen" said, denying
myself even the satisfaction of a
shoulder shrug. "and we shall decide
whether the man upstairs is the vii
lain you claim he is. or" but was
in no mood to finish the sentence.
The seven Of US. crowding into the
elevator. were lifted to the floor above.
where I preceded the others to the
Cameron's bedchamber. There I
paused.
Pardon me Just a moment" I
begged, with my hand on the knob,
until I see whether everything Is
ready"
had instructed Mr.. Bryan to have
McNish up and dressed, and I wished
to make sure that these preparations
were completed. But was hardly
prepared for tho scene which greeted
my entrance.
McNish, clothed in the suit he had
worn when found him, was in the act
of closing a drawer Of an old-fash-
ioned rosewood secretary which oc-
cupied a place against the right wall,
beneath one Of the medallioned win
dows. And the nurse was nowhere In
sight.
Startled by the sound Of the open
Ing door. the trespasser half turned,
his hands still on the brass drawer
handles; then, at sight OF me, he
wheeled completely and stood defiant
with his back to the antique desk.
What are you doing there?" cried,
Indignantly. What were you look
ing for?"
Even before he spoke I saw the
look of cunning come into his small,
furtive eyes.
81 was looking for some papers Of
mine. Clyde" he answered. boldly.
and his voice was SO like Cameron's
that. for Just moment, shuddering
uncertainty assailed me. Only the
crafty leer weighed for the truth.
Papers Of yours?" snarled. ignor-
ing his familiar use Of my name. "I
have the only paper you brought into
this house. Donald McNish, and that's
evidence enough to put you where you
belong. Where's Mr.. Bryan?"
But at that moment the nurse, ap-
pearing from the adjoining room. an
swered for himself. and McNish, with
a capitally assumed nonchalance. said.
snilingly.
II didn't think you could be 30 ess-
lily imposed upon. Clyde. The letter
to Donald McNish was given to me by
McNish himself. He wanted me to
answer 1t. 1t was his last request
He"
"Silence!" cried: and then. "Mr.
Bryan. get him into that chair before
the bureau. facing the door. These