Show True Detective Story S ton by Vance Wynn Wynne e Public Ledger Tale of the Poisoned Dagger T years ago a n number ot of otmen men and women were murdered In the tile suburbs near Shanghai It was discovered that most or of orthe the victims had hud been killed by means of or a poisoned dagger At the same time chapels and churches belonging to the foreign missionary societies were destroyed Demands for satisfaction came from state tate departments In all nil parts of the world and aDd as a consequence the Chinese government endeavored endeavored to ascertain the culprits and to pun pun- punIsh punish ish them The official placed In charge of ot the Investigation was Foo Wang Nang who at atthe atthe atthe the time enjoyed the reputation of being the Sherlock Holmes of China Chinn He lie was patient he was resource resource- resourcefuL resourceful resourceful fuL ful and he never went after aCter hIs hisman m man lD without getting him One of ot the things tl he found near the scene of the crimes was a bit bitof bitof ot of calico stamped with a number of ChInese characters lie He knew that It was a certificate of membership In a famous secret so- so society so society defy known as the Ko Lao Out Hal This society was originally formed to battle with Chinese ofil officials vials who practiced extortion upon the natives and natives and they were as nu- nu numerous numerous nu numerous as the autumn leaves In but but later Its objects became foreign anti-foreign and mis anti Foo Wang went to his home and got out his great pipe and sat down and thought And he finally came to the con con- conclusion con con- conclusion conclusion that the particular bit ot of calico that he had picked up be- be belonged belonged be belonged longed to Chen Lung kIn Lung kin who was one of ot the motet most most conspicuous of ot the Ko 10 Lao Hul Hui leaders I China Is a pre pretty ty big place but Foe Foo Wang had had plenty of assistants to rely up upon n and he sent them to the four corners of the Celestial em- em empire empire em empire pire with Instructions to locate the supposed lender leader Eventually he discovered that the theman theman theman man he wanted was at an Inn near Pekin and and that with him were about twenty of or his followers all desper desper- desperate desperate desperate ate men Foo Wang decided that It was wass about time for a round up and he gathered his men together for that purpose lie He found the leader In one of ot the rooms of ot the place giving 1 an en- en entertainment en entertainment to his supporters The Chinese detective was noth noth- nothIng noth- noth nothing ing lag If It not original lie He posted himself upon the veran veran- yeran- yeran veranda veranda da of ot the Inn and then sent one ot of othis his men In to tell Lung kin Chen that he was wanted outside on Im- Im Important important Im Important business The unsuspecting leader excused himself to his friends with true ce- ce celestial ce- ce celestial ce celestial gravity and stepped out on the veranda As he did so a great bag was thrown over his head hend two men seized him and he was carried kick kicking In lag ing and gesticulating to a nearby wharf and placed on a vessel There bound and gagged he was taken talen In the direction of Shanghai Just before the boat reached Its destination Uon the detectives s brought the suspect Into the cabin and put him through the third degree degree- degree which means something In China might But while Lung Chen might have hae been down he was far from betag be- be beIng be being ing tag out ont lIe He smiled his Inscrutable smile smile- smile and said nothing They literally put the screws upon him but failed to the slightest Information In the flowing sleeves slee of one ODe ot of othis his kimonos was found a dagger daeger with a poisoned blade It had the appearance of or being the weapon with which the Shang Shang- ShanghaI Shanghai hai hal murders had been committed Also the Investigators In found a number of letters and communications communications communications addressed to the tho prisoner In each of them he was ad- ad addressed ad addressed dressed as the Eighth Great Prince This was proof positive e that he was vas at the Ule head of the secret so- so society society so society and that ho lIe undoubtedly aImed at securing the control of ot the coun- coun country coun country try Among the other things found were a number of ot the Ule calico certificates cutes cates Indicating membership In the tho thoKo Ko Lao boo Koo Wang now had bad more titan than enough evidence to send his bis distin distinguished prisoner to the block But nut he wanted to get the names of others an and he besought the pris pris- prisoner prisoner oner to make n a clean breast of ot the whole conspiracy But wise Lung Chen was a n Chinaman and he lie knew that he was sure to be beheaded So he remained silent lIe IIo was Vas returned to the hold of ot the tho vessel and told that he be would be given un- un until un until til UI the next morning to make a com com- complete complete revelation of ot his bis mysterious society But Dut the tha next nen morning be he was gone mysteriously gone mysteriously and nothing wu was ever b beard of him afterward wU 6 |