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

''A' ''1~ ~ tue lANli ~ ''N'' '''''''
he could not imagine just wha:
had brought his cnnfrcrcs here,
He ch~cklrd 70 think how Benson
had managed to get rid Of Gram
erhclt and Carson so quickly.
That left only Toptit in the field
a grnClinc Yankee agent WHOM
Hanecy rather respected.
There were no 'rikishas to re
had in This place, and Hanecy
suspected that the ScG2n chairs
might have previous and more
njmble tenants. 50 he preferred
walking. From previous visits he
knew the city we'll enough 10 find
his way about. and directed his
course 10 the south gate, whore
stood the government buildings,
Shortly before reaching these. he
compromised with dignity and
hired a chair which set him down
at the entrance 20 the Yamen.
Hanecy paid his respects to the
local mandarin. lie did It in his
usual fashion, without great re-
gard for etiquette. intending
merely to get the matter over AND
done with. so that he might be
free 10 act as affairs might dictate.
Somehow TO his surprise he found
himself received very cordially by
the mandarin. who was an official
from Pekin and who spoke Eng
fish.
Hanecy was still more aston
ished when the mandarin blandly
referred to what had brought him
and his fellow dealers TO Cheng-tu
! Perhaps you have not heard,
Mr.. Hanecy. that the things have
been dispersed"
Hanecy stalled. II know only
rumors, your excellency. What
are the facts"
The mandarin beamed on him
with oily grace. Hauecy decided
| to distrust the gentleman.
at is no news to you, OF course
that a workman in Honan I'M
earthed certain relics which must
have come from no other than the
tomb OF the Emperor Ling tt, OF
the Eastern-TIan dynasty"
That" said HaneCy promptly,
rs what brought me here"
"Of course" was the blanc re-
sponse. "You know that the
workman. who came from Cheng-
tn. fed here at once with the
things he uuearthed. but not be-
fore news OF his discovery had
gone abroad. Reaching here, he
coufided the treasure to a relative
and shortly afterward died. The
relative disposed OF the things
carelessly. Your fellow dealers
came here too late.
Hanecy expressed proper disap-
pointment. drank his tea to end
the audience. and departed
thoughtfully. He retraced his
steps across town by way Of the
moated. walled, and entirely
ruined palace Of the old Han en-
perors in the center of town.
At least. he had learned what
he was here for! 1t was not
likely that some workman had
CHANGED on an emperor's tomb
Most Of these tombs were looted
ages ago, but many yet remain
And Ling TT, who had reigned In
the second century A. D., would
have taken some fine things with
him to the spirit world.
I'D like to know whether this
mandarin was lying!" reflected
Hanecy. striding down the narrow
street that led past the ruined
palace moatS.
An instant later he had his
answer. 1t came in the shape of a
dirty beggar who rose up out OF
the dust and came within an ace
OF sending Hanecy TO join his
revered ancestors by means OF a
six-inch silver Of steel.
For a man so immersed n
thought, the American moved
with astonishing rapidity. With
his left hand he caught the knife
wrist and jerked the beggar for
ward; with his right he CROPPED for
the mans ribs. There was a
single wild howl. and Hanecy
looked calmly down at the with
ing object. He ignored the fast
gathering crowd.
1.-The hands of the foreign devils
are strong" he said grimly. BE
thankful that l broke your ribs in
stead of your neck, son OF a tur-
tle,"
He went his way chuckling 3
little to himself He knew now
that the mandarin had lied, and
that BENSON had lied. The Ling
Ii relics might be dispersed, but
they were within reach.
- p,,y, Il