Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-22

if~HUS sIt l1ppeneds that jQet
when Drake entered Sing
Is Wah:s Nunpretentious door
49, Y way the taxi with the hotel
detective md John Dorr drew up in q
side street and stopped. A.,
1T was here they left me-" said the
chauffeur s,uisily. Is
= The detective and John got out apd
stared about them. They were in the
lower part Of Chinatown. a single tier
Of blocks that stretched beyond the
bounds toward the .bay-not in the
quarter. but ,of NJ
(Which, way did they take the girls"
said the practical detective g. e..
The driver led them around the cor
e and up an alleyway. He painted
to Sing Wah's door. II think they
went in .there..'she. muttered. ~
"Alf!"' said the detective thoughtful
~. When i was on the police force
| used to know that Chinaman. He's
the .smoothcst rascal in America. bar
noue.", -
., John gritted bis teeth in helpless
rage. "And she's In that aend's foul
clutches he igroaned aloud. :.
At this moment q policeman came
along and accosted johns companion
Familiarity. In q few Words the case
was .explained$to him. e >
""You won't .ind anything, Of course"
the. officer remarked. But just for
satisfaction let's have a look,see and o
%chin,chin with, Sing Nah."ft H.
They entered the shop just as 9: Chi.
.nese was closing a panel door after
Drake, who had come to make his
promised attempt to win Ruth's conf
dence. Sing SWah was nowhere to be
seen. 81 ~.
After some futile pnrley with the
Chinese. whose Ignorance wns com
plete in: every detail, the two, officers
agreed that they. were wasting time.
odd Sings the boy to see."' said
the house detective. "Iet's.. wait
awhile" a.
Now. Sing Wab had ,pondered the
affair during the night. and the, more
he thought over having q lovely white
girl in the cylindrical room the less
be liked 1t. 1t was deadly dangerous.
Courts might. be Ietifent With the SNUG.
gler and the go-between. Sing Wah
knew that II even a suspicion got
abroad that a young white woman was
imprisoned in his quarters a ravenihs
mob would tear his place stick from
stone and hang him without trial. He
was determined to set the girl away
Immediately. So he was unfeignedly
glad to see Drake.
Drake, attempted to explain what
Wilkerson wanted. but the Chinese cut
him short "a
"Harry is insane" he said quietly.
HE Is mad over that woman. haye
done all i can. You must get her out
Of; here" 81
"ButS how,?" demanded Drake. "She
doesn't know me very well, and she'll
scream her head of. and I'll be arrest
ed, and we'll all be IN 4 muss."
Sing Wah nodded thoughtfully.
Then he looked up and listened to the
low words Of one Of his clerks. Dis
missing him with a single gr,int. he
turned to Drake.
There's not much time" he said
softly. '"They r on the trail al
ready. u g. ~:
E""sWhq?" n. =
-''The police" He motioned Drake to
a.chair In the little alcove. where they
stood and went on: .'stay here a mo-
mept. i will see for myself" He
pulled q lever. and the room swung
around TIL the door was opposite. him.
With long. slender: fingers be slipped
back the panel and vanished. a.
Ruth lay ON. a COUGHS. open eyed apd
Whfte..faced.%f Beside, her atrtchly dress
ed Chinese woman crouched. whisper
ing 5soothingly. .Atsstsht s:of Sing Ruth
Gallon J lt'! sud suddenly sat upright in silent
horror. s%s q II.
II beg :ylour pardon. miss" Sing said
in bis silkiest English. "I<<haye come
to take you back to your friends out
side" EtIIs
The, girl shrank back. mo, no, no"
she moanped. They are not my
friends"
"surely Harry Wilkerson'- Sing
suggested csaftily. to see bow the land
lay. MA G-.. ., e.
"wi,kerson" she whispered. us be
-Waeshe here9" u ,sa : gt. s,s !,
Her tone. conveyed; all that be wished
to know. He motioned to the woman
to leave and when she was gone pulled
a cord. which let down a light robe
ladder.
~ am sorry, madam he said quiet
~, but l shall have to ask you TO
climb up this tits the onlytsafe way
out" He laid one hand gently on e
arm ~ Ia Il
Now. Ruth was California; bred, With
oil the %prejudices for and ngainst the
Chinaman. She screamed. At that In
slant there was a crash Of shattered