Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-01-01

II was merely curious. that's all"
was the noncommitial murmur.'
That girl is not her dauphte-," John
continued II have reason TO believe
that u Is Miss Ruth Gallon. the heir
ess 10 the Master Key mine. whom she
IL abduciing." His passion blazed
forth IN spite OF his self restraint. 81
must End her and save her"
might 7 ask what relation you are
TO the young ladyy' asked the detec-
tive mildly
John stared nt him and then realized
the oddity OK his actions and words
He b:ieny explained his position at the
mine and his wardshlp OF the heiress.
lie also went into detail as TO what he
suspected Wilkerson Of. describing hi2
carefully.
"He was one OF them. sure enough"
agreed the detective. But young heir
esses amt being kidnapped days like
these out of hotels like this"
II may be mistaken" John assented
wearily. "All know of Mrs. Darnell
is from occasional words dropped by
wilkerson. But | suppose we might
get a clew as to where they went any
way"
After some search OF the long line OF
taxis they came to one which the de-
tective Identified as the one Mrs. Oar
nell had taken the night before.
Driver. take us where you did those
fares who were in such a hurry last
hight" the detective ordered.
The chauffeur shook his head. "You
can search me for the address," he re-
turned There wasn't any"
The driver leaned out from his seat
and went on earnestly: You know
how they jumped in and we rolled OF.
Well. II seemed II was a case of life
and death. according 10 the woman.
and | stepped on the machine and
hastened some toward the North Pa
cihc hospital But when we got into
Chinatown one of the men hailed me
and told me TO drive just as he said
He got out here In front with me. and
when we reached a certain spot they
all beat It."
"Can you take us TO that spotT
Il was just wondering to myself
whether I could find It." was the re
sponse. But I'll try"
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
a ert lr
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 coolle uses the faculty OF
Imagination more frequently than his
white brother on an equal social plane.
Sing Wah. or Wah Sing, as he was
indifferently called. was outwardly n
stolid. dull eyed Chinese OF uncertain
middle age. His picture-it was In the
gallery OF every secret service office
from Singapore to Philadelphia-was
not less changeless OF expression. nor
more teciturn than he. Yet In spite of
his scmber clothes and general air of
blank stupidity. Sing Wah was a man
Of mark. man with history replete
with adventure aud. not too seldom
with crime.
IT the ordinary criminal could have
an office or store he would qundruple
his profits. But the common run of
rascals must steal and fly. Their post
office address is tigment. They are
not at home when opportunity knocks.
Sing Wah knew this. and IL 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 TIE
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
riods of his career. had several time.
run athwart the barriers OF the law
and been compelled to seek refuge
where he could.
Harry Wilkerson was not fool. IL
some ways he was brilliantly endowed
He recognized Sing Wah's superiorit.
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 intelligent.
watching the world that passed befor'