Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-07

always of invaluable assistance in un-
raveling these international tangles.
1t was a cause Of intense relief and
qualification to Nam Tuck-to say
nothing of his astonishment-to ind
himself in the presence Of foreigner
familiar enough with his own tongue
to converse with him directly, and so,
after little hesitation, he told the
archdeacon his story and the latter
in turn repeated it in English to the
foreign officers.
He acknowledged the purchase of
the fuses on the afternoon of July Is,
remembering the exact date by the
fact that on that day he had drawn
three strings of brass cash out of the
"welr (dry hole in the ground where
the Chinese conceal their money!, and
also acknowledged the exact number
Of four. He explained. however, that
he intended them only for the purpose
for which he always used them, that
was to light his pipe during the night
and to keep away the mosquitoes.
please ask him how he came to buy.
exactly four-no more, no less" said
Inspector Gubbins, turning to the
archdeacon; that's not the usual ma
tive way of selling goods. is it?
thought they always sold them in
packages of ten. corresponding to our
dozen in England"
After a lot of chattering back. and
forth between the missionary and the
prisoner-which seemed to Brownlow
long enough to have asked the ques-
ton forty times over and to have an
swered it in forty different ways-the
missionary said: HE bought just four
because that happened to be all the
cash that he had brought with him in
his girdle. He says the shopkeeper.
who knows him well, will gladly tes-
tify that he buys them there regu-
larly and. either. singly or In pack
ages of ten as a rule but sometimes
in odd amounts if he doesn't happen
to = have the cash. He denies all
knowledge of the origin of the fire
and swears that the very first he
knew about it was when he saw
smoke and flames bursting out under
the roof on the northern side and ran
out into the street to summon the
foreign. policeman"
b. Further questioning on the part OF
the officers and the visitors failed to
bring out anything further from the
Waterman or to shake in any way his
direct and simple testimony. 1t was
thought best. however, not to release
him at once. SO he was remanded to
his cell for further safekeeping and
the consul returned with the archdea-
con to the office.
AS soon as it became known In
Heavenly Moon Alley that Nam Tuck
had been arrested and taken away by
the police, the entire population of
that row Of native buildings gave
way to screams of excitement and
crowded around his family's doorway
to learn the why and the wherefor.
His wife and mother were discovered
rolling on the floor and tearing their
hair, while the children were alter
nately weeping and yelling and run
ming about in every direction. The
Venerable Choo, the "Old Father Of
the Alley" as he was affectionately
called by it's denizens. Immediately
took charge of the situation and be-
gan to quiet things down. When order
had been partially restored he sat
himself down in the high seat in the
room and after a slipping of the tea
and a Whit or two of the pipe which
a kind neighbor had provided he
gave it as his counsel that a-commit-
tee from the alley. consisting OF the
mother, the eldest son and two re-
spectacle residents, should proceed
without delay to the head office
of the Australian wharf and there
protest against Nam Tuck's arrest
and demand his release. His age and
position secured immediate compile
ance with his advice and the conn
mittee" waited in due order upon Mr..
Bellsize, the head manager Of the
Australian wharf at his ONCE. He
listened very respectfully to their
story and complaint and. assuring
them of his complete confidence In
Nam Tuck and Of his intention to do
everything in his power to clear him