Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-28
Tho NOommov A Mystery Story
AAW D@55%A BY Mary DahIberg
Copyright. 1880. By Dufnsld and Company

civilization and industrialism. In the
| Old Walled City streets were jumbled
| in a confusion past Westeren compre-
| hension. Shops were very similar TO
those of the North African cities Dag
ger had visited: sanitation was ignored;
people lived in the intimacy of bee
hive; business, trade. manufacture were
conducted on the most primitive basis.
| But adjoining the Walled City, sur
| rounding 1t, were more modern quar-
| tiers, mainly Chinese in architecture,
to be sure, yet struggling to adopt some
measure of the spaciousness Of the
West, while here and there foundries
roared and factories spun and wove
and punched metal.
| In the midst of all was reared
Chang's palace, building of colossal
dimensions, conceived in an atrocious
mimicry Of nineteenth century public
buildings in Europe. It's one claim to
beauty was the park which ringed It's
ugly square bulk. The garden wall was
dotted with sentries and machine guns,
and in barracks adjacent q battalion
of infantry slept constantly upon their
arms.
| Americans. from the consul down,
were inclined to laugh at DaggerS am
bition to meet the Tu-chun-
| MY dear lady, he's q most attrac-
tive bandit, and he has the largest
! harem of Western women owned by
any one individual in China, but you'd
be disappointed in him, l assure you.
| He takes himself very seriously. And
wouldn't encourage a woman OF your
| position to meet him - not that he
could do anything to you. you know,
| but he says the most terrible things, II
he happens to feel like 1t. And he
asks questions, too-oh, you'd be very
unhappy"
Dagger quietly recited her recent
| adventures.
do you think he'd be more danger
Gus or annoying than q caravan of
Saharan Arabs?" she demanded.
"We-eell - perhaps not. But you
won't get anything out Of him. He
| rather looks down on women, to be
honest with you"
II wonder If you'd be willing to for
ward him note from me?" she asked.
| friendly with him"
"Oh, glad to, of course" This was
the consul. But oflcially, must
| frown and"
"Frown all you please" Dagger in
terrupted cheerily, so long as you do
what I want"
The consul laughed.
81 know how you get what you want"
! he said. "Scribble your note, Mrs.
N0AACCAA46t anu i II 4AAOAOoC Az WAbAA -
consular chit. You'll probably receive
an invitation to meet the harem, at
| least-and they tell me that's one Of
the sights of China"
Dagger's note was of the briefest:
ITO the Tu-chun Chang Kai Sho:
ST have heard of you from Blaine
Howard. Will you talk to me Of him?
He was lost in the Great War, and l.
| seek those of his friends he loved best
to refresh my memory of him.
ALEXANDRA VANEERING."
His response was as sudden as it was
unexpected. That afternoon the street
in front of Dagger's hotel was invaded
by troops Cavalry on chunky horses
galloped into formation: a long column
of infantry unwound itself. And next.
to the wailing invocation of Chinese
music, a little group of mounted men
rode up to the portico. To Dagger
watching amusedly from her window,
came the hotels Japanese proprietor,
abashed and uncertain.
IF you please, madame, ne ex-
claimed, sucking in his breath politely
and trying to conceal his worry, "the
Tu-chun is below and asks to see Vou.
Most unusual, this doing, madame.
Maybe I better send for American,
Japanese consul. What you think2"
ASK the Tu-chun to come upstairs,
p0I. AIdhA, 0dB6Cl o1AoWNASAy
amused than ever. mo, I don't think
we need the consuls. I invited the
Tu-chun to call"
MIR. AraH looked doubtful.
Chang plenty big man." he asserted
doubtfully. Never can know what he
do. Make trouble with Russian for
woman"
ne won't make tn, trouble sp, for me- e.,
him IN IN EQInn ~
"If you please" Mr.. Araki ducked
his head and sucked in his breath
simultaneously, perfect embodiment OF
Eastern and Western courtesy. But
If he make trouble you call loud and i
come quick. No Chinese man do this
in my hotel, madame-no, not the Tu-
chun himself"
I'm sure he won't" Dagger asSented.
But if he does"
Mr. Araki glowed under her smile and
retired And q few moments later
there was a knock on Dagger'S door.
Come in" she said.
A voice spoke gutturally and the door
swung open, framing the tallest, gaunt-
est man she had ever seen, taller by
reason of the long, silken robe he wore
and the peacock's feather in his man
darin's hat-itself commentary upon
the Republican regime in China. HIS
face, too, was long and gaunt, its slant
eyes bright as an eagles and as cruel,
his nose, which fiared at the nostrils,
hooked in q predatory beak.
One hand was hooked in the sash OF
his robe, revealing talon-like fingers,
their tips incased in the silver sheathS
which had been fashionable for men
of rank under the empire. He was
long, too, in his legs, horseman's legs
that straddled beneath the skirts OF the
robe. Behind him Dagger glimpsed
the hall full of officers in khaki, MI.
Araki lowering uneaSily in their midst
There was a. glitter of swordhilts and
the electric bulbs shone duly on the
butts of holstered automatics, but 50
far as she could see the tall man IN
the doorway was unarmed.
He stared at her with a frank in-
terest which reminded her of the ref
erenceS in books she had read to 'in1-
passive yellow masks" And the arro-
gance in his jet eyes was minimized BY
the courtesy with which he addressed
her