Evening star., 1922-01-15

his ankles being bound likewise.
Shwang. the river pilot, had lost four
men before he captured Toptit-and
he had found the American asleep at
that. Something of this showed at
the dried blood streaked across Top
tits face.
ting enough to eat?'
"Plenty. thanks" said Toptit. in his
cheerfully negligent way. But I'd
appreciate a smoke. if you have one
to spare"
You bet"
Benson produced cheroots. He took
one himself, then placed one between
Toptit's lips. and held a lighted match
to each. This done. he seated him.
self opposite his captive and inspect
ed the latter critically.
"oh, I'm all here" said Toptit
whats troubling me is, why don't
you have me killed?'
Benson smiled. Because I'm ex-
pecting Hanecy." he answered. Il
wrote him in your name"
"oh" said Toptit. He gave no sign
of the awful chill that swept his
spine. That's good of you!
But
You see," explained Benson calm
ly, you're only an incident. but Han
ecy is something else, again. He'll
bring all the stuff with him that you
and he have collected; I'll take the
lot, thanks. Then Hanecy will watch
while you're wiped out. The process
will 6n
hurt him bad-and mean to hurt him
to the soul before I'm done with
him."
You're a hell of a white man." was
wrenched from Toptit. Then he
forced himself to smile again. "Bet
you ten dollars jim doesn't fall into
your trap"
Benson merely laughed at this.
without response. From his pocket
he took q small object and set 1t on
the floor between himself and Toptit-
THIS object was cylinder Of old
L yellowish Han jade, square on
the outside, with the cavity perfectly
round. A thick round lip projected
about each end of the cylinder. This
object had been taken from the tomb
Of the Emperor Ling tt, the Eastern
Han dynasty, and had been secured
by Toptit just before his capture.
'why do you call this an Image
Of Earth?" asked Penson meditative-
ly. Its the wheel nave Of an imperial
Jade chariot"
you're wrong" said Toptit.
I'm right" asserted Benson, who
usually knew what he was talking
about. "Bushell has identified these
objects as such, aud there's no au-
thority beyond him"
"Yes, there is-common sense" said
Toptit.
"Bushell got his data out of the old
classical work the Ku Yu T'u P'u and
that was utterly wrong. II you'd
kept up with things. you'd know.
Laufer has published the matter fully.
He's identified these things as images
of the deity Earth. This is the forty
seventh specimen known to be in ex-
istence."
"On what grounds?" Benson spoke
as calmly as though discussing the
matter in some drawing-room, and
Toptit met his manner with equal
phlegm.
He's identified them with the
t'sung mentioned in the chronicles
Of the Chou dynasty as images Of the
deity Earth. The shuo Wen calls the
tsung an auspicious jade resembling
a wheel nave There's the root Of the
mistake"
'BVt an Image Of Earth is said to
have eight sides!" broke in Benson
perplexedly. ITS been figured by
Gingen and others as an eight-pointed
star
"All bosh," said Toptit. Look at
the thing, there-you'll find four cor
ners at each end Of the cylinder!
There are your eight angles; just as
the Chinese call q rectangular block
octagonal-because it has eight cor
ners or angles. The shape is the
common symbol Of Earth. Look the
thing up for yourself and you'll find
I'm right"
Every likely" said Benson. ''very
likely"
He stared at the object with re-
fiective eyes, for the moment quite
absorbed in it. A shrill scream came
suddenly from outside scream
filled with horror, fear, woe-a scream
wrenched from the very soul OF .