Show l a I is 1 l Il 1 t rt z V m V Vr 1 f r i 1 W 7 BiJJ B w t h K t i JI J 4 p q W I f r P t t v R 7 tJ YB YU U A iY 1 wJ 1 1 VI I 7 rf t tf f f J ROHMER COPYRIGHT Oy tsy SAX ROHMER SERVICE CHAPTER VIII-Continued VIII VIII VIII-C VIII Continued 12 12 lie He dropped back Into his S seat as IS the big shIp was WIS lost from view A grim rIm foreboding a ft foreboding In which were the qualities of terror terror ter ter- seized upon him remorseless remorseless- ly Iy Something SomethIng-a a voice olce undeniable told told him that never a again In life Ufe would he set eyes upon the R. R M. M S. S Wallaroo f The long dark darl eyes of or Orange Blossom narrowed and narrowed until they were merel merely tilts silts In her small pale face She stood In a tiny room peering yn do through a little lattice Into a lacquered bell bedroom room She was watching a girl scantily clad a girl whose hair In lu the reflected reflected re re- re- re sunlight gleamed like polished polished pol pol- copper whose slim shape which was at least as ns nearly perfect perfectas as her own yet had a symmetry which was different whose skin skin skin- whose skin she thought was thought was poisonously poisonously poi poi- white Yes she was beautiful beautiful of of a beauty beauty beau beau- ty totally dissimilar from Orange Blossoms Blossom's a rose like e western beauty beauty beau beau- t ty which In Its quality belonged to those cold clammy countries which Orange Blossom so heartily detested detested detest detest- ed And the room had hatI been refurnished refurnished reCur rose color Orange Orane Blossom Blos Blos- Blossom som nodded her wicked little head Below Eileen was moving movIn from place to place trying the doors leaning over the balcony breathing balcony breathing quickly almost panting Her lIer e eyes es were wide wIlle open Hideously Hideously Hide beautiful blue eyes eyes although although h her lashes thought Orange Blossom Blos Dlos- Blossom som are not as lon long as mine But all nil the same they are lon long and dark and make her e eyes es look like sap sap- She has very tery beautiful arms 1 1 Very very softly Orange Blossom Blossom Blos Dlos- som closed the little grill rm behind the lattice And AntI her small smaIl hands with their pink tinted nails tightly clenched turned away A shadow blocked the entrance to the cup cup- like board room She moved forward forward for for- ward to confront Yuan Yuon lice flee See Little flower what are you doing here berer What you came to do she reThe rev re- yD Nt F Ff f yc it L t The Long Dark Eyes of Orange Blossom Narrowed and Narrowed Nar Nar- rowed plied piled I MI have hate been watching her herthe herthe her her- the white girl Does Docs she please you 1 She Is pretty as ns a 0 lotus my ray lord tender and antI delicate SIe SI e Is dangerous dangerous dan dan- merchandise Yuan you take too many risks You think so Little Blossom have Elave I 1 ever failed In my trading The Tho womans woman's lon long dark ark eyes were almost closed she held her Imperious Imperi Imperl ous little head very hl high h. h The eyes of Yuan Ilee Ilse See to nIl all appearances appearances appear appear- ances were closed entirely Yet these two watched each ench other standing perfectly motionless until until un un- un til Have I offended my lord the woman asked softly Only In n disobedience came the flute tones which I have learned to e expect of ot you This sll slight ht fault can easily be he remedied by an exercise exer exer- else cise of that virtue of silence which I 1 have frequently recommended Ills His stillness was alarming HIs Ills arms were locked behind him Oran Orange e Blossom mossom smiled disdainfully disdain disdain- fully tully caught up her jade Jade green green robe gathering If it more closely about her hel Walking slowly she passed Yuan lice See where he stood She crossed the polished mahogany any floor to a n curtained doorway and through fills she went out The lute curtains were still sUJI swaying when Yuan lice See began bean to laugh The Wallaroo was Yas nearing the end of the Bitter Ditter Lakes when Doctor Doctor Doctor Doc Doc- tor Oe entered the Marconi room The operator with fixed earpieces earpieces earpieces ear ear- pieces was listening In to n a message message mes mes- sage and antI continued to scribble In In- The message which came ticking out read rend as ns follows Commander Wallaroo on authority Scotland Yard following passengers ers will be bi arrest v vat at Suez stop Doctor Miss Valerie Ednam stop SI Signed ne Robert Shale British consul Port Said SaltI Jackson the operator pushing back his earpiece looked ed up at nt Doctor Doc Doc- Doctor tor Excuse me Doctor Message e for the commander And AntI he the pulled aside a curtain communicating communicating cating with an nn Inner room Davis Is I he shouted Carry Carryon on Ive I've got to togo togo togo go up to the bridge Davis Dals tho the second operator