The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-27
'ssa74 WANG FOO
By SIDNEY c. PARTRIDGE
Copyright 1919 By The Mcclure Ne,ospoper svndea,.

v The Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
915TI2I91S1A15fl9 f1Sf19sISfT55
(the SOUND Of yellow" closely resetn-
bling "crooked") cried the trembling
man as a sudden ray Of light spread
Ger MS face Why. that waa-
Whisper 1t! Whisper iti" said Wang
FOO, whisper it to the Venerable
Father; speak it not aloud. for the
very walls of the Temple have ears"
Hop Hoy leaned forward and whis-
pered into the Abbot's ears a few short
words. The effect was perfectly cleo
tricaL The Venerable Father started
back in establishment, then smiled, and
nnally broke out into a laugh and ex-
claiming: I'VE might have known as
much!" himself whispered the mysteri-
Gus words to Wang Foo, upon whom
they produced the very same effect.
The secret was all our now. The con-
| fession was brief. but complete. and
all that remained was for Hop Hoy TO
personally conduct the great Detective
TO the underground arena and for the
latter In turn to make the same revela-
Ton. to Inspector Wallace and the
police-ff he thought it wise so to do
Old Chang, the gatekeeper, made a
special trip to Police Headquarters the
following morning, bearing a precious
sealed document from Wang Foo to
be delivered to the Inspector in person.
1t contained these significant words:
| MY dear Mr.. Wallace:
"All is up. We have discovered
the ring where the bloody contest
took place; have secured the princi-
pal witness and also the person of
the victorious yellow Legs 1 re-
greet to say that poor Spotted Back,
his opponent is still suffering from
his injuries and unable to appear,
but We have made 1t impossible for
| him to escape.
1T is a little unusual, but native
ideas Of Justice and propriety de-
mand that the criminal shall be
transported in a wooden cage. We
Will produce him at Headquarters at
noon today, and I shall be glad to
have you invite His Excellency and
Rev. Mr.. Smalltree to be present
when he is carried in. The cage
(Which we have brought from Can
ton) Will be carefully covered while
passing through the streets, so as
not to excite the public-especially
the Europeans. who might not I'M
derstand it.
Very cordially yours.
| Wang Foo.
"P. S.-You might include Lord
Dubbins in the party if he is still
in town"
It was Just FIVE minutes to twelve
when Hong Kongs famous Detective
alighted from his sedan chair and
passed into the private office of the In
Ispector. The invited guests were all
there. 1t was easy to see that they
were awaiting with the deepest inter
est-rot to say anxiety-this exposure
Of the prize fight in their midst. and
were wondering at the audacity-even
lof Wang Foo with all his prestige
Of transporting a criminal in an old
fashioned punishment-cage through
the streets Of the civilized British
Colony. He was formally introduced
and arose to address them.
THE prisoner. the prisoner!" they
all cried in unison.
yellow Legs and the cage! Where
are they? Haven't you brought him p
eagerly inquired the Inspector. begin
ming to fear a disappointment.
Gentlemen said the Man Of Mys-
ttery, as with a sweeping gesture he
produced a little paper package from
and the prison!" He, lEwrapped be-
fore their astonished eyes tinv will
low cage and in it a yellow legged
chirping cricket!
What means this pleasantly and
why do you trif1e with US this way? ?"
asked the Governor as he arose and
addressed Wang Foo.
Your Excellency," replied me De-
tective with the most courteous Of
bows, this is no pleasantly. IT "a the
simple unvarnished truth. Listen to
me, I beg you, for a moment. This
whole thing is an Illustration Of the
mistake OF applying a European con-
ception to an Asiatic transaction A
contest OF strength prize-fight II
you wish so to cab it-takes place in
your midst and you spring at once 20
the conclusion that the combatants are
Of course human beings This does not
/ follow at all in China. have listened
carefully to every word of the evidence
and there Is not a syllable from end to
end that does not apply as well to an
I insect as to a man-read It over your
| selves and acknowledge that am corr
rect.
| Every nation has its own form Of
prize fighting: bulls in Spain, bears in
Russia. crocodiles in Egypt. cobras in
India-everythinE from quadrupeds to
| insects-crickets in China, the last and
least harmful Of all. 1t is only in civil
lied and refined Europe and America
that these brptalizins contests are
| taken part in by human beings"
by Jovei You know, that is really
most mysterious and Interesting" was
Lord Dubbins' response on behalf Of
the assembled company.
!
"Mr Inspector" remarked Wang
Foo, as he called at the office a few
days after the denoJznent. Il want you
to accept this little gift in memory of
your first real Chinese prize-heht" up