The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-01-01

the stake was too great to risk, and she
bitterly consented to Wilkerson's has
tily outlined plan of hiding Ruth away
somewhere in Sing Wah's precincts un-
til they could once more get their plans
into working order.
Before she would leave the place
she must indeed see Sing Wah himself.
"Will the girl be safe hereT she de-
handed
| The Chinese looked at her flushed
and passionate beauty in silence until
she repeated her question. Then he
said quietly and in his own exquisite
~ modulated English: you need have
little fear. The servants are honest
and discreet. And"-he let his eyeg
meet hers fully-"I think it is possible
that she is safer now than sshe has
been for some time. Good night, mad
ann
While WilkersoR and Mrs. Darnell
had been hurrietiiy arranging matters
with Sing Wah, Drake had gone in
search of lodgings nearby. He found
them iTsswhat had once been noted
Z isetGL Which had fallen into sad decay.
1t was in the faded rooms he engaged
here that the three met to consult on
the future
The first thing to do is to get hold
of those deeds and papers she has in
her grip" said Wilkerson. 81 wonder
you didn't think to get them before.
JEAN"
The woman's eyes Lit with dull
hatred, but she made no answer. She
watched him fuss with the locks of the
hand satchel which she had indicated
as the one in which Ruth carried her
valuables. When it opened and Will
kerson thrust his cIutching fingers
downward into it Mrs. Darnell leaned
forward as if in protest. He paid no
attention to her, but continued his
search with ever increasing haste. At
last he Strengthened up with an oath
so venomous and deadly that even
Drake shrank back.
"The deeds aren't here" Wilkerson
said thickly. "She's hidden them
But where"
This question seemed to break Will
kerson's almost steely intensity of pur-
pose. The question put his whole prob
lem before him in two words-but
where? He shifted his eyes from the
emptied satchel to the curtained win
dow Instantly there leaped before
slowly over in the gulch, of the huge
billow Of smoke, of the little lances of
fire that charged through the dry IN.
dergrowth as if to preserve to the
flames their prey. Was it for this that
he was a murderer? The curtain blew
inward before some vagrant wind from
the bay, and Wilkerson drew back in
terror.
What is it, Harry?'' demanded Mrs.
Darnell, instantly taking alarm.
Nothing" he said sullenly. II was
just thinking of something" He turn
ed on Drake. you've got to do the
trick" he went on.
"How's that?" demanded the young
er man.
Wilkerson eagerly formulated his
his plan, ticking OF the points on the.
tips of his quivering fingers
"First you're Everett, turned up at
last. You find her.
'In Chinatown sneered Drake.
You can easily gain her confidence
aud get hold of the papers, and may
be-
Drake laughed uglily. 81 look Ike
the kind of joker who would dress up
as banker and then proceed to renew
my clients acquaintance in a Chinese
joint How am ]. supposed to know
she's there? tell you. Wiikerson, that
you can't travel straight, even when it
pays you. Why in Gods name you
ever took that girl to that place of
Sing Wah's is beyond my comprehen-
sion. ANY place would have been bet
ter. Now you have put the heads c.