came out You want to send a telegram sir Doctor nodded gra gravely ly reaching for the message pad Not Nota a n word had escaped his keenly attuned attuned at at- tuned ears Whatever message he had Intended to dispatch this was the one he wrote out Julian Hess care of ot post office I Suez searchlight In sl sight ht further communication Impossible stop Will advise later signed Oest Oest- ler Oft Off Port Tewfik there was rather more than the usual dela delay A police police po po- poI I lice Ilce came carne off In a ft launch i He was wa met at the top of oC the ladder ladder lad lad- I ItIer der tIer by the purser I know what youve you've come about said saltI Winter blankly But lint a most extraordinary thing has happened Come up to the captains captain's room hes he's expecting you on Neither of the berths occupied by the parties youve you've come out to arrest were slept In last night Not slept In I But ft I cl dont don't know If Ie they dropped Into the canal and swam n ashore hore or what happened happened but but neither Doctor nor Miss hiss Ednam Is s on onboard onboard board a Towards dusk a n motor boat raced towards a tiny port of or the Red ned sea Past a n wooden pier the boat sped spell swung around perilously perilous perilous- ly iy checked and ran In to where ancient stone steps led lell up tip to a wharf Two men sprang prang ashore and assisted a woman to mount the steps One man went back on onboard onboard onboard board the tho other and the woman climbed an unpaved street In silence for a time Doctor broke this long si sl si- lence I I cI wonder Valerie he said speaking In German what our reception reception re re- re- re will be bel We have done tIone our best best the woman answered sulkily We are arc lucky y to be here We Pc may be lucky my dear the Ule doctor amended But ut If it this unfortunate unfortunate unfortunate un un- fortunate Interference with Mr Kings King's plans means failure allure for those plans then I 1 fear Cear The two travelers pursued their way up the hill hili leaving the tiny furtive town behind them A high white wall waIl broke e a line of funereal trees on the rl right ht and presently In turn was broken by a pointed gateway gateway gate gate- way of of sun bleached teak One wing of this gateway was open Doctor and Valerie Ednam entered a large courtyard From the threshold o of a n doorway beyond which might be glimpsed a richly furnished room stepped a gigantic negro In uniform There was a n brief challenge In Arabic Amble a reply and the big negro stepped further further further fur fur- ther out Into the courtyard raising a black hand and pointing Above the tiers of lighted windows win- win dons dows higher yet upon the third floor of the great reat mansion light lIht shone out through the Intricate pattern of ofa a n lattice window Doctor O nodded In n compre compre- hension He and the woman entered entered entered en en- the room Behind that high window Yuan Yunn nee lice See robed blue and spectacled bent over his Arab Amb writing table Aswan l Pasha stood beside him Yu-an Yu lice Ilee See was studying a n number of messages or rather roller staring nt at them through the lenses of his glasses with unseeing e eyes At last lust Since the man Is dead how can enn this he be he asked Pasha The uThe message e from Crom the consul consul consul con con- sul states clearly upon authority of Scotland Yard What can this tills mean It Is certain that he Is dead 7 Mohammed reported It It it said the theE E Egyptian The doctor confirmed the news telling us that was not on board when the Wallaroo left Port Said Sald Then came carne his last radio from t the e ship advising us that the police pollee awaited his arrival nt at Suez I Finally as my lord knows we received received received re re- re- re a message notifying ln us that he was back at and claiming claiming claim claim- In ing emergency air tran transport port My Myown Myown I own Fokker was under orders to leave for I got gota a message through to my pilot or pilot or orI I did tIllI my best to do tIo so If U he received received received re re- re- re It t In time he will have alighted alight alight- ed ell behind to pick up the doctor Yuan flee Hee See hissed softly for some moments Is Ts the man Joseph here he ns asked edIUs ed Ills IUs Instructions were to report to Hassan es Suk and Hassan's orders were to facilitate his journey journey jour jour- ney to where Hess will see him him and antI arran arrange e for Cor his crossin crossing Yuan Hee flee Se See rested a plump tapering finger upon the messages and antI Good Intentions may lead to disaster disaster dis dis- aster he said soW softly We have now no a agent ent on board the Wallaroo Walla Walla- and roo-and roo and It Is late Inte to alter plans so delicate I quite agree the pasha replied But nut except In respect of or exact information Information Information In In- formation re regarding the ilie