The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-06-07

By FRED V.
WILLIAMS
A Sequel to The Beacon Hill Mystery"
Romance and Adventure in Seattle

"iAttr Nt sAtlr fAfft lrk me assure
you that the council Of five intend
no harm. that q merely wishes 10 ~
assured. once you have taken this
oath not % betray g you are free
20 SO
why for that natter he spoke
up II can SO on wearing this thlng
an my life ana not ny 70 take Il OF
! can live JUST the same"
The Chinaman smiled pityinrly.
You white men amuso me"
he said. 1.-The oriental brain
reasons more Cunningly. In iS
hours the seal upon that poison
Vial dissolSes and you arr
dead man
'Fortyslrht hoursf" Clark Easped.
Forty eight hours 20 ilyer'
Hls face was white. lie stared
duly AZ tho ring upon his nnEer.
u give up he said weakly.
D you people. anyway. what
have ! done 20 your Why won't
you leave me alone7
The Chihaman smiled "a his easily
Won victory lie pulled out a heavy
sold watch aud glanced M tho time.
THAT ring has been on your
finger three hours" he said.
''Nou have IS hours In which 10
reach the council u five. The
Journey can be made In about
10 hours. barring accidents. nd.
wise you TO leave now"
Clark Hneored.
SO you are tho man who put it
there. he aid. 4 desire 20 thro,'
Ito the old man before him came
over him but he suppressed II.
Plainly he was AZ this ChlnAmAn's
mercy. lie suhsided az n strange
glitter in the old mans eyes.
Where can I find this council OF
fveT'' he asked.
The old man leaned across tho
table.
Arrangements for that already
have been made. he said. ~ mile or
two south OF here you will sec a tug
anchored OF shore. A dory from tho
tug Will BE- waiting 10 put you
aboard This tug will carry you
south 10 seaside. where you will
take train 20 Astoria.
Get or the train a, Astoria. \
young man % my race viii meet you
there and viii take you TO the water,
front where you'll find a launch
waiting THIS will carry you UP the
Columbia river 90 an island where
YOU may meet and talk with the
council
Are you coming with me- ne
asked. Tho old man bowed and
smiled.
II would Ike 20. bu, I have other
business 10 attend TO. no said. Good
Night and good tuck. Ny country.
men viii treat you kindly u you take
their oath"
Clark stumbled out into tho night.
he walked for an hour or 20 down
the beach. Tho ring upon hla finger
seemed to ptsss heavily. It's weigh,
was like the burden Of years. There.
In esnd OF gold. was dtath--in a.
hours.
What u tho tug should not be
there? What " he should miss the
young Chinese az Astoria7 SuppOsc
an aecidcn, happened to the launch
Death would be upon his finger,
Clark found the dory wi;h two
men sitting In Il. waiting. and he Wa
soon aboard the tug. As soon as The
three were aboard the tug steamed
south toward tho Oregon coast and
I Seaside.
\ Iio was set ashore at Seaside after
tho long ride just in time TO make
connections with a late train for
Astoria. Few passengers boarded u
The conductor who collected his fare
looked ourlously at Ciarks pale
drawn face and then smiled al sight
OF his Easel Queer folks. these
artists. he thought.
"Odd ring you've got there" h,
commented In passing. Clark mum
bloi an Incoherent reply and the mar
! went on.
Clark rode on to Astoria in .
half-dazs. Time and again no giance,
AZ tho ring and then turned from 4
with a shuddsr.
At Astoria he SHE'D away from !
struggling crowd that was ieayins
the train and stood alone under 1
lamp. a hiss az his back attracted
his attention. He turned and saw I
weIi.dresscd young Chinese.
Follow me. said the youth. clarl
did. descending into the shadows tina
skirtcd the bay shore.
Continued In the next issue)