The Washington herald., 1920-02-02
By Jeremy Lane.
Copyright. 1919, by the Century Co.

them. Roofs were peaked, angular,
swooping down TO wide caves. The
Peking tenements were squeezed up
on top Of the wholesale houses and
native godowns. and IL looked as II
only the cobblestones kept the
weight OF these from pressing the
sides of street together, when It
would be lost. The lateral alleys
seemed to have nearly grown shut.
Down one Con had glimpse Of a
hre, a red fare in the dark, sparks
standing an instant over pitiable
housetops. The motorbus hurried
on amongst the darting rickshaws,
but Con could not forget the nre,
its ruddy wickedness turned loose
upon a close-knit city of wood and
human fraility.
The Tourist House was strictly
reputable. employing, so far as pos
sihle, white help, and ignoring all
Asia with British pride. 1t was not
good hotel. Aside from the motor
bus, It's one advantage was that a
guest could remain here for many
! days and never hear a syllable Of
Mongoloid. A pork marked ruffian
who had learned to carry things in
! the Boer War came out to get the
black bag, The driver Of the bus
stood by, in disdain, having once
been Lon'on cabby.
| Lexington went to look at the
register. Morna's name did not ap-
pear nor anything like'it. However,
at the bottom of the page, was writ
ten, in a familiar feminine hand,
| Con Lexington. Mr.. and Mrs." who.
II appeared, had been assigned to
! Room Z. The clerk, whose pasty
HIPS held cigarette, vouchsafed:
Your wife got here first"
$50 I perceive" said Lexington.
| It'll go up at once"
Something about the clerk held
him. The face showed long enerva-
tion; the eyes were q satiny gray,
and their lids dropped at Lexington.
Then he knew. A sick, heavy odor,
like cinnamon and bad wine, struck
chill into Con. The face Of this
clerk would haunt him..
A bell-boy was hailed up front-a
| black lad from Saint Louis, with
large shifty eyes and WORKOUT shoes.
His livery, bearing the Celebrations
OF the Tourist House. testified to a
veteran service here, not all fair
| weather. He led the way upstairs.
Without invitation, Chez Ming fol-
lowed.
At the end of a musty hall was
Room E. When the negro lad ham
mered the door. 1t was opened.
Norma greeted Lexington. She wore
lavender satin negligee. with em-
=, broidered Turkish slippers. Her
hair shone as new gold, and pale.
She was deep in the aromatic lux
ury of a cigarette. At the sight of
Chez Ming. she merely drew closer
the of her gown. concealing her
white throat. .
| Come in. l see you brought your
friend with you"
Did you receive my telegram -
Yes. l had to tell the clerk that
Norma was my maid and that she
would come with you my husband.
| Nice story?'
| "Of course you are going to sell
| out the trunks to me-" said Con.
! 4 don't want your money. / want
/ his. Come on in. and close the door,
and let's talk it over"
The room was dreary. heavily cur
tained, with the worldwide smell
OF dust in the corners. The furnI-
! ture was Elizabethan. Chez Ming
placed himself silently upright on
the edge of a chair. while Norma,
Hospitality enthroned upon the bed,
adjusted the pillows better to sup
port her pretty head. and then faced
those who had called upon her.
| About the trunks" she said
quietly you can seen they're not
here"
Did you make a mistake?" asked
! Lexington.
Me? Not exactly. They wer.
here about fifteen minutes ago. ]
| sent them on to my rooms, my
apartment. You didn't expect me to
stay on here. did your"
| But where are your rooms?" Lei
me explain to you. Norma. You're
not expected TO lose out Only his
trunks have become more valuable
to me. You are not the only nick
ing expert. Last night Chez Minis
slipped a certain paper from me
and he still holds it. That is the
reason 1 wired you. want to buy
! turn them to him, he will give me
the bit of paper. You see, / must
have it."
That's too bad" said the girl
watching a gray-blue ring she had
! blown, as il lifted and moved over
across Chez Mlng's dark face: they
have gone on"
! What is the address,"
Don't be impatient"
She had finished the cigarette
with a sigh, and now arose. looking
straight at Lexington, who also
stood up. Con felt the chill of her
calculation. Chez Ming was stand
ing. deferentially, saying nothing.
Norma said:
Go away. now-both. of you. ]
want to dress"
will you take dinner with me
them pursued Lexington.
Possibly. I'll think it over"
"Morna, lit isn't just an ordinary
scrap of paper. It's something !
took from him in America, and last
night he laid me out for it."
where did he get it, first place -
You can ask him." said Con.
| But she was not interested.
| Go on, now. Get out" she re-
! peated.
| Norma gazed intently down upon
her bosom, where a pin would not
unclasp, having caught in the satin.
| She frowned upon it. holding her
breath, and her fngers were nimble
there. Then the pin came out, and
1 the lavender robe fell open. She
hummed softly to herself, and mov-
ed over toward the washstand. She
drew back her arms, and, at the
sam movement, the garment, to re-
move 1t.
What time is it?" she inquired.
Chez Ming's withered hand rattl-
| ed the latch of the door. Leving-
ton, close after him, passed out at
the door and closed it quickly be-
hind him.