Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-12-30

He threw in his clutch and the car
left the line and started up the hill
toward California street. John Dorr
leaned back against the cushions with
a strange sense of at last being on his
way toward his goal He barely heard
his companions murmur, Evidently
they took her into the lower part of
Chinatown"
We usually credit the oriental with
little or no Imagination. pointing to
his art, his clothes and his language as
evidences. AS the fact runs, even the
Chinese coolie uses the faculty of
Imagination more frequently than his
white brother on an equal social plane.
Sing Wah. or Wah Sing, as he was
fndifferently called, was outwardly a
stolid, dull eyed Chinese of uncertain
middle age. His picture-it was In the
gallery of every secret service Office
from Singapore to Philadelphia-wa
not less changeless of expression, nor
more teciturn than he. Yet in spite of
his somber clothes and general air of
blank stupidity, Sing Wah was a man
of mark, man with history replete
with crime.
If the ordinary criminal could have
an office or store he would quadruple
his profits. But the common run of
rascals must steal and fly. Their post
office address is figment. They are
not at home when opportunity knocks.
Sing Wah knew this, and it was his
boast that for thirty years any one
who wanted him, either day or night,
could find him.
So he sat at the back of his little
store night after night, blinking
through the wooden screen at the va
rious customers who came In to trade
or barter. And year after year they
came to his door, the pirate and the
| thief, the smuggler and the robber, and
/ he took his toll of them and passed
them on. Whittier? Sing Wah never
told. And because he did not tell they
| came back with greater loot and rich.
er booty, and he again passed them
through his store to vanish utterly
from the haunts of men and the pur
view of the police.
Among the many hundreds who had
availed themselves OF Sing Wah's aid
was Wilkerson, who, during dark pc
RODS of his career. had several times
run athwart the barriers of the law
and been compelled to seek refuge
/ where he could
Harry Wilkerson was not a fool. In
some ways he was brilliantly endowed
He recognized Sing Wah's superiority
to all others in the great game of out
whiting the law He perceived beneath
| the stolid mask the alert, active, stu
| dious mind which was ever vigilant,
never forgetful. always inteligently
watching the world that passed before
his filmed eyes. The Chinese had, as
well, acknowledged Wilkersons adept
ness and persistency. In several deals
they had been partners to their mutual
profit
You are a very good fellow, Har
| ry," Sing Wah had told him once as
they drank tea in a little room in the
rear. You are a smart man-almost
as smart as ! am. But you are too
hungry. You cannot resist your appe
tites Now, I"-he made a slight ges,
ture of distaste with his lean brown
hand-"I have no appettes."
| Wilkerson nodded II guess you're
right, Sing Wah. You even haven't
any pride You talk pidgin English to
the tourists and the rest, instead of
speaking the perfect English you
know"
The dull eyes lit for a moment hui
| morously. II have always felt that
| owed 1t to Oxford not to faunt my ed
ucation in a small tradesman's shop.
don't you know?"
The imitation of the Oxonian drawl
had been so natural that Wilkerson
had slapped his thighs in delight
Thereafter he took peculiar pleasure
In watching Sing Wahs assumed silent
stupidity and comparing 1t with what
| Se knew to be the real person behind
the dull features.
1t was to Wilkerson that the Chi
nese had explained his reason for nev
er changing his address. no matter
how brisk the police might be. "And
have thought out scheme which
5ou will like" he went on. "Come
with me-"
1t was then that he showed wilker
son the cylindrical room which had a
single door and revOlved at touch on
lever.
Dangerous stuffr' commented Will
kerson. "If the police find that they'll
sure land you"
Sing Wahs pallid lips opened In faint
smile. II built it for them. And the
Chinatown guides know about it and
will charge $40 extra for trip through
the horrors of the underground, as they
] call it" The Chinese sneered -"Let
them play with such things while use
the brains heaven gave me. And yet.
sometime that trick room may serve
n purpose"
Thus 1t came about that Harry Will
kerson, driven to his wits end to &c.
complish his designs, bethought him of
Sing Wah and fairly drove Jean OAR
nell and Drake before him.
To Mrs Darnelrs credit 1t must be
said that she rebelled strongly. But
the stake was too great to risk. and she
bitterly consented to Wilkerson's has
tily outlined plan of hiding Ruth away