Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-03-11
CHAPTER III.
Gaford Overhears.

| III lNdRdSak1 Ine SCTectS OI Ine
shops parallel the waterfront. They
are two in number, lined with one
storv buildings for the most part;
built against the hill, up which the
city climbs. There are other shops, of
course, but here arc collected the main
mass of merchants, who cater to the
curiosity of the traveller and the vices
Of foreigner and native alike.
Almost every other door flaunts its
curios and souvenirs, like bait for the
coin of the tourist. Sandwiched be-
tween, or at times underneath, one
finds the tea-houses and native res
taurants, the gambling houses, and
the hop joints, provided he knows
where to seek.
Gafford, walking from the water
front, turned into the first Of these
streets and slouched paddingly along.
To the stranger there would have
been nothing to point the end of his
soft-footed advance. English is little
used in Nagasaki. The signs flaunt-
ing their brilliant colors at the doors
of the shops, while Ineligible enough
to son of Nippon, would have been
but tangled ideographs to any one
unacquainted with Japanese.
But Gafford paid no attention to
signs. When one had followed path
a great many times, after bit the
process becomes automatic. His
method of arrival at the place he
sought was rather instructive than
effectively conscious.
Presently he paused before the door
of shop whose windows showed
carved ivory figures. bits of hammer
ed brass, grotesque devil masks,
carved sword scabbards, and dried
fish's tail grated upon weird cast
of the torso, and head of a human
with straggly gray hair-the whole
making hybrid representation Ct
the tabled mermaid as it swung in
the window on string.
Gafford paid no heed to such "trip
perry as this. He swung through the
door and entered the shop, where Oku
Kobe, the owner, sat behind carved
desk of teak-wood, making symbols
in book.
He looked up as Gafford came in,
gave him a swift glance Of appraisal,
and dropped his eyes. Gafford, with
out turning his head, returned the
eye-message sidewise, passed between
two tables loaded with the catch
penny masks of Oku's real business,
and found a door back of a curtain
Of bamboo.
throash prsSsnsd and fnd fPSh Himself he in Spnso pas
sage so narrow that it was barely
wide enough to accommodate his
shoulders, when he turned toward a
dim glow, marking stair head. His
naked feet made no sound as he
slipped along its length and down
the eight or ten steps of the stair.
A door with a movable wicket ap-
peared before him, upon which he
raped. The shuttle of football came
from thesother side. The wicket was
moved slightly and an eye glinted at
him where he stood under the dim
light. That eye apparently recognized
his face, for, without further parlev,
the barrier to his entrance was with
drawn.
He emerged into a rectangular
apartment, lighted from the center by
a hanging lamp of hammered brass
The light it gave off was barely
enough to show that three sides OF
the room were surrounded by low
padded divan or couch. From the
, the intervals of a mans height
dropped down 70 the couch, dividing
it into sections. An acrid odor, op'
T pressive to the breathing of the un
initiated Iervaded the atmosphere.
| AS of custom, Gafford crossed the
room to section far back in the cor
, ner, where the wall angled, and sal
down upon the not overly clean can
8 vas of the couch. He tossed his cal
behind him against the wall and jab
1 bered short word to the attendan
. who had let him in.
, The man turned and departed, t.
j return after bit with small tray
t on which was an opium pipe, suppl!
y of the gum, the yen gov or needl
I upon which the opium is heated, ant
d a tiny lamp of flaming oil.
Depositing this on small stan,
- beside Gafford's bunk, he retreate,
>, beyond the swinging screen and wa
lost to sight.
f Gafford dug out bit Of gum frou
Z, and turned it slowly above the fiarinl
r peanut oil. His eyes focused upon
s as he turned it. By and by it bega
n to exude strange nutty flavor.
= He examined it with increased at
tention, decided that it was ready 70
n consumption, and took up the bambo
If pipe with its shallow metal bow
ID Placing the pill" over the centrs
1t opening of this he drew the ira
closer to his bunk. reclined upon hi
m side, and held the cooked gum to tn
is flame of the fairy lamp.
IS 1t fumed acridly upon the al
4 Once, twice, and again Gafford DIRE
r it's narcotic vapor into his lung
Id The opium gurgled and snapped
ID the pipe. The man relaxed som,
s, what. The tense look Of desii
lessened in his face, to give way
K sort Of content. He stretched h
I'd arms, yawned, and lay back on I'll
er cooking more of the gum.
o There are people who suppo,
that man smokes pipe of II