Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-17
THE BLACKSTONE
PENDANT.

<k/NAPTAIN." said the Inspector,
as he rose from his office
chair and, turning toward
- = the long open window, gazed
out over the blue waters
OF the harbor, 1--WE might just as well
give it up. It is the most puzzling
case have ever. had since came
to the far east, just seventeen years
ago this month"
And Inspector Wallace of the Hong
kong police, reaching up to little
Chinese ebony shelf upon the wall,
took from it a long Manila cheroot
and. slowly and thoughtfully light
ing 1t. watched the Peninsular mail
steamer. nneuvering toward her
anchorage amid the forest of ship
ping.
Eyes. it certainly is a deep one"
answered Capt. Brownlow, second in
command. and. like his chief. vet
tainly have made a very thorough
search. Every dive Of stolen goods
and every pawnshop in the colony
has been combed, but there isn't the
ing to a file Of letters upon the desk.
here are the confidential reports
from the vice consuls at Canton and
Macao They say they have done
their best, but they are Just as much
in the dark as we are; There's only
for Wang Foo"
"You are right, captain. 1t takes
Chinaman to catch a Chinaman, as
the old saying goes. Look him up
and meet me here at tonight sharp:
lam dining on the flag ship and will
excuse mySelf early"
While the foregoing conversation
was taking place in the police IN
spector's private office Lady Evlngton'
was Just bidding goodbye to the wife
and the daughter OF the admiral at
Government House.
Eyes l have about made, UP my
mind that shall never see it again.
governor this afternoon that he con,
sidered it practically hopeless case.
"And you are quite positive that IT
wasn't stolen at the reception
asked one of the women. oa 1oav,
Evington. II remember distinctly
looking at it and admiring. its rich
green color just before l laid 1t away.
in the case on my dressing table. after
the last visitor had gone. And, she
!, added, with great deal OF emphasis:
1"I know one of the servants could not
possibly have taken it. for my. door
was securely locked and bolted."
The article in question, that had so
mysteriously disappeared from Lady
Evington's dressing table two weeks
before. was nothing less than the "a
nous jade-stone pendant that the vice.
roy OF Canton had presented to the
Governor of Honglong in RECOGNITION
Of his excellency's services in conduct
ing the campaign for the relief OF the
thousands Of sufferers from the great
I~,l.,
jewel. of almost priceless value. and
had for no end of years been part Of
the official insignia Of the viceroys OF
Canton. hanging from the center OF
a necklace of coral. over the gold
embroidered phoenix on the ceremo-
NAL robes.
The gift had been deliberately de-
scribed in the English papers of Hong
kong, and the notices had been trans
lated into all the native papers of the
colony and of Shanghai, and 1t was
generally recognized that no more
striking token Of appreciation had
ever been presented by Chinese high
official to a foreign ruler.
His excellency, Sir Arthur Wayne
Evineton. the governor. had kept 1t
securely locked in his Office safe until
the evening of the reception to the
Lady Evington wore it for the first
time in public She had laid it on her
dressing table just before retiring, and
in the morning it had mysteriouslv
vanished. That was all she knew. And
that was all that a,,v one knew. al
though the. entires official staff Of at
tendants and servants had been most
vigorously examined and cross-uues-
toned. And SO 1.-THE Theft of the Vice
Regal Jade-Stone," as the heading in
the papers ran, became the Subject Of
gossip and speculation all up and
down the eastern coast, from Singa-
pore to Picking.
Capt. Brownlow returned to his home
after the interview. and summonng HIS
faithful servant. All Sing, said:
.''You savee Wang Foo, go catchee
four piece chair-coolie. my wantchee
go his house very chop-chop"
"You wantchee him catchee tiefman?"
asked the r-inquisitive All Sing.
''Never you mind what my wantchee."
replied the captain, passing from his
pidgin English into the more regular
tongue of his mother country. Get
the chair ready quick, and mind you
don't tell any one where we are going"
The light open-work sedan was got
ready In very few minutes and
swinging on the shoulders of four stall
wart coolies. The captain, followed by
the faithful All Sing with n lantern,
passed rapidly down Queens road un-
til they reached the avenue OF frag-
rant waters. and turning to the left
began the steep ascent sof the alley Of
the Red Cloud, stopping at last in
front Of little doorway that bore the
thrice interviewer symbol Of $685." the
Chinese emblem Of good luck.
The coolies quickly put down the