Evening star., 1922-01-15

worst lot of notwithstanding to
murder me"
He slumped down in the knotted
silken cords, and his head lulled for
ward. At this instant came the crack
of an automatic pistol from the river,
followed by a crash of muskets, the
screams of men and the shrill jackal-
cry Of women.
The Englishman shivered, then
woke into action.
No fool, this man from the sky!
He slashed Toptit free and dragged
the senseless body to the entrance.
One swift glance showed him the de-
serted gardens, the abandoned pavil-
ion beyond; he cooked his ear at the
murderous tumult from the river, and
nodded. Then he leaped back into the
little summer house.
A wax vesta from his case, and an
other. He held the little tongues Of
flame to the lattice-work Of the walls.
The thin wood, gilded and lacquered
carving that had known no rain for
two hundred years, embraced the
slavering tongues eagerly. Before the
man was back at the entrance flames
were roaring.
II y +
THE Englishman stopped, and came
L erect with the senseless Toptit
across his shoulders. Hardly stoop-
ing under the weight, he ran back
the way he had come-ran across the
overgrown garden and compound,
1a nd ,tNy
gateway in the rear wall and was
gone among the young trees which
formed a wind-break at the crest Of
the rise, behind the Sen-chi house.
There, among the trees, he dropped
his burden.
Only a thin, weakly growth OF
trees, these, where once had lowered
graceful forest chieftains for the de-
light Of mandarins. On the far side
of them glimmered the wide meadow
of bush grass where the rare gar
dens had flourished. In the midst Of
this tall grass lay the wide wings Of
a plane, one wing crumpled and
broken. A bad landing, obviously.
The Englishman lighted cigar
cite. Then, retracing his steps lit
tie, he looked curiously at the place
he had Just left. In the center Of the
gardens the little summer house was
roaring up in a column of flame.
Men came running, weapons in hand,
oaths outpouring. In the van was
Benson, and after him a string OF yell
low fiends, blood-stained, 1usting.
The Englishman watched. and
speedily came to some understand
ing of the situation. Benson cursed
furiously, yet neither he nor other
men might approach that blazing
column of fire-wherein, as all
thought, Toptit had been consumed.
Hanecy was dragged forward into
the earden-a wild figure. fast in
the net that held him helpless. Ben
son swore at him in frantic rage,
in drunken exultation; struck him
across the face again and again
then snapped out an order and the
netted Hanecy was dragged away.
"Pon my word" muttered the Eng
,ishman. amazedly. "The beggars
don't know I'm here-what?"
When Toptit came to his senses hot
coffee from a thermos bottle was
trickling down his throat, and his
wrists had been rubbed and kneaded
back into revivified action. He sat
up and stared at the Englishman.
you're real"
IT fancy so," admitted the other,
chuckling. "Dev'lish uncertain, this
life, what?''
"where's Benson? Where am I?
Look out for them
'Right-o! Another sip Of this cof-
fee-good! All snug here. old char"
"who are you?" demanded Toptit
with more coherency.
'.Craven, R. A. F. I'm a loan to
the Chinese government-plottin' out
a bit of the new air route up from
Shanghai. Little bit Of all right, my
comm along, what? Engine went