Evening star., 1919-08-17

be able to explain this to you more in
detail. We haven't time to go into 1t
now"
Good afternoon. then, Mr.. Wang.
and thank you again for giving me
very interesting tale to tell Mrs.
Westinghouse when / reach home. She
will take a special delight in hearing
all about it, for, you see, she gave me
that cigarette case for a present last
Christmas morning." ,...'
"You don't happen to remember just
where she bought it, do you-but that
is hardly a courteous question for me
to ask" -
"Oh, that's all right. as long as our
curiosity is aroused-why. l suppose
she bought it at one of those Can
tonese shops in Queens road where
she usually goes. At any rate. I'll ask
her tonight and drop you a line If you
care to know" t--s
II should appreciate 1t most highly,
sir" remarked Wang Foo. AS he shook
the consurs and the captains hands
and bade them the politest Good
afternoon"
The next morning uniformed mes
senger with the chit-book of the
American consulate knocked at the
outer gate Of No. 5-5-5 in the alley
Of the Red Cloud, just off the avenue
of Fragrant Waters. Old Chang, the
gatekeeper, admitted him. bowed him
to seat, produced the tea and pipes
and, after a few preliminary greetings,
took the message and delivered 1t to
Wang Foo in the upper chamber. The
latter opened it and read as follows:
Consulate Of the United States,
Hongkong.
My Dear Mr.. Wang:
r. ferring to the silver cigarette case
about which we were talking yesterday,
find that Mrs. Westinghouse purchased 1t
from a silver dealer who came to the con-
sulate one day and exhibited his wares in the
drawing room. He claimed to represent one
Of the largest establishments in the colony,
but, strange to say. She has never been able
to locate him. She inquired Of all the
servants. but none Of them remember seeing
him before since.
am afraid this chit is not very salts
factory but 1t is the best l have been able
70 do for you Very cordially yours,
HAROLD WESTINGHOUSE,
Consul.
To- He laid it down upon the table.
signed the chit-book and returned it
to the messenger. Then, closing the
door, he took out of his table drawer
the cigarette case and holding it up
said to himself as he lighted one of
the Three Castles: $50, so! The
left-hand silver shell with it's half Of
the sacred coral button was sold to the
ConsurS wife by an unknown dealer,
was it? That makes most interest
ing link in the chain. The old abbot
and ! will have very pleasant even
ing together over this" and stretching
out his long chair of carved bamboo.
the prince of Chinese detectives closed
his eyes and set himself to thinking
and thinking, while the wreathing
smoke floated upward to the rafters.
Among the most treasured possess
sions Of the family Of his excellency
Chang, the viceroy at Canton, was the
famous coral button of the Mings,
which had actually been worn on state
occasions by his imperial majesty
Kwang Hoo, and had come into the
keeping of the Changs through their
being descended from the old state
treasurer at Marking. The so-called
button" was, Of course, not anything
used to fasten a garment, but was the
beautiful egg-shaped jewel which. in
its setting of filagree gold, adorned
like polished knob the top of the
viceregal official headdress.
His excellency had worn it at the
midnight ceremonies in the temple Of
Confucius, and the following morning
when his secretary was carefully fold
ing it up in it's wrapper of yellow
silk, preparatory to storing it away in
the official vault, he suddenly dis
covered to his utter dismay that some
skillful thief had spirited it away and
left very poor imitation button Of
cheap red glass in its place! In fear
and trembling he communicated the
fact to his master, who Immediately
called for his hat Of state and per-
sonally verified the theft. In place of
at once notifying Al the officers of the
yamen (or couYthouse and institut-
ing general alarm and search for the
missing jewel. the viceroy decided
upon just the opposite course. Calling
the secretary into his inner office, he
closed the doors and drew the cur
tains. "Yu Kai" cCrystal Ladder").
he said in tho ctorporf ~ 1,otooo md