The Washington herald., 1920-02-02
CHAPTER u1.-continued.

CHAPTER yII.-Continued.
Il would not kill any one. unless
he make me trouble" said the ORR
entail.
1t pleased Con to have him talk.
1t was interesting to watch the thin
brown lips hold stirly the forma-
ton of the English words. Every
syllable was a struggle for Chez
Ming. He hated Levington-which
is a refined emotion in the East. He
had not by, any means forgotten the
sickening twist delivered to his own
spine when he had met this youne
mountain-lion in the wedger pan
try.
The boat began to grind Internal
ly. The low wet wharf widened.
The passage to Peking was begun.
There would be brief stop at the
Tien-tsin front. then on to the Tar
tar, city.
Don't go, please" said Leving-
ton, as the Chinese made as IL to
pass him. You can't get off now
Have you no interest in the news
bring you?" Con was smiling a
little.
What have you to say, sir?"
your three trunks. full of pretty
things. are not on this boat"
They will await my order in
Peking," said Chez Ming coldly.
NO" said Con. mot so. The bag
gage checks you hold are no good"
Chez Ming could not brook 50
much Americanism. Now the white
man let him go. probably to verify
certain statements. Very shortly
the Chinese returned. No haste was
apparent in his manner, his sleeves
were limp as usual; but an electric
nervousness seemed to vibrate from
him.
What say-of my trunks
Maybe 1 will tell you. and maybe
not. You have something in your
bosom that 1 want. 1 got it away
from you once, and can do il
again"
The West and the East eyed each
other, and every human relation
faded between them. There was not
even anger. The moist air cooled
Levington's head. His eyes were as
hard as his opponents. No wav-
ering in this silent exchange of hos
tility. Then an amazing thing hap
pened. Chez Ming smiled. 1t was
a chill smile, faint, beautiful, ironic
enough to have frosted a set OF
enemy nerves. There was the steel
Of kings under the velvet of his
words:
Take me to my trunks. and !
will give you map"
His actual state of mind-was per.
fectly concealed. Con vas physi-
cally i'll from the poison that was
slow to work off, yet mentally he
lived now in the rare atmosphere
of an antagonism spue so fine as to
lbe inspiring. Doubtless as a matter
of ancestry. Chez Ming made an art
of enmity.
Il will wait" said Lexington
until you are satisfied that there is
no other way for you to regain
them"
"Ah. yes. Mr.. Lexington"
1t was queer to take the sound OF
his own name from Asiatic lips. al
most as IL he were not himself.
AS the boat came opposite Tien-
tsin docks. and headed in, Con wrote
a message:
Sell me trunks at your price
Leave them in your room. Will
reach you at U. S. Consulate"
This he addressed to Norma Vail
ale. at the Tourist House, Peking
He left the river boat long enough
to carry his message to a telegraph
office. Con did not wish Norma to
lose her prize. Rather, II she would
sell them to him. he could return
them to the Chinese and secure
from him the small white parch-
ment-perhaps. He would try to
develop the possibility
As he ran back after sending the
telegram, he had a glimpse of Chez
Ming, not far distant. The yellow
man had been following him. Even
this emissary from the Cobb, unus-
ual human creature, could be caught
In a display of anxiety.
He is Worried" said Con to him
self. He took certain delight in
hatling Chez Ming loudly.
The fog did not clear away all day.
1t tinctured the rice and lay in rusty
patches ON the celery. but 1t could
not spoil the tea. Also it had some
thing to do with the fish. Leving-
ton was thirsty. A deep, dull head
ache remained with him.
Darkness completely claimed the
river before the boat bolted to a
stop, the end of her voyage up
stream. Street lights were lazy
around the quay. Coolies were lin
ed up in order; all was different
from the port town. There was even
motor car, serving as bus to the
Tourist House. As Lexington was
about to climb into 1t, hand pluck
ed at his sleeve. Chez Ming stood
beside him,
you forget?" he inquired.
Not for one minute,p answered
Con. Have you found your
trunks?"
without replying, or intending to
reply, the Chinese mounted at the
rear door Of the motorbus. and sat
down beside Lexington.
1t was one of the final fogs for
Peking, and winter was ready to
harden down. There would be
weeks Of bitter weather. This was
part Of the plan, for Lexington to
traverse the known lands in tho cold
season. to be in readiness at the