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

ess to the Master Key mine. whom she
is abddcting" His passion blazeai
forth in spite of his self restraint. II
must find her and save her"
"Might I ask what relation you are
to the young lady?' asked the detec-
tive mildly.
John stared ut him and then realized
the Oddity Of his actions and words.
He briefly explained his position at the
mine and his wariship of the heiress.
He also went into detail as to what he
suspected Wilkerson of, describing him
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
Il may be mistaken" John aSsented
YEARLY. "AlI l know of Mrs. DarneD
! is from occasional words dropped by
Wilkerson. But | suppose we might
get clew us to where they went any
way"
After some search of the long line Of
sCAiS thN1 " OIc W ulCu lilC uI-
tective identified as the one Mrs. OAR
nell had taken the night before.
Driver, take us where you did those
fares who We're in such hurry last
night" 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 or earnestly: You know
how they jumped in and We rolled of.
Well. it seemed it was 4 case OF life
and death. according to the woman,
and 1 stepped on the machine and
hastened some toward the North Pa
cific 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 spOt?'
81 was just wondering to myself
whether l 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 Dcrr
leaned back against the cushions with
a strange sense of ut 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
i-nadi fferently called. was outwardly Il
stolid, dull eyed Chinese of uncertain
middle age. Ills 6icture-it was inNthe
gallery of every secret service Office
from Singapore 70 Philadelphia-wa
not less changeless OF expression. nor
more teciturn than he. Yet in spite of
his scmber clothes and general AIRS
blank stupidity, Sing Wah was man
of mark, a man with q history replete
with adventure and. not too seldom
with crime
If the ordinary criminal could have
an Office or store lie would quadruple
his profits. But the common run of
rascals must steal and fly. Their post
Office address is q 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 tie
thief, the smuggler and the robber. and
he took his toll of them and passed
them on. Whittier? Sing WalI Dever
told. And because he did not tell they
came back with greater loot and rich
err 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 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,
neyer- forgetful, always intelligentIy
watching the world that passed before
his filmed eyes. The Chinese had, as
well, acknowledged Wilkerson's adept
ness and persistency. In several deals
they had been partners to their mutual
profit.
You are very good fellow, Har-
ry," Sing Wah had told him once as