The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-01-12

that. They would starve miserably
for awhile. and then one by one they
would take their families and struggle
off to some other district where work
might be had.
/ Bassett regretted his folly in erecting
his mills at distance from the city.
As a matter of fact, he was nearer the
old native city of Shanghai than he
was to the flourishng foreign metrOp-
! oils. He had always found his own
men trustworthy, and with young
| Jack Hall. his assistant in the office,
he had felt capable of withstanding
/ any ordinary riot among his work
men.
AS he studied the paper he realized
! that the discomfort had grown to such
proportions that he must seek out
side help. His bungalow was situated
not a stones throw from the factory,
and in the next room young Hall was
snoring unsteady
What the dickens did the paper
| mean?
There was a soft padding of bare
feet on the floor, and Bassett leaped to
his height, snatching at revolver as
he did So The light died out at the
same instant. He waited, tense and
breathless, for what might happen.
Then came a welcome voice. an Eng
lish speaking voice, that Of Jack Hall.
"Bassett" he whispered
ooh, it's you. Jackr' Bassett flashed
on the light to assure himself that it
was his cOuntryman who had spoken:
then be beckoned to the other to come
and sit down on the white mating
beside him. Their backs were prOpped
against the wall, and there was no
window on that side of the room
Once more Bassett turned the fash
on the red paper what do you make
of that?" he asked.
Jack Hall studied the three circles
for an instant and then said quietly.
PUT her out now" and when they
were in darkness he continued: 'This
is my own solution of the secret mes
sage The outer circle represents the
walled city The second one indicates
a certain district in that city. and the
inner circle means the Identical group
of houses In which something is ex-
pected to happen"
THAT something is my death. of
course" said Rassett quietly
That's what they will try for" re-
turned Hall grimly. THE yellow dot
has n meaning also"
"Ive thought of that. I suppose it
indicates what section of the old city
is referred to, One might swing
circle in almost any quarter
Then you don't know as much
about the old rabbit warren as | do,
Asa" interrupted Hall. 'There is a
place in the old city. over toward the
western gates, where. If you were
aloft in a balloon, you could look down
and see that the buildings beneath you
wereSranged in a complete circle: that
within that circle was a smaller one
composed of buildings Of red brick and
that the inner. circle was green tiled
houses"
What does the yellow dot repre-
sent?" asked Bassett impatiently.
"The house of DEATH was Halls re-
ply ITS small building of yellow
tile, and there is a saying that who
ever goes within never comes out"
"Never comes out alive, you mean"
Dead or alive, he vanishes as COM
pletely as if he had never existed"
"What is your theory, JACKIE"
O"Give it up unless it's a deep well
or a sewer that runs down to the river
But who ever heard of a Chinese city
possessing an underground sewer?"
What do you know about it? How
did you come to be So familiar with
the dark phases of that wicked old
hole?' asked Bassett curiously.
"Lanier showed me around" said the
young man briefly.
"Lanier! l forgot Jean Lanier. He's
Just the chap to help out in an affair of
this sort. l wonder what is the secret
Of his influence with the natives?"
unused Bassett
"A desire for gain. Asa. He told me
the other day that there is no bargain
he would not make for price. l told
him to be outside here at 2 o'clock and
whistle like an owl"
''Good boyw calculated bis employer,
patti1g the arm nearest him. There
he goes now. | never would have sns-
pected it. Get him inside"
Presently two pairs Of feet came
softly toward him, and a thin. hot
hand grasped his for an instant
what do you know. Jean Lanier?''
asked Bassett after the first greetings
were over.
81 know it is 8 O'Clock now. and in
thirty minutes more I am to deliver
you alive to the Brotherhood of the In
ner Circle" said the Frenchman
quickly.
Good God. Jean. what do you
mean?" breathed Rassett quickly. He
snapped Oh his pocket lamp and
studied the face Of the other man
Ksen and dark aud sharp, with bright
black e.es and pointed dark beard
that covered compressed lips, it was 9
face familiar enough to Asa Bassett