Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-25

| As Long SINS slender ana sinister fore
finger traced over the inscription. WI
suddenly caught him by the elbow.
The ringl" he cried, as at last he in
terpreted the meaning OF the cryptic
characters.
But what about the ring? For a mo-
ment WI looked at the slot In deep
thought Then he reached down and
withdrew a ring from his own finger and
dropped II through the siot
They listened a moment They could
| hear the ring tinkle az though IL were
running down some sort OF track-like
declivity inside the rock. Then, family
| they could hear II drop. IL had fallen
into little cup Of a compartment below
at their feet.
Nothing happened WI recovered his
ring. But he had hit at last upon the
Clutching Hands secret!
Bennett had devised a ring-lock which
would open the treasure vault. No other
ring except the one which he had so
carefully hidden was Of the size or weight
that would move the lever which would
set tho machinery working to open the
treasure house
Again WI tried another ~of his own
rings. and a third time. Long Sin dropped
in a ring from his finger. Still there
was no result
THE ring which we lost Is the key TO
the puzzle--the sonly key" exclaimed WI
Fang finally. I'VE must recover II at
all hazards"
To his subtle mind a plan OF action
seemed 70 unfold almost instantly.
There 10 no good remaining here" he
added. And we have gained nothing by
the capture of the girl, unless We can
use her TO recover the ring"
Long Sin followed his master with a
sort Of intuition. "If we have to steal
H." he suggested deferentialiy. 1T can
be accomplished best by making use OF
the Chong wah Tong"
The tong was the criminal band which
they had offended. which had IN fact
stolen the ring from Long Sin and sold
II to Elaine. Yet IN a game such as
this enmity could not last when II was
mutually disadvantageous. WI took the
suggestion. He decided instantly 70 make
peace with his enemles-and use them.
Later that night. In his car. WI stopped
near the little curio shop kept by the
now tong leader.
Long Sin alishted and entered the shop.
while the tong man eyed him sus-
piciously.
my master has come TO make peace"
he began, saluting the tong leader behind
the counter.
Nothing IN reality. could have pleased
the tong men more. for In their hearts
they feared the masterlike subtlety OF
wa Fang. The conference was short.
ana Long Sin with a bow left quickly
to rejoin WI. while the tong leader dis
appeared into a back room Of the shop
where several Of the inner circle sat
"Ail is we'll. master" reported Ion~
SIN when he had made his way back a
the car around the corner IN which VIZ
was waiting.
Wu smiled. and a moment iatsr ,ot.
lowed by his slave In crime. er,srsd ~.
ourio shop and passed through with great
"'.n''V INTO the room in the rear.
inc TWO entered. the tong men
bowed with great respect.
LEY US be enemies no more" began
~ "" or'e'N' Let us rather help each
other as brothers."
lie extended his right hand. palm down
as ne spoke For a moment the tong
leader parleyed with the others. then
stepped forward and laid his own hand
palm down. over that OF WI. One hv
one the others did the same. including
Long Sin. the aggrieved.
Peace was restored
WI had arisen to go. ara the tonx MAJ,
were bowling a respectful farewell. Hs
turned and saw a large vase. For n r,o-
ment he paused before Il. II was an
enormous affair and was apparently
composed OF a mosaic OF rare Chinese
enamels, cunningly put together nv the
deft and patient fingers OF the oriental
craftsmen, Extending from the widely
curving bowl below was an extremely
Ions. narrow. tapering neck.
Wu looked at II intently; then an idea
seemed TO strike him. He called the tong
leader and the others about him.
Quickly he outlined the details of a
plan.
Have you received any word YETI
asked Aunt Josephine. snxiously. when
Jennings had ushered us into the Dodge
library.
Kennedy shook his head sadly. There
was no need 60 repeat the question 10
Aunt Josephine. The tears IN her eyes
told only too plainly that she herself had
heard nothing. either.
Craig bent over and placed hts hand on
her shoulder. For the moment none Of
us could control our emotions.
A few moments later Jennings entered
the room softly again. THE expressmen
are outside, ma'am. with a large pack
age" he said
"A packRge?" inquired Aunt Josephine.
looking up. surprised For me-are you
sureg"
Jennings bowed and repeated his re-
mark. Aunt Josephine followed him out
into the hall.
There. already. the delivery men had
set down huge oriental vase with a re-
markabiy Ions and narrow neck. II was.
as, befitted such really beautiful object
Of art. most carefully Grated But 20
Aunt Josephine Il came as a complete
surprise. Il can't imagine who could
have sent H." she temporized Are you
quite sure Il is for me-"
The expressman. with book. looked up
from the list Of names, down which he