The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-12-09

them, but Manning would not intrust
to any ordinary detective the chief role
In the projected raid Yielding. how
ever, to WIZARDS urgency. he consent
ed to allow his friend to share his task,
and the two hastily donned the rough
garb Of longshoremen. soiling their
faces and hands to be In keeping with
the character. Then the whole party.
numbering some twenty all told. were
rushed to the east side In automobiles.
The night was fine and moonlit, and
the police therefore had every chance
to observe any suspicious persons who
might emerge from the opium den into
the street. Kemp posted his men at
each strategic point and kept a strong
posse under his immediate command
A police launch patrolled the water
front 1t did indeed seem humanity
impossible now for any one to escape
from All Chow's establishment that
night.
When assured that the trap was sc.
cure and well contrived. Manning and
Willard. Stimulating a state Of semi-in-
toxication, lurched through the door
way into the dingy shop and stumbled
along a dark passage at the rear. A
Chinaman appeared.
"What you wantee? he cried
"You makee two pill ready one time"
growled Manning And be quick
about 1t, you yellow son of gun. or
| cuttee Off your pigtail! Savee?'
The man gave way before them. and
they lurched into darkened room
filed with the faint, choking. brain
Supplying odor Of burning opium.
Here by the light of small lamp the
custodian surveyed the pair and was
evidently satisfied that they were gen.
uine patrons. Without further dcmur
he terked q thumb toward a couple Of
empty hunks and began preparing the
long small bowled pipes beloved Of the
dope fiend. Carrying out their self
imposed roles with thoroughness
born of desperate resolve to gain
admission to the inner recesses of the
den before warning could be given. the
two young men tumbled into the hunks,
took the pipes and soon simulated the
besotted condition Of the other occu-
pants Of the fetid apartment.
Kemp's orders were strict and UNI
mistakable.
While the police would arrest any
person leaving the place, they were
neither to show themselves nor take
any overt action until there was some
sign Of disturbance internally. Both
Manning and Willard were armed. of
course, and the former carried a whis-
tie of peculiarly penetrating shrillness,
by means Of which he would, If prac-
ticable, summon help from without.
The two had endured the vile atmos-
phere OF the den for many minutes
when muffied scream reached their
ears. Restraining themselves with the
utmost difficulty. they waited until a
man who had just entered was led to
an inner door by the Chinese attendant
Then they sprang up, ran to the same
door on tlptoe and, finding 1t locked
burst 1t open. Without any hesitation
they plunged Into another passage
dark as the tomb itself, along which
they heard the patter of slippered feet
A door ut some distance was flung
wide open, and stream of light APP
peared. At the same instant Manning.
who led, closed with q strongly built
Chinaman and had to smash the fellow
In the face with the butt Of his re-
volver before he could free himself.
Willard. however. dashed on and raced
into the lighted room. where the first
object his startled gaze dwet on was q
richly attired man seated I'm much
state behind carved table. Two
lamps revealed an apartment of almost
barbaric magnificence. 1t contained
several other men and two women
dressed like odalisIues. but Willard
had eyes for none save the parsonage
whom he Instantly recognized as All
Singh. Leveling his revolver and ad-
varcing without hesitation. he cried:
snow, you scoundrel. you have to
answer to me for my sister,
The man Mt the table seemed to sur
vey the intruder with scornful indif-
ference. An almost imperceptibfe
movement Of his right hand caused a.
trapdoor to open beneath Bronson's
feet With heartrending yell the
youngster fell through 1t, being utterly
unable TO save himself by n sidelong
spring, and the door closed over him.
Manning. now freed from his antag
onist, took warning by his friends fate
and leaped clean over the dangerous
space, being set upon instantly by the
other men In the room. A tremendous
struggle took place. Tables and chairs
were overturned. and in the melee
lamp fell and exploded. The scattered
oil took fire. the flame caught some
tapestry. and the dry boards which
formed party wall were ablaze with.
in few seconds.
Exerting his strength to the utmost
Manning contrived to fling of his as
sailants. Deciding instantly that to
remain there would be only counting
the fate which had befallen poor Bron-
son, while the outbreak of fire now
rendered the presence Of the police alb
solutely necessary. he leaped back over
that portion Of the floor In which he
knew the trapdOor lay and gained the