The tribune independent of Michigan., 1935-05-04


they tell me here"
Suddenly = small door. set IN one
wing Of the greater one. opened
quite silently inwards The light
Of an electric lamp OF that pattern
carried by the police shone into
their faces. Behind the lamp. In
dIstinguishable In the darkness. ap-
peared a STOPPING figure. shadowly.
"What you want. pleaser' asked
Q soft. monotonOus voice.
Peering hard. Matt Kearney made
out that the speaker wore Q dark
blue turban. The doorkeeper was
not. as one might have anticipated.
Q Chinaman, but an Arab bowwab.
Mr.. 10 Lung" Norwich replied
distinctly. II have brought him q
customer from the United States"
The bowwab turned light upon
the speakers face. and:
II dnn'f see you here before" hs
commented.
Maybe not" Norwich returned.
but ] come from Mr.. Bernardson.
Look at this"
He held ouf card. Bony Drown
fingers grasped II and placed 4
close before the light OF the Ian
tern: then:
"All right" said the guardian Of
the gateway. please come In"
The two stepped into a little
courtyard The Arab proved to be
gaunt man with a lined and pock.
marked face snnken eyes and an
omlnous expression.
They crossed To O corner OF the
yard. mounted four stone steps, and
entered dImly lighted passage.
having q window with an iron graf
Ing overlooking fhe courtyard. The
place was stuffy and full of ciga-
rette smoke. II was evidently the
sanctnm of the Arab night porter.
"Please walt" said the bowwab,
leaving them together In the dimly
lighted room Shuffling footsteps
died away In some dark place be-
yond. and Kearney was about to
speak when Norwich shook his head
urgently.
Standing there in an oppressive
hush. n long way or In the build.
Ing Kearney heard o sound.
Although nj first he failed to iden.
tify It. Immediately he knew that
Il was horrible II was n very hIgh
sound. between piping and q
squeal; higher than the note Of
rat. II was, paradoxicnlly. 10 shrill
as TO be nearly inaudlbie.
Then. suddenly. he knew OF what
It reminded him the ampllhed
squeak OF bat' n was chilling;
terrifying; In some way--unclean.
lie exchanged n rapid glance with
Norwich; and Norwich stood like a
man petrified.
For Gml's sakei What was itY
Ncarney whispered.
II can't Imagine sir. SSH
Some one comingw
"'"-~ 's'sN ta1ehstas
The emporium Of 10 Lung occu-
pied all the rooms on two floors of
q rambling old building. eight or
nine rooms In all. and each one lit
orally crammed with treasures At
times Kearney Imagined that the
covered-in ways Of old Damascus
lay Just around the next turning;
that the Street called Straight, and not
LImehouse Canseway. adjoined this
wonder-khan. On entering other
rooms he was transported 70 the
Seraglio palace, and thought that
he stood In the treasury OF the sui
tans.
Only the manner In which these
priceless items were displayed
served to dissipate such Illusions
They were piled carelessly upon
rough. trestle tables.
A highly civilized and we'll
dressed Greek did the honors. "Mr.
Jo Lung Is unfortunately away" he
explained TO Norwich But X
can help am AT your service. No
doubt" turning To Kearney. who
was endeavorlng to hide his bewil-
derment. "yon have definite idea
what you are seckIng?"
Kearney conquered his astonlsh-
ment. lie endeavored 10 recall
Dawson IIaig's Instructions. 10 Lung
was the biggest "fence"-or dealer
In stolen goods--in all London Sur
prise visits had never YET caught
him mapping. This was new move.
Detective Sergeant Norwich had
memorized long list OF stolen Jew
GEOGRAPHICALLY foreign: and their
ioh was to try To- identify even one
Item In Joe's emporium. In this.
Halg could net and the cases
~ opium lay In an adjoining yard
"My friend. Mr.. Bronsen. has sew
sral commissions" said Norwich.
Matt Kearney was mfr. Bronson"
But mostly colored gems"
"Yes." Kearney broke In. I'm
commissioned by a New York client
to complete collection OF sap
phires."
"Sapphifes The Greek raised
heavy eyebrows. II fear ! am un-
fortunate. n Mr.. 10 Lung were
here he might be able to help you.
But 70 the best of my knowledge
we have few sapphires IN stock at
present They are not" he smiled
slightly. -very profitable Just now.
However. you shall see"
They passed along corridor.
went down three naked wooden
steps and picked q way through
what seemed to be a collection Of
lamps-lamps Of perforated brass.
OF silver. OF gold: lamps from
Arabia. from China. and from ia
pan.
Detective Sergeant Norwich was