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

SuperQble to money. re copicu
the inscription on the tablet.
thanked Yen Ching, and departed.
He went straight home TO
HANGS house. He had no doubt
that the tablet was genuine, ior
it was unmistakable Han jade.
such as IS no longer found In
China. It was, lie conjured, ono
Of number bound togetehr by
the pierced edges to form jade
book.
Kiang. who was quite scholar
enough to read the Han !deo-
graphs, confirmed this with visible
excitement upon seeing Hanecy's
copy OF the inscription.
This is the tenth tablet OF
jade sacrifcial book" he affirmed,
giving the virtues and honorable
names of the Emperor Ling tt.
My friend, ! congratulate you on
finding such a thing! But I have
heard OF Yen Cheng; he is a man
! OF honor and will not sell the tab
let until the six months of his
promise have expired.
Hanccy swore under his breath.
It WAS all he could do. He per-
ceived that this jade slab, even
without It's authentic historicity.
would fetch a huge price; any
museum would stretch its means
to get such a thing. But to wait
| six months or So
'T'll go back and see Yen Ching
again this afternoon, he said.
, Old Klang merely smiled.
Useless though he knew it TO be.
: llaneCy none the less started out
! when The heat Of Che afternoon
! was waning. and directed his steps
+ toward the old palace quarter. He
! had no definite intention beyond
J trying 10 get on some friendly
basis with the pawnbroker
! Before he was halfway 10 his
destination. however. he heard
himself addressed in IlaWless Man-
DARN. Turning in some surprise,
Hanecy saw at his elbow the man
I whom he had observed that morn
! lng--the man wearing black
cap, a fur-trimmed blouse, and
quilted trousers. The yellow man
bowed, and then took from be-
meath his blouse all object wrap
ped in faded silk.
Il was directed to give this to
you. cXcellency. with greetings
from an humble and most I'M
worthy friend who desires to
please you.
The speaker Immediately with
drew and disappeared in the
crowd. Hanecy, frowning, opened
the faded silk wrapping and dis
closed-the tenth tablet.
For an instant he was literally
dumbfouaded. From whom could
it have come-and why? AS he
7 strobe along he could scarce credit
| his good fortune.
Hanecy was nearing the south
gate when Il nearly naked coolie
wearing white head cloth--the
color OF neutrality-suspicious.
and spoke to him. He halted and
| listened.
When Jim Hanecy reached the
Lo-han bridge, he found the traf-
! Ac interrupted. Ahead OF him was
the temple Of his destination; also
ahead Of him. and occupying tho
center of the bridge, were a dozen
soldiers and an officer OF the man
darin's provincial army.
Concluding that some case OF
native jurisdiction was going for
ward, in which every one crossing
the bridge was being halted and
searched, or else that some GRIM
inal was being sought, Jim Hanecy
carelessly strobe ahead. To his
surprise, the officer in charge
stepped ont in front of him.
why are you stopping me-"
demanded Harecy, who was ac-
custOmed TO the Difference ac-
corded whites, and particularly
Americans. in the fowery king
dom.
The orders are most strict"
honorable sir" returned the Of
ticer. I've are posted here to APP
prehend murderer"
"Ah." Hanecy smiled You
will know him by sight, I sup
pose.
"Dy search. eXcellency. a mer-
chant named Yen Ching was muir
dered this afternoon. His slayer
carried OFF n highly valuable tablet
of old jade. and several tins Of
Opium--which is OF course contra
band. We have been given to I'M
dcrstand that it will come this
way"
HaRecy inspected the crowd
sharply. A steely glitter came into
his eyes. He perceived that a
clever trap had been set for him,
and now he saw who had set the
trap.
1t was Benson's doing. Of
course. Benson had sent his man
TO kill Yen Ching and steal the
tenth tablet. Then. in order 10
! Eet Hanecy out OF the way for
good and all, he had gone into
partnership with the mandarin.
The two were working together.
Seeing the white man hesitat-
ing, the soldiers drew in closer,
and with them the crowd behind.
II am an American, said
Hanecy. Even if ! had COM
mitted this crime. the mandarin
could not judge ne. must he
sent IN the consul at Chungking"
That may be true, "Nccllcncy,"
said the officer. Il have nothing
TO do with il"
Very we'll" Hanecy shrugged
his shoulders. 81 have a revolver
in a holster. You can see by pass