The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-08-20
DAG Gs E R
bv Mary DahHberg

tination, Dagger appreciated that
 a man as positive in his personal
 ity as Ghulam Bulk was the anil
 mating force of this system of aG-
 ministration
 ] Sung-fu was vast, sprawling city
 of half a million souls, quaint ] combination of Chinese and West
 ern ideals civilization and indus
 trialsm In the Old Walled City
 streets were jumbled in a confusion past Western comprehension. Shops were very similar to those of the North African cities Dagger had visited; sanitation was ignored; peo- pie lived in the intimacy of a bee hive; business, trade, manufacture were conducted on the most primi- tive basis.
 But. adjoining the Walled City, surrounding it, were more modern quarters, mainly Chinese in archi- lecture. to be sure, yet struggling to adopt some measure of the spa ciousness Of the West, while here and there foundries roared and factories spun and wove and punch ed metal.
 In the midst of all was reared Chang's palace, a building of coloc- sal dimensions, conceived in an atrocious mimicry of nineteenth century public buildings in Europe. Its one claim to beauty was the park which ringed it's ugly square bulk. The garden wall was dotted with centuries and machine guns, and in barracks adjacent a battalion of infantry slept constantly upon their arms. Americans, from the Consul down, were inclined to laugh at Daggers ambition to meet the Tuchun--
 My dear lady. he's a most at traetive bandit, and he has the largest harem of Western women owned by any one individual in China; but you'd be disappointed in him, I assure you. He takes him. self very seriously. And I wouldn't woman of your posi- tion to meet him-not that he could do anything to you, you know, but he says the most terrible things, if he happens to feel like it. And he asks questions. too-oh, you'd be very unhappy"
 Dagger quietly recited her recent 
 Do you think he'd be more dan gerous or annoying than a caravan of Saharan Arabs?9 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"
 T wonder if you'd be willing to forward him note from me?" she asked. T used to know man who was friendly with him"
 "Oh, glad to, of course" This ! was the Consul. But officially, I i must froWn and"
 "Frown all you please" Dagger interrupted cheerily, so long as you do what I want"
 The Consul laughed.
 T know how you get what you want" he said "Scribble your note, Mrs. Vaneering, and IT en- close it with 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:
 To the Tu-chun Chang Kai Sho: T
 T 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.s
 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 forma- ton; a long column of infantry inwound itself. And next, to the wailing invocation of Chinese music, little group of mounted men rode ID to the portico To Dagger. amusedly from her win low, came the hotels Japanese | abashed and uncertain.
 If you please, Madame" he ex- 'laimed, sucking in his breath po- itely and trying to conceal his worry, the Tu-chun is below and isks to see you. Most unusual. this ioing, Madage. Maybe I better end for American, Japanese, con- ul What you think?"
 Ask the Tu-chun to come up- tairs, MT. Araki," Dagger answered. l nore amused than ever. No, I do | lot think We need the Consuls. I invited the Tu-chun to call"
 MT. Araki looked doubtful.
 Chang plenty big man." he as-