Charlevoix county herald., 1918-12-13

hardly neglect so obvious a point.
kept purposely in the most crowd
ed part OF the street, therefore, and
slipped along without any apparent
purpose. acting more as though wait
ing for some one to meet me than any
thing else.
Yet all the time l was keeping a
keen outlook, as | had learned to do,
TO see il l could detect any one who
seemed interested in my movements.
felt sure that our visit TO Connel
would be known. They would GER
tainly keep the Hall of Justice under
observation.
But l had left there with Glaze in
the taxi, and | had left il quickly of
purpose. | hoped that il it had been
kept under surveillance my move
ments might have escaped detection.
went on up the hui, crossing street
after street, losing little by little the
touch OF Occidental life, and coming
gradually into the fringe where the
TWO edges of east and west met and
mingled.
Then all at once, as |! seemed, the
faces on the sidewalks took on a yell
low cast.
Slant eyes gazed out of them upon
me, and the slngsong OF speech, the
shuttle oil slipper-shod feet, replaced
Inc sharper accentuation of voice and
step which marked the course of the
race had left
So far as could now adopted the
air OF a signtseer merely, walking
along the narrow pavement, pausing
now and then to stare through win
dow at the wares of the East, on eX-
hibtion. / even went in one place and
purchased a few little things to carry
out the stimulation and came out car
Iying them in my hands.
After time | came to the corner
had made my destination. The three
stored building of the store l sought
rose with pagodalike roof and tower
before me.
The sunlight glinted from its great
windows, behind which wealth of
beautiful things from the East found
place.
| knew it well. To all intents and
purposes it was great department
store.
Its interior arrangement was mostly
Occidental. It's saleswomen wrote
your ordcl or purchase in a duplicate
book, and kept record of their sales
as precisely as any shop girl down on
Kearny.
It's floor walker-small, dapper,
Occidental clad-would direct you to
anything you might desire. 1t main
tanned magnificent tea room upon
the second floor.
| had been in it dozens of times
now and then, but never before had
heard of Kim Lee as the governing
spirit of the place. That shows you
how secretive those people are.
| wondered as / stood for moment
before it what luck l would have in
reaching him today.
Then pressed my lips and made up
my mind that reach him | would in
one way or another. In way, | put
it up to fate to lead me on from this
point to the end.
| went inside the great plate glass
and bronsed front doors, and APP
preached the dapper little genius who
walked here and there with clasped
hands behind his back.
"One moment, please" l said.
He paused, glanced up, land allowed
bland smile to grow upon his other
wise impressive face. In moment he
was all attention to what l might re-
quire.
"Yes, madam he returned in ex-
cellent English. a
Il have a message-a message of
importance-to deliver" | told him.
endeavoring to impress him at the out
set, so that he might perhaps tell me
what | wished. 1T is message which
l cannot deliver except in person. 1t
is a message for Kim Lee"
If had asked for paper of pins it
would have been all the same, / sup.
pose. Not one muscle in the yellow
face changed under my scrutiny.
Yet fancied that deep down in the
brown eyes which met mine fully
little something stirred, looked up
quickly, and dropped its head.
kim Lee, madam" he questioned
softly-"who is Kim Lee?"
Surely you must know" l sug-i
gested, smiling as though very certain
of what / was saying. "He is the
man who controls this great Ousi-
ness"
He shook his head.
II am afraid there is some mis-
take" he responded. Il am sorry.
Madam must have the wrong store in
mind
But those narrowlidded eyes were
not quite steady, and | knew he was
lying.
'See," l said quickly. II under
stand that Kim Lee is not known as
the owner of this business, but know
for l was told before I was sent, and
the message is one of Importance"
Even your Oriental has the human
failing OF curiosity. l thought the
little man wavered.
And did not the one who sent,
madam, tell her how TO reach this
4 Il.