The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-07-28
NINETEENTH EPISODE
THE SAVING CIRCLES.


lay in a bunk, contemplating what
form of revenge he might suggest to
his master, WI Fang.
About him were many Chinese and
even white men, all dreaming of the
great things they would do, dreams
which were dissipated into ashes, even
as the drug in the pipes which gave
them their shadowy forms.
Hop Ling, the proprietor, was just
about to hand Long Sin pipe with a
halfcooked pill, when a well-dressed
white man entered and gazed about.
Sea white devil" he muttered
to Hop under his breath, calling his
attention to the stranger.
Hop Ling moved forward and &C.
costed the newcomer. why does the
white man visit us?" he asked suave-
ly, though coldly.
Il am Jack Sprague, the aviator"
replied the visitor, still looking about.
Il smoke the stuff for my nerves.
Come across with pipe, boss"
Hop considered a moment, then at
nod from Long Sin, whose opinion he
valued highly, led Sprague over to an
empty bunk near by.
Long Sin continued to eye the
stranger critically. Finally as Sprague
settled himself, the Chinaman pulled
himself out of his bunk and moved
over to the airman.
How are your" greeted Long Sin
in English.
1t was Sprague's turn now to be sus-
picious of Long Sin with his sinister
face.
Are you an aviator?" pursued the
Chinaman.
Sprague nodded. You said it." he
replied in laconic slang.
Long Sin squatted down and they
talked and smoked. Half an hour later,
Jack Sprague, his nerve restored and
his cupidity aroused by the promises
of Long Sin, accompanied his new
friend out of the hop joint.
They passed through the narrow
streets of the Chinese quarter and
finally entered what looked like a
squalid tenement There Long Sin
nodded and whispered to a servant,
and moment later they were admit
ted to an anteroom of WI Fang, the
Serpent.
Master" bowed Long Sin as WI
received him, Il have here a man
whom we may use"
WI nodded graciously to Sprague,
while his slave bent down and whis-
pered in his ear in deep gutturals,
moving his hands in expressive cir
cles through the air. Wu's brow cloud
ed, but at last he seemed to catch the
idea.
You mean, then, that he fiies?" he
asked.
Long Sin nodded. mot only does
his aeroplane he can drop anything
and hit mark"
Come with me-" beckoned WI to
Sprague, as he put on his street
clothes to go out.
Somewhat earlier in the day Lieu
tenant Waters of the army, who had
already interested Kennedy in a new
explosive of his own invention, trod-
lite, had invited Craig to visit the fort
on Staten Island at which he was
stationed, and Craig had taken Elaine
down on a visit.
was to be seen, but the thing that in
terested Kennedy most was, of course,
the explosive and the handling of it.
In a storeroom of the fort Elaine
picked up from a table a peculiar
pointed instrument with a weighted
head.
THAT is one of the new aeroplane
arrows that are being used in the Eu-
ropean war;" explained the lieutenant.
How interesting" remarked Elaine.
They stood for a moment chatting,
then passed on until at last they came
again to the entrance to the grounds
of the fort where a sentry, pacing back
and forth, saluted.
Thank you so much" said Elaine
as she gave Lieutenant Waters her
hand.
Yes, indeed" agreed Craig, 1--WE
have had a most interesting visit. By
the way, Lieutenant come to my
laboratory tomorrow morning. l would
like to show you one or two very novel
effects that 1 have been able to get
from your invention"
Il shall be delighted" returned Lieu
tenant Waters, as they parted.
Just below the gate, on the slope,
was pile of pipe. None of the party
noticed, but in one of the pipes, lying
fiat on his stomach, was a short, I'M
dersized Chinaman, one of the ennis
saries of WI Fang, Sing Lee by name.
With a keen air he was listening to all
that Kennedy said.
No sooner had Craig and Elaine dis
appeared than Sing Lee, watching his
chance while the sentry's back was
turned, crept out of his hiding place
and darted behind another shelter
farther along.
He kept it up until at last he was
out of sight of the sentry, shadowing
Elaine and Craig.
I was busy pounding out story for
the Star when Craig, having left
Elaine at the Dodge house after their
visit to the fort, returned to the
laboratory.
Hard at it, see, Walter" he greet
ed as he entered, rufling up my hair
playfully.
rose and lighted cigarette. AS /
struck the match happened to glance
out Of the open window. There in the
sunlight could see what looked like