Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12
The Clue of the PgtuH
By Sax Rohmer

lay untidily in the window Smith Acked the
pen, clattered down three wooden steps. aed pulled
+ I'D with a jerk Selling my arm for support
stood in bare and very dirty room. which could
lain kinshp with civilized shaving gloon oy
of the grirny towel thrown the back OF
i.ary chair. A Yiddish theatrical bill of SINE kind.
ated adorned one of the walls and angler bill.
at may have been Chinese. completed th decora-
From behind a curtain heavily brocqed with
little Chinaman appeared. dressed I'M a loose
black trousers and thick-soled slippers and ad-
z, shook his head vigorously.
0 shavee-no shavee.'' he chartered smia fashion.
ing from to the other of us with histwinkhns
TOO late. Shuttee shop.
ont you of it wi met! roaredS Smith in
e of amazing gruffness and shook an sl-tifically
fist under the Chinaman's nose. Get aside and
an my mate a couple o. pipes! Smokeepips. You
scum-savvy?'
friend bent forward and glared into TIE others
With a vindictiveness that amazed me, Unfamiliar
as with this form of gentle persuasion.
OPP old O. THAR he said, and thrust aeoin into
ninaman's yellow paw Keep me waltz an III
lie dam shop down. Charlie! You can las to it,!
o hab got pipee-" began the other.
18th raised his fist. and Yam capituiated
lice lightee!" he said. Full up-no lQm. You
see see"
He dived behind the dirty curtain Smith
and following, and up dark sair. The
next moment l found myself in an atmosphere
which fairly got me by the throat. was all
but unbearable. being loaded with opium fumes.
Never before had / experienced anything like
it, Every breath was agony tinoil lamp
box in the middle of the floor diEng illumi-
mated the horrible place. about the walls of
which ten twelve hunks were ranked and
all of them occupied. Most of the Occupants
lying motionless, but one two
squatting in their hunks noisily suckint at the
little metal pipes These had not yet attained
the opium smokers Nirvana.
mo loom-samee tella you." said Sen-Y
complacently testing Smiths shilling Eith his
yellow, decayed teeth.
Smith walked to a corner and dropped.
cross-legged the floor. pulling M down
with him.
Two pipe quick he said. PLENTY room!
Two piece pipe-or plenty heap trouble"
Yam handed him the pipe. which he romptly
put to his lips. and prepared another fAr me
Whatever you do don't inhale any, came
Smiths whispered injunction.
1t was with a sense Of nausea greatei even
than that occasioned by the disgustint at
pretended to smoke it. t.. Taking my NY cue from
my friend I allowed my head gradually s sink
sprawled sideways on the floor. smithlyi
close beside me.
one of the hunks. Look at the rats"
yam had noiselessly withdrawn and ex-
the Whole Of the western World
My throat was parched with the fum4: my
communicating.
/ was as one dropped
somewhere east of Suez where the
best is like the worst
Where there aren't no Ten Commandments,
an man can raise thirst.
Smith began to whisper softly.
1--WE have carried it through successfully
SO far" he said. Il don't know il you have
observed 1t, but there is stair just ehnd
YOU half concealed by ragged curtain We
are near that and well in the. dark. have
seen nothing suspicious far-or nfhing
much. But il there was anything goini for
ward it would doubt be delayed until We
new arrivals were well doped Ssh!'
He pressed my arm to emphasize the
warning Through my haie-closed eyes per-
ceived a shadowy form near the curtain to
which he had referred. 1 lay like Los but
my muscles were tensed nervously.
The shadow materialized the lgure
moved forward into the with curSusIy
1.-the movement
So close to US stood the newcomer flat
was able to make out CHASTITY parchment
face. with small oblque eyes and mis-
shapen head crowned with coiled pistail.
sur1nounting slight. hunched body. There
i was something unnatural inhuman. abouttha
masklike face. and something repulsive i the
bent shape the long, yellow handss clssped
one upon the other.