The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-11

hiding on the Island-possibly in the
Lotus Temple or somewhere on the
other side?'
Possibly, but that is all that we can
say.'
And just how can we best appre-
bend him?" .
"Ah, that will be a matter for the
utmost tact and secrecy. We must
| move most carefully and Slowly; for
the Slightest breath of a suspicion that
we are on his tracks-and he is gone!"
AS Wang Foo said this. he rose and
| lighted the farewell pipes. The two
| smoked for a while in silence. then,
making the secret sign of the brother
hood in the air with their lighted
matches. they concluded arrangements
for another interview and bade each
other goodnight.
At precisely ten o'clock on the fol-
lowing morning Inspector Wallace re
ceived the great detective in his inner
Office and learned from him of the sus-
pected presence in the Colony of Ching
Lien Cor Golden Lotus, the leader of
the recent riot at Swallow, for whom
the police, both native and foreign, In
ali the ports, had been zealously hunt
ing for several months. You say ihat
you have good reason to believe he is
here. Mr.. Wang: tell me just where
you think he is hiding and we will have
the native staff ferret him out" said
| the Chief.
Considering the slippery nature Of
the individual--for no one seems to
have been able to lay hands on him
I. think we shall be able to work with a
little more certainty, Mr.. Wallace. If
you will be good enough to detail two
of your best native detectives to assist
me quietly for few days. I have
worked out plan for apprehending
him. and. if I may modestly say SO. I
think I can carry it to success"
II will put Sam and Chang, my two
best men, at your disposal for a week,
replied the Inspector. land I will see
that they report to you for your per
sonal orders this very afternoon. Keep
in close touch with me, please, and let
me know the moment anything irnpor-
tant turns up, and my best wishes go
with you!"
THANK you very much, SIR" said
Wang Foo, as he rose and babe him
good morning.
- -
Two days later Sam and Chang, the
detectives. appeared at the gate of the
Temple OF the Golden Lotus-the former
in the garb of a jin-ril1-sha coolie and
the latter in the long blue robe of a
European house oy-and sought an
interview with the priest in charge. To
their surprise, it was almost imme-
diately granted. Chang then produced
from a native wallet the identical yell
low paper which Miss Anterior had
given to Wang Foo, and, representing
himself as the personal servant of the
foreign lady, said that she had sent
him for another copy of the beautiful
poem, as this one had unfortunately
been torn. The old priest hesitated for
a moment, but on having put in his
hand ten new shining dollars which
they said she had sent as gift took
his pen and ink-slab from the shelf
and adjusting his ancient spectacles,
proceeded to copy the verses from the
paper before him. little dreaming who
the parties were to whom he gave
| them, or how closely the hand of the
law was hanging over him.
| Following out to the mfnutest detail
Wang F'oo's instructions to them, Sam
! and Chang returned at once to his
| house with the new copy of the poem
for which he was most eagerly waiting.
At last he had it in his hands-the
final link in the chain of evidence that
would convict Golden Lotus, now mas
querading as a priest in the very temple
from which he was named, of being
| the much-sought leader of the late
port riot! He would have the same
two officers repeat their visit to the
temple on the morrow and arrest him
there and then. He left his assistants
in the lower hall and ascending to the
upper chamber, closed and locked the
door. He adjusted his crystal goggles
and unfolded the paper before him. He
could hardly believe his senses! Not a
curve in the left strokes, not flaw in
the cross lines and the cro1cn of the
lotus 1cds not reversed! 1t was abso-
lutely the hand writing of another in
dividual. Sam and Chang were again
closely questioned as to any possibility
of mistaken Identity, but there was
none. The priest was positively the
same one that gave the paper to Miss
Anterior: >he remembered the visit and
the incident erfectly--strangest of all,
he made not the slightest effort to con-
ceal it-and the two detectives stood
right over him and watched every
stroke of the little brush as he wrote
the copy. The priest was the priest.
no doubt about that, but he was not
the Golden Lotus, and II not, how did
he happen to present the foreign lady
with a poem which both Wang Foo and
the old Abbot were ready to swear was
in the chief rioters hand? He stretched
himself out on the couch Of carved
bamboo, and hcff closing hts eyes. be-
gan to think it all out When he awoke
it was with the fixed determination to
personally visit the Temple and trace
out for himself the history of the
mysterious paper; so thanking Sem and
Chang for their services and 'pledSing
them to secrecy. he allowed them to
retur7 to FNadauerters.
w ti2 room boy at The hotel an
swered the call-beil from No. 65 a few
days later, he found Miss Anterior con-
Guiding a bargain with a native jeweier