The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

In IA ~ HiiShI dSdIuSt All SlnSn wa
G1g provided by the extraordi-
narily complete organization at the
disposal of the willy Asiatic. Had
The Higher One and his mon
grel eohort of evil-doers descended
on New York without the assistance
of long and carefully planned prepa-
ration. it may be taken for granted
that the authorities would have run
them to earth within few hours.
But, in the conditions, no sooner did
their criminal acts render any par
tIcular house or district untenabIe
than they seemed to disappear into
nothingness, only to make their viii
famous presence felt in some wholly
unexpected locality.
On the night after May Manninr,s
amazing rescue from that horrible
tarant.ia-4an incident which, it will
De remembered. was due solely to
Na1la's energence from hypnotic
trance-Ali Singh met his nlyrmidons
IN the house where he had temporar
lily taken refuge. A curiously mixed
crowd, they awaited him in a room to
which an air of barbaric faagnifi-
cence was lent by oriental rugs and
hangings
NaJla was there, attired now in
eastern garments. With her was an
ooailsque, named Katisha, a hand
some creature, finely proportioned.
and devoted heart and soul to her
master. Hong Kong Harry too. was
present, but he seemed to be divided
between wholesome awe of Ali
singh and an infatuation for Nail
winch betrayed itself in every side
long glance of his dark eyes.
All Singh greeted this strangely .s-
sorted group with a manner ,,ora
animated and energetic than was his
won't. Hitherto he had doomed amorr
.neih IKE an emperor; now, dropping
tnat somewhat STACEY role, he con-
quoted himself as man of affairs
~no Ielt that even a lawless cam
paien must be conducted in bust
nesslike way.
He disresarded the deep salaaming
with which he was received. and
stood for moment looking fixedIv al
MS niece. She. poor girl, dreadinp
that he was about to subject her To ..
mesr1eric influence she was powerless
TO resist, gazed at him as a bird
might stare at a snake already poised
to strike. She could not tell how
much he knew of her seeming trans
gression of the previous night Hong
Kong Harry, Of course, should have
INFORMED him, but she ina gined that
the degenerate was Keeping his
knowledge in reserve, meaning to use
~ as whip whereby to compel her
10 yield when next he forced his
Ioathsonle attentions upon her.
Therein she was right. Hong Kong
Harry had not spoken. Braving Ali,
S'ngh's anger, he had explained the
miscarriage of the attack on Manning
by attributing it to the chance pres
ence in bedroom of the intended
victims sister.
L have reason to believe" said Ali
singh slowly, that we each and all
VIII be in real danger if we remain
mere At present, owing to conditions
which | am not free to explain. we
must continue to work secretly. and IT
would be fatal to our sacred cause
II the police were to raid this house
and thereby deprive me of the sery-
ices OF even a few of my most faith
full followers"
You must therefore prepare to
ieave at once for the houseboat on
the sound" he continued. "You. Ka-
tisha, will come with me in the FIRST
car. You, Harry, win remain until
the Princess Malta has made prepara-
tons for her departure, and accom-
pany her IN the car. which will be
placed 1T your disposal. There must
be no delay. Be good enough to pre-
pare at once."Ns
The girl went listlessly to her room
and began packing trunk. She was
30 absorbed in mournful reverie
that she gave. no heed to the comings
and goings 8other inmates. She
was not even aware that she had
apparently been left alone in that
abode of mystery until knock
sounded on the locked door.
She opened the door. only to
ma Hong Kong Harry's pallid face