San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-25
The Yellow Seven
THE HUT IN THE CLEARING
Copyright, 1923, NEA Service

This unusual series histories deal
with the exploits of "Chinese" IN
nington, detective sent by his govern
ment to British North Borneo to rul
to earth The Yellow Seven, gang o
Chinese bandits.
"Chinese" Pennington lay tappin,
the toes of his shoe together, gazir'
through the wreath of smoke that hun,
above him at lizard that chung t. ~,
ceiling of the veranda of Capt. Johr
Hewitt. commissioner of police.
hand reached down and scratched at 6
section of white calf that. showed be
tween the lowest extre--i ty Of a care
fully creased trouser-leg and the tor
of a crumpled sock. The strange dia.
gonal Sits, behind which his eyes had
a knack of disappearing, widened pres.
emily. and he looked across at Monica
''Hot, isn't it?" =
almost too hot to think. I'm glad
you've decided to sit up because I've
lots of things l want to ask you"
What sort of things. Mrs. Whey?
There are heaps of things l don't
understand" she told him. "Why
don't you arrest Mr.. Chai-Hung?"
You think we ought to-"
"Why, of course You know him to
be the leader of Chinese opinion on the
island; you know him to be cunning,
inscriptions. capable of anything
can't see why Jack bothers
himself to scour the countryside for
Chai-Hung's puppets-when the oily
Oriental who actually pulls the wires
is still at large"
The man with the Chinese eyes bal
anced rubber pouch on his knees and
began rolling a fresh cigaret. Monica
it difficult to associate in her mind the
two Penningtons-the youthful. i'm
macLate idler who Ornamented her
brothers bungalow, leading an appar-
emily purposeless existence, and the
gaunt, lean scarecrow who, master of
dialects and disguise-wandered unde-
tected from clearinghouse to camp
fire. bounding out the spreaders of a
ssedition that disturbed the peace of the
handful of white settlers that dwelt
on these fringes of civilization.
I'm afraid You have to blame me
for that. Mrs. Whey" he said slowly.
You see, things aren't always as easy
as they seem. Chai-Hung is still the
most respected Chinaman in Borneo.
I'm prepared to admit that there was
a time when things looked black
against him. 1t seemed incredible that
he should be able to find a way out.
but he did. Among a legion of wor-
Shipping followers it was by no means
difficult for him to discover a scape-
goat"
Monica sat up.
'But the Yellow Seven" she per-
sisted excitedly. Nothing can explain
away that"
Pennington spread out his hands.
81 know" he agreed "In almost
every outrage committed that yellow
card with its seven black dots has been
traced: but what does it go to prove,
after all?-merely that the perpetrator
belonged to q society or cult among
which this symbol exercises signifi-
canoe. 1t proves nothing against Chat
Hung" .t...
but. you know"
"Of course | know. You know
and so does your brother. but it's up to
us to prove our case. It's up to me to
catch Chai-Hung red-handed with the
cards in his possession. Have you ever
seen lalang, Mrs. Whey? It's weed
that grows high on Intended planta-
lions. Once deeply-rooted. it spreads
everywhere. To destroy it, you must
dig it up-roots and all-and burn it
until there is nothing left that can take
root again. The Yellow Seven is like
lalang. I've got to make certain that
Chai-Hung is the root-and the only
root"
II see." said Monica thoughtfully.
"And until this happens"
Until then every planter who walks
in lonely places-goes in peril of his
life; every white man who employs a
Chinese cook-boy should look closely
into his credentials when he engages
him. and carefully into his cooking
forever after.'
At that moment. Pennington. who
had been looking through the doorway
raised n warning finger. Monica
turned to see the face of Chai-Hung re-
garding her from the foot of the steps
which led to the veranda. Over his
head was the inevitable red umbrella.
and an understood coolie-ill-favored
and hump backed-lurked in the back
ground. The Oriental bent himself