The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-12-10

rockets. Anger stirred In him
deeply. When the ofhcer stood
back, looking a trifle dismayed,
Hanecy eyed him with q grim
smile.
80, my friend! Now tell me
the truth. You were Informed
that the jade tablet would be In
my possession, is 1t not 80! Your
men were waiting here for me?"
The officer stammered. Yes,
excellency-and the opium also-
Hanecy's eyes glittered. Il
don't forget the opium" he said
crisply. How much OF 1t was
stolen from the shop of Yen
Ching?"
-Four ten-tael tins, e1cellency.
Yen Ching was found dead, clasp
ing the struggled case IN his
hands. Those who found him
looked at once for the Jade tablet.
which was his most valuable pos
sessoin-"
II see," said Hanecy. "some-f
body came to get the jade. and
seeing the opium, decided to take
that as well, eh / suppose that
| may pass by"
The official bowed in some COZ
fusion.
jim Hanecy passed him. passed
the soldiers who were staring al
him opsn-mouthed. 1t was evil.
dent that they had all been walt
! IIonnHvfhaf fhnIR
stopBage of other persons was all
blind. Hanecy perceived tha(
trap quite clearly.
AS Hanecy came to the little
icrowd Of people waiting, he
whirled suddenly, paused and
turned upon them. There was Z
swift scattering. bleat OF terror;
they knew, these yellow folk,
when death was looking out Of the
eyes OF man!
The hand of Jim Hanecy slip
ped to his armpit. There was .
sharp crack-he stood with .
little curl Of vapor rising from the
tip Of his pistol. then he showed
the weapon away. Ono OF the
crowd, a man who had been stink
ing back out Of sight. lay out
stretched and motionless.
The soldiers ran in. shouting. To
surround Hanecy. He did 1Ot
move until the officer came Up
then he turned and smiled grimly.
That man." and he gestured
toward the body, lis the one who
murdered Zen Ching. Let search
&c made, and the opium will b
found upon him."
That one" cried out the omoer,
taken aback. why. that 10 the
one who" He checked himself
suddenly. Haneey finished the
sentence for him.
That is the one who bora word
to the yamen that was guilty;
Yes. know It. Let the search b
made quickly. l have no more
time to waste"
The officer approached the body.
The soldiers and yellow folk
stared in dumb establishment at
the scene. The officer knelt and
searched the body OF the dead
mantle man who wore q black
cap. a fur-tyimmed blouse. and
quilted trousers. When the officer
rose, he held four tins Of opium.
Justice" said Hanecy dirty.
is the rarest and most admirable
OF virtues. Return 10 the yamen
with news Of what has been done
here. II my presence is desired.
l shall be at the Tu-kung-tas
yonder."
The officer bowed. speeches.,
and motioned his men to fall
away from Hanecy.
The American passed on with
out looking back at the scene.
When he had left the bridge be-
hind and was out Of sight, he re-
moved his hat and wiped the
sweat from his brow. A dry
laugh was on his lips.
"Justice." he said. well,
that's the sort of abstract justice
these yellow men adore; the kind
they understand. BY tomorrow
I'll be hailed far and wide as the
light Of Asia or something. Ell?
| sure hope that coolie shows W
with the tenth tablet"
He wendell his way TO the
temple where Toptit awaited him.
He found Toptit in one OF the
arbors, busily inscribing verses
upon a sheet Of red paper.
Hanecy told his partner exactly
what had transpired. Toptit lis
tened in silence, made one or two
corrections In his last verse, and
then broke the silence.
You are cursed reckless, Han
ecy," he said. How did you know
that the man was the murderer"
II didn't" and Hanecy chuekled.
THAT was the gamble. II looked
rs though whoever stole the jade
had caught Yen Ching with some
opium, and had hooked the opium
Of his own account. Then, Of
course. Benson had kept him busy
ever since laying that trap for me.
sambled that the opium was on
him-and It was"
Blu; the jade" exclaimed Top
tit. You calmly handed it over
10 that coolie-"
Sure" Hanecy lighted hts
pipe and relaxed comfortably.
"0id Kiang had sent the coolie to
me. sayvy? Sent him TO catch mo
with word that there was some
sort OF trap In prospect So I
handed over the Jade tablet. He
promised to bring it here"
a coolies promise!" gruntsd
Toptit.
well. l told you the fellow had
white mourninE-rag on. didn't