The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-07-23
0gsA stsNsr ue.His
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balanced a rubber pouch on his knees
and began rolling fresh clgaret.
Monica watched him impatiently. She
found 4 difficult TO associate In her
mind tho two renninEtons the
youthful, immaculate idler who orna-
mcntcd her brothers bungalow. lead
ing an apparently purposelcss exist
ence. and tho gaunt lean scarecrow
who. master OF dialects and dis
gulsc wandered un detc c ted from
drinking house TO opium den. from
marketplaco 10 campfire. bounding
out the sprradors OF scdition that
disturbed the peace OF tho handful OF
white settlers that dwclt on these
frinEes OF civilization,
"Im afraid you have 90 blame me
FOR that, Mrs. Whey" he said slow
n. you see. things aren't always
as easy as they seem. Chai.Hung
Is sim the most respected Chinaman
in Borneo. I'm prepared 20 admit
that there was a time when things
looked black against him. II seemed
incredible that he should be able TO
find a way out. but he did Among
a legion OF worshiplng followers Il
was by no means difficult for him TO
discover a scapc- goat"
Monica sat up,
"Rut the Yellow Seven" she per-
sisted excitedly Nothing can ex-
plain away that"
Pennington spread out his hands.
4 know" he agreed. lin almost
every outrage committed that yellow
card with It's seven black dots has
been traced: but what does Il 10 10
prove. after Rlle-merely that the
perpotrator belonged To a society or
cult among which this symbol exer-
ciSes n significance. II proves moth
Ing against ChRi-Hung.f
But you know
'of course know. You know
and so does your brother. but irs up
20 us 20 prove our case. It's up 10
me 70 catch Chai-Hung red-hAnded
with tho cards In his possession.
Have you ever seen lalanE. Mrs
vineys It's n weed that grows high
on Intended plantations. Once deep
ly-rooteA Il spreads everywhere. To
destroy H. you must dig Il up-roots
and ail-and burn II until there Is
nothing left that can take root again.
The Yellow Seven Is like laiang. I've
got 90 make certain that Chai-HunK
IS the root-and the only root"
Il see" said Monica though,fuily.
and until this happens"
Until then every planter who
walks In lonely places-goes In peril
ot his nfc: every white man who
employs n Chinese cook boy should
look closely into his credentials when
he engages him, and carefully into
his cooking forever after"
~ that moment. Pennington. who
had been looking thru the doorway
raised a warning finger. Monica
turned % see the face OF Chai-HunE
regarding her from the foot OF the
steps which led TO the veranda. Over
his head was the inevitable red UNI
brella. and an underszed coolie--iil.
favored and hump-ha ckcd--lurked In
the background. TIL. Oriental bent
himself nearly double before the Eng
lish girl
Good afternoon. Mrs viney. How
d'you do. Mr.. Pennington7 Is His
E1eellency the Commissioner AZ
homer
I'm afraid he's out. Mr. Chat
Hung" she said.
Il came IN by the train this after
noon." he said. In a rasping voice. II
came 70 suggest that a little more
police vigilance might be exerted In
the district in which my estate Hes
An unpleasant incident occurred
there last night. slr. Allison--an as
sistant on local plantation-wns the
victim OF what / believe you call "A
gang-murder'."
Pennington's brain reeled-
~Allison!" he gasped.
The Oriental nodded calmly.
1T appears no was the bearer OF
"a considerable sum OF money with
which 70 pay the coolies. end stayed
a trins too long at a friends bun
galow.'
Thanks" said Pennington drily.
I'm much Obliged. It's queer
thing. Mr.. Chai-Hung. but I'd always
regarded your territory free from this
sort OF thing. I rather fancied II was
because you we're there!"
For fraction OF second the eyes
Of Chai-Hung flashed fire.
The Chinaman produced an envel-
ope from his tunic pocket.
Perhaps you would be kind
enough 70 hand this to Captain Hew-