The Ordway new era., 1915-09-03
TWENTY-sEcoND EPISODE
THE OPIUM smueeLERs.

THE OPIUM sMUGeLERs.
George the Dodge chauffeur, had
Just returned to the garage in the rear
of the house with the car and was
working over It, He was SO intent on
locating a strange noise in the engine
that he did not see the serpentine eyes
of WI as he peered into the garage
through a small window.
WI was not alone. As always, he
had been able to secure an assistant In
the devilish scheme he had in mind,
not a sinister, evil,faced fellow, but a
neat, quiet. apparently honest-looking
young mechanician.
George was bending closely over the
engine as he speeded 1t up to see what
was the cause Of the rattle, when the
door Of the garage opened quietly. On
tiptoe WI and the young mechanician.
q man named johnson. slipped in.
johnson carrying an automobile robe.
The next moment the two had leaped
upon the defenseless George. Johnson
threw the robe over his head, while
WI wound him about with a rope. He
was completely and instantly put out.
= Just thea, working as II by the
clock. for such was the precision Of
Wu's plans, . closed car, mufled
down. slipped up to the garage door.
They hustled the unresisting George
into the car. johnson taking the place
at the wheel and WI sitting on guard
in back with George. bound and almost
suffocated.
George was loyal. II anything.
Threats and bribes had no effect on
him, even after he had come to in Wu's
secret den.
"There is paper. pen and ink"
threatened WI. Write what tell
you."
George remained motionless. de-
fiant.
"You will not?" shrugged WI. mask
ing his impatience behind an assumed
nochalance.
Slowly he picked UP murderous
dirk, which lay on the table before
him, and felt the point thoughtfully.
A deep, cultural order hissed from the
Serpent's lips. Instantly two Of the
servants Iseized George, while the
third bent his head back. As WI
raised the knife, 1t was more than
even the iron nerves OF George could
stand.
He broke down.
Take the PEN directed WI, add
ing, as George took it mechanically,
Write"
Both Elaine and Aunt Josephine
were much surprised at the nonap-
pearance Of George in the morning.
1t was explained. apparently. when
Jennings. the butler. ushered in the
neat and quiet young man who po-
litely told a story Of an accident to his
dear friend, George, as he handed
note to Elaine. =
II think you'll do" nodded Elaine.
Jennings. will you show Johnson how
to get to the garase?"
Gsfs al
For a long time Kennedy had been
perfecting q miniature wireless tele-
phone of his own invention. and the
activities Of WI Fang now caused him
to hasten his work.
It was the next morning after the
capture of Long Sin that Craig got the
instrument working to his satisfaction.
I was delighted, for had been much
interested in following his work ON 1t.
"You, see. Walter" Kennedy ex-
planned, setting a little black box on
the laboratory table. 1--WE got this
thing down to an irreducible minimum.
It's the most compact affair imagin-
able. See. ! open the face Of the box.
lift up these miniature aerials OF the
inverted L type. Here is the transmit
ting apparatus, there the receiving. all
tuned. I press this lever" 81
He paused. At the other end Of the
table stood an exact duplicate Of the
nrst instrument. .-
As he pressed the lever the buzzer
In the other telephone sounded.
"I'm going to ask you, Walter" he
went on, folding down the little aerials
and shutting up the box. ito take this
other instrument over to Elaine"
Out on the Atlantic. tossing over the
ehoppy seas, dingy old schooner was
lacking her way toward New York har-
Dor. The captain, Jake Gregor. was
Aisreputable looking man, as were both
his craft and his crew Of mixed whites
Snd Chinese.
GreEo< hAd come out on deck and