Evening star., 1937-07-25

to collide with tragedy. Madame
Bynne, Captain Aldyreff. Miss Lloyd.
MIR. Long, will you be seated?
Obeying his gesture the four sank
upon chairs and benches Behind them
stood Captain Wong and farther away
DID, surrounded by Wah-Ling, Feng
and Fu-Ming.
Madame Bynne," continued YIN
Tsao-Feng, Il am sure your strength
must have been severely taxed. May l
offer you food or drink"
Nothing" said Mrs. Bynne. then
leaned toward him tensely. II don't
know who you are but have feeling
you can help me- My husband, Major
Bynne. has been killed. His murderer
is in this room. ! beg you to help me"
Yin-Tsao-Feng threw out his hands
in a wide. graceful gesture. "Ah.
Madame. have every reason to be-
lieve you are wrong. 1t was the inten-
ton of Captain Wong to take you to
the police station and subject you to
painful and unnecessary routine. l dis
suaded him. urged him to bring you
directly here that l might offer my
condolences and still your fears as to
your immediate future
II have no fears" said Mrs. Bynne
hoarsely. Il want justice - only JUS
tice."
ALAS, Madame, justice is all l am
prepared to give. 1t had been our am
bition to employ your late husbands
genius in the conquering of the
Hwang-Ho, China's undying sorrow.
Unfortunately that hope is at an end
He motioned to his steward. standing
at his right. The man stepped forward
and opened huge wallet hanging by a
heavy silver chain from his neck.
Justice is all can give" repeated
Yin. ITO you, Madame. two months
of your husbands promised pay and
expenses back to your home. The
same, in proportion, is accorded Miss
Lloyd and Pilot Long whose stipends
are known to u.s."
Abruptly he pointed long nail at
DID. Come hither."
Di-Di rushed forward, sank to his
knees and with clasped hands bowed
again and again. the back-scratcher
dangling from his wrist tapping the
floor at each bow. Industrious and
high born," he walled, command thy
miserable and unworthy servant whose
execrable name is Did,"
"You too," said Yin. Il am in
formed that though but lately en-
ployed, your service was faithful to the
end. What was your wage?
Il had none; only what the gener-
osity of my poor master should have
ordained"
Yin motioned to the steward. Give
him a hundred dollars - Mex, of
course"
To each was doled out his share and
Long found himself staring unbeliev-
ingly at heap of currency amounting
to something over three thousand dol
lars - American, not Mex. He ar
ranged the bills and stuffed them with
difficulty into his hip pockets. The
four arose, Mrs. Bynne reluctantly.
ignoring her portion. Aldyref stepped
quickly to her side and undoing his
silk cummerbund swiftly made neat
package of her money. Tracy rolled
the notes before her tightly and thrust
them into the pocket of her coat.
Captain Wong stepped forward.
I'VE will go now" But instead of
leading them out by the route they
had come he waved them to door the
steward was in the act of opening.
This way. please"
The next instant Tracy and Red
had the sensation of having been
hurled into icy water and even Mrs.
Bynne was startled out of her abstrac-
ton by the shock of passing from the
peak of luxury into stark and un-
garnished simplicity Four walls, un-
broken save by the door through
which they had entered, surrounded