The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-07-20
5Ue YGGL0W SEVEN.
y TIE BOY IRl(RN
eyeprioNp SHELLY
n,osvs~rup ny
Gusa sHp>ncs ,re 40 Nv a@uIHElsLn

than a mild sensation IN any quar-.
ter OF tho globe whore there hap.
pens 10 be preponderauoe OF uu.
attached males II was perfectly
natural, therefore, that Monica
Whey az such times when her
brother was occupied with his az
fairs. was rarely at loss Tor a
cavalier 10 accompany her on her
habuual excursions In search OF
knowledge. after the sun was down
AZ these times. however. Penning.
ton was never available. He came
and went aud yet she had never wit
messed either his arrival or de-
parture.
IL was during one OF those eve.
ming walks that she persuaded Daw,
son-a local district officer--to take
hor 20 a gambling den.
They had been suolling lelsurely
thru the native quarter. stopping
az lnnumcahle stores and parehas.
Ing an inordinate quantity OF per
fcctly uselcs sarticles. They halted
presently before long building
from which, az intervals. came
bursts OF cultural chattering. A.
one end door stood haltopon. a
patch or yellow light falling on tho
roadway.
She caught his arm lmpulslvoly
aud tried 20 drag him toward the
entrance. but Dawson. cautious amt
immoyahle as granite, waited until
there was n lull IN tho stream Of
dcvotecs lilo guided her thru tar
doorway and into a narrow cubicie
screened from the entpncc.hall hy
a heavy curtain. An elderly China
man, hump-backcd aud wizencd. left
tho stool on which he had been
seated. nodded 20 Lawson and went
out Her escort placed tho stool
Ia front or narrow slit cut In
the woodwork
Monica peersd cautiously thru
There was a Ions table running tho
whole length OF tho hall. round
dozen OF smaller ones. and tho en-.
tire walls seemed 70 be covered
with crudely- eolorcd pictures with
cut frames. The whole atmosphere
throbbed with fevcrish activity. the
rafting Of dice. and spasmodc. In
nrticulate grunis that sho could
not decide whether intended for
signs OF pleasure or despair. There
were clerks in white duck, native
overscors in greasy suits. coolies
with PREDETERMINED hats of plated
cane and wearing only loln.elothH.
a Chinaman. wearing enormous
horn.rimmed Bpectncles. sat AZ the
far end OF a big table before what
appeared TO be tho inverted halves
OF coc0anut shells Whenever these
were lifted. there arose a repetition
Of the dscordant babel she had
heard a. they approached. An along
both sides. orientais Of every class
and distinction thronged tho rocking
forms Every row and then a man
rose. seemingly emotloulcss, and
left the table.
Monica. the novelty Of this
strange scene holding her en-.
thralied. allowed her gaze To wander
round the room. Presently It fell
upon tho form Of an Oriental In a
suit OF greasy blue whose fncc
seemed peculiarly familiar. Every
time a player from the top vacated
his seat. this enthusiastic gambler
moved into It. In this manner Rc,ling
gradually nearer 10 tho man with
the horn trimmed spectaclss who
manipulated the shells Presently
he looked up at the swinging oil
Iamp-and Monica uttered a little
cry. In spite Of the elaborate dis,
guisc. there was something In the
set Of the mobile mouth. something
In the polse Of the shoulders that
betrayed him. She found her lips
forming the words Chinese Pen.
nington."
A moment ls4er and he had
reached the apparent zenith Of his
desire. His elbow touched the
sleeve Of the man who presided.
but his eyes were staring straight
before him at an enormous China.
man who sat opposite. both hands
resting on tho table. the fingers
slightly closed.
For some reason that she could
not quite define. mental picture
began forming In her mind. pic
turs that the vividness Of penning.
toms description had impressed on
her memory. Shs raw a glade in
the nIghtshrouded jungle wastes.
huddled form with a long knife pro-
truding from between hunched.up