Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
The Fate of a
+. BeautiwlGnland
Tsvo Men Hung on
S. the Aceuracy of q
Single Shot But
YonMnst Read the
Story to Find Ont
Just .What Hap !
pened and Ho1U 1t
All Came About.

HMATOWN at midnight is place of
heavy stiffness. where lurking shadows
dissolve into stealthy, stunning move
ment, and where Sits of yellow light
~ CLEAN momentarily like swiftly drawn
knives, only to be sheathed in the smelly dark
ness once more. Prowling cats; the sibilant
sputter Of an arc-hgkt harassed by blinded
beetles: the hoarse rumble Of . belated tr0l-
ley-car-and always, under the thin crust Of
deceptive silence, the steady now Of hidden life
hke o subterranean river.
BY the river there Is doorway carved and
painted; lettered, too, unostentatiously. an
nouncing tea and pottery shop within. The
characters that make up the name 'Tsen Lee"
may well be small and Of q convenient dingi-
ness. For does not the hawk wear dun-colored
plumage that he may better pOunce upon his
brighter brethren? Does not the puma drift
like q gray shadow In the midst Of the forests
blatant gold and green?
Above, upon the street, darkness. In the
closely shattered shop. heavier darkness, over
laid with dim odors Of incense and tea. But
underneath the shop long high room, with
dragon panels OF golden threads, whose shut
tered windows were barely above the ineessant
lapping Of the river. a room tightly shut
against the outside night and curiCusly
deadening TO the senses. A hot, bright room,
IN which voices made dali sounds that never
reached beyond the inclosing walls. And hare,
facing each other as from the points of q tn
angle marked upon the Moor. three men with
hate In their eyes, but With lips grim and
disciplined:
TWO Of them were gray-eyed. white Of skin;
aliens Of the Offering Oriental splendor
Of the place. The third was he whose name
was painted 80 unostentatiously On the street
ak
man robed In Q heavy gown of black silk en-.
broidered In gold with q creeping dragon that
stirred Ike living thing Is the man leaned
forward from the carved teakwood chair IN
which he sat.
"You have come to my unworthy house-Sor
what?"
It was Benjamin Usher, chief of the China
town squad. who answered him. slight ges-
ture Of his hand had checked the sudden
movement Of the younger man near him.
Never mind the evasions, Tsen Lee. We know
you have this girl, Loya Thorn, and we are
here to get her back without TROUBLE. We don't
want another tong war On our hands, or I'd
have YOU locked up this minute"
The yeliow-faeed man permitted himself the
slightest smile.
you speak 30 positively, Honorable Detec-
tive. You cannot be certain that have the
girl. Neither can you know surely whether she
is aiiRe-or dead"
At this, the youngest man made a sound in
his throat. A harsh rasping sound.
IT she isn't alive-and mhurt-" But
Ushers sharp gray eyes flashed him an I'M
peratiye command and the boy sank into
silence.
The detective went on matter of -factly. He
would not even wipe the sweat that was drip
ping down into his eyes. He disregarded the
sitting heat OF the room. "Tsen Lee, You kid
mapped Loya Thorn from the Mission, where
she Is teacher. She is this chaps hancee-
you know who he sis--Brlee Norton"
The listening Oriental licked q glance at
the younger man, with his white face and
blazing blue eyes. He licked another at Usher.
The girl is Chinese" he said toneleasly;
"she Is an orphan, and Is the ward OF the Yet
Sing Tong, which unworthy have the honor
to represent"
"You lie!" Bruce Norton's voice came thick
and hot. "Her father was yhite-an American