Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08

who thereupon held out the fetish to me.
Something about his tiny beady eyes ar
rested my attention, and as I grasped the doll
felt his fingers press ball of paper into my
palm. Under cover of the table I unrolled this
and perceived that it was note from Levallois:
I'm a prisoner in the house where
Ali was hidden. In great danger-follow
boy-plenty Of men-speed essential"
I quickly informed Voltaire of the message
and rose to seek the boy. He was waiting by
the doors and as I approached he shuf1icd OF.
Only stopping to make sure that Durant was
collecting his men, we walked quickly after
our guide, who the moment he had left the
brilliantly lighted thoroughfare put his head
down and ran at great speed until he reached
the harbor. We were quickly in the narrow
alley where the police had waited on our first
visit. When I gained his side he pointed to
wooden cellar flap against the wall. and
whispered A.
Bell him ring-make much noise-plenty
fine you go in all ways same time" and with
that he disappeared.
Our plan was quickly formed Durand and
several men were to rush the cafe and enter
through the sliding panel which described to
him. Voltaire and a detective would enter
simultaneously by climbing over the gates, first
covering the deadly spikes with their capes,
#. while and three men forced an entry through
the cellar.
The signal for action was to be blast from
my whistle. My heart beat fast as I pushed
the blade of knife along the edge of the
Flap, seeking the bolt. This, after some diff
Guilty, I was able to work back, breaking nv
knife as did so. Fortunately remembered
the Chinese boys warning; it would have to
be surprise attack. A shrill blast warned
every one that the moment for action had
arrived
Pistol in hand tumbled down some rotting
wooden stairs. Above my head I heard the
mi Iaxy 1n.,l -I.@,
several shots. Somewhere bell was ringing
furiouSly.
AS we dashed down a narrow tunnel yolley
OF stones and bottles sang around us, and q
wooden door at the opposite end slammed shut.
but we had come prepared and the men with
me at once attacked it with axes and levers
Under our furious onslaught it splintered and
gave way.
THE light of our torches disclosed nariU1a
room. foul with the lees of stale poppv
smoke, which Tesembled a ships forecastle.
brazier in the center added its pungent char
coal fumes and made the air almost unbreath-
able. On both sides along the wall we saw
tiers OF hunks in which men sprawled in vari-,
GUS stages of drugged sleep.
A dozen coolies and Lascars, crowded to-
gether at one end awaited our rush with gleam-
ing knives and heavy clubs But We were by
now in a reckless mood
The fight was short and sharp
Two of my companions fell before we scat
tered the snarling Orientals, and a blow from
a club half stunned me for a moment but a
shrill voice calling wildly for help recalled INV
reeling brain to the necessity for immediate
action.
A second door fell before our attack, although
an unexpected rush of men from above forced
us reluctantly to use our pistols left nv men
and
Gevallois was still calling Justify for assistance.
! arrived Just in time
He was struggling on the ground with a
gigantic African, whose great hands were
around his throat. 1t was not time for niceties.
and fired point blank at the negro, and had
the satisfaction of seeing his grip relax. A mo-
ment later he sprawled sidewise and lay STILL
Quick" my friend gasped "this way. !
believe LIE Breton is there
/ ran after him down another passage
Behind me sounded the yells and cursessOf
Durand and his men, who had, by now come
to the aid of their colleagues.
Voltaire had espied his friend Levallois. ana
was close on my heels. The tunnel which we
had entered, sloped upward and our progress
was hampered by large barrels which came
rolling down the incline, but at last breathless
and exhausted We reached the upper air
Before us lay the courtyard from which All
had emerged. 1t was now filled with police
and the men we had pursued were already
prisoners, firmly gripped by arms and legs.
During the next hour We were busy taking
stock OF our haul. The house adjoining the
cafe was evidently the storehouse of the smug-
glers for in it we found a number of bales
containing contraband but lie Breton had slip-
ped through our fingers. When we searched
what had evidently been his office, I per-
ceived Levallois looking curiously at a large
bladder which glowed family luminous in the
dark.
See, voltaire," he squealed excitedly. NOW
we know how they landed the stuff It was
simply dropped overheard as the vessel steamed
along the East. Each bale was carefully pro-
tected from the water by tarpaulin and tied
to long rope, at the end of which was one Of