Evening star., 1937-08-01
Magazine Section

down beside him. His eyes wandered
curiously over Lieutenant Yahayeshi,
puzzled 50 small a body could have
tossed his own bulk around. The Jap
anese remained as unconscious OF his
presence as of that of all Others in the
room; his face was stony, putty solldi-
fed. Red turned to Wong
Captain, I'm afraid l owe you
another apology"
Far from it. Pilot Long. To you.
and all my people are indebted
will you tell me how you could
come to the rescue so quickly?"
I'VE were waiting in the Office
downstairs"
YIN Tsao-Feng raised and dropped
his fan, commanding silence. Across
the fingers of his other hand he bal
anced the back-scratcher from whose
handle protruded at right angles the
two-inch hypodermic needle. Doctor
Millar," he said in his soft voice, If
this needle we're driven into the me-
dulla obiongata at the base of mans
skull. what would happen?"
Nothing" said Millar. I'VE do it
frequently"
Silence fell on the room - silence
that was like blow, dulling the senses.
Yin was the first to recover from as
tonishment. so, in your opinion he
questioned, "Mr. Long has solved
nothing?'
~ didn't say that" said DR.. Millar.
Give me the needle!
Captain Wong sprang forward. He
took the back-scratcher and passed it
to the doctor. who promptly extracted
the needle and raised it to his thick
lenses. He studied it closely. brushed
tiny flake from its butt and then
blew through it. A microscopic CLINT of
moisture appeared at the point. He
shifted it and turned to face Yin.
This needle" he declared. was
loaded with prussic acid and sealed at
the base with paraffin. Propelled by
plant wand it was driven into the
medulla obl0ngdfa and its charge ex-
pelled, the reflex hurling the needle
into the curtain where it was found.
doubt l need inform anyone present
that hydrocyanic acid - prussic acid.
as it is vulgarly termed - is the most
virulent poison known to man. Though
there was no trace, not even visible
puncture, Major Bynne died more
quickly than if his skull had been
crushed by a pile driver. You can
thank Mr.. Long for the solution of an
otherwise inexplicable murder"
Yin-Tsao-Feng turned his shrewd
pouched eyes on Red and Tracy. I'm
thanking one, do l thank both?" he
asked.
"You do" said Red.
1T is WE'LL" said Yin. "You two
need have no thought for your future;
it shall be my charge and the charge
of China after me. How great is the
debt you shall soon know" His head
swiveled slowly on his thin neck and he
fastened a basilisk gaze on the stoical
Yahayeshi.
Lieutenant, you have heard" he
resumed after weighty pause. Lis
ten to the verdict and you can answer
by deed since you shrink from using
words. The secret of the murder of
Major Bynne is still encompassed by
these four walls. If it remains so. there
need be no war - not yet. War, Lieu
tenant. Your country has been itching
for it. Does it want it now - within
forty-eight hours, with China which
has come to realize her oneness, her.
strength? The matter lies in your
hands,
"Is your country ready? Merely nod
and we'll send you to public decapita-
ton tomorrow with every newspaper
in the world blazoning the crime for
which you die War, yes - war! But
perhaps you'd give your life to keep
the secret little longer - just little