ships ship's position position position tion I dont don't think the situation Is serious You dont don't think so Yuan luan Hee Flee See whispered even more softly A Aradio Aradio radio message will tell the truth to the world antI and we shall be bo helpless to silence It I have provided for that the theE E Egyptian answered Emil Gratz was one of the four Cour best gunners In Inthe Inthe inthe the German navy Before any notice notice no no- notice tice Is given he Ie must shoot down the mainmast This will disable I the radio If he should miss which Is unlikely ely there Is the second i quick quick-firer In char charge e of Jo Lung ung I your own gunner Yuan Yunn nee lice See began hissing again then We cannot know how much has leaked out cannot cannot know This new I danger Is one we owe to the man He died too easily I 1 should have liked to supervise his death eath It nUl may mean disaster but we can only hope Furthermore It will have to tobe tobe I Ibe be a n torpe torpedo o after nil all Do you realize realize real real- ize this Pasha Inclined his head hend I had hatI already arranged for It It Your staff work my friend has b been en good gool but not excellent Myself Myself My My- Iy- Iy self I should have haye diverted the Fokker Fokker Fok Fok- I ker er direct to our base since Doctor may be In possession of details details de de- tails taUs touching our personal security Well It Is perhaps unnecessary that I should shoud detain you an any longer Have you added to your collection recently Does Docs some new gem em of loveliness call you to clinging ln arms No Excellency And AntI yourself yourself yourself your your- self Yuan lice Hee See raised closed eyes to Yes he answered upon upon upon up up- on a tremulous flute note a ua fragrant fra fra- fragrant grant rant western rose But I 1 fear the thorns my friend I 1 could not resist re rev But Dut I 1 fear I have been rash For her ber sweet sake I 1 have Imperiled imperiled Im im- periled our enterprise our enterprise our lives JIves This you know But Chinese are gamblers and those who Join them In play must gamble also ulso Dawson big Halg adjusted the dead deadman's deadmans deadmans deadman's deadmans deadman's mans man's tarbush Sea breezes and a n touch o of AfrIcan sun already had lightly tanned his naturally pale face And as he be saw v In the mirror above the wash bowl the effect cITed was not so bad He did not Dot In the least resemble the Joseph who had batI died but he might have hae passed passel for one oneo o of the lighter skinned natives natives for for fora a Turk or for tor a Greek The letter of at travel seemed to In Indicate that the man roan called Hassan flassan Suk es-Suk did not know Joseph by sight But ns as the train was nearIng now one Important decision remained to be made How Hots was Joseph Joseph Joseph Jo seph to account for Cor his total Ignorance Ignorance Igno o rance o of Arabic Upon the correct solution his life might hang The Cairo alro police pollee had hatI pro ed to be surprisingly efficient had hatI been advised ad and a man whose Job was to cover nil all his Mattis Balg's movements movements movements move move- ments was In the second class sec sec- llon But fearful above all nIl things for Eileen he be had hind vetoed etoel any raids mitIs or arrests not authorized by him him- self He lIe knew something of the resources resources resources re re- re- re sources o of Yuan Yunn lIce Hoe See One false move move and and she might be lost forever I As he pushed his way through the Jabbering thron throng making for ti exit at I his hand rested upon UllOn the automatic In his itis poc pocket et A tall Arab Jostled him Telephone Tele phone on your right I said an I Eng n lisp Ish voice It was was' the man from Cairo Halg called up tip the as ns arranged ar ar- ar ranged Inspector Dawson 1101 speaking he said You have hare been a advised by Cairo Quite right Inspector the voice replied to his hits great grent relief relle that of or an nn Englishman I have arranged to have the place watched Its It's the Cafe rn Any one of ot the drivers drivers ers outside the station will take you oU there One of our fellows Is Is' Ins Inside Inside Theres There's nothing conspicuous about f r n r 4 tr r rh The Effect W Was JS Not So 50 Bad him except that hes he's smoking a very ery large lorge meer meerschaum chuum pipe Bump Into him on your way out so that he drops his bis pipe Stoop to pick It up an and give I e him your our next a address dress The Cafe Magrabi fronted upon a street In which there were tawdry places of ot entertainment Painted women's faces peered out from upper upper upper up up- per windows S Soon on Haig stood starIng staring star star- Ing Into a n sort of cave In a high wall presumably wall presumably the Cafe Magrabi There was a wooden seat sent alon along one side and a few low stools I Four our or five fi Arabs crouched In the shadows shadows shad shad- of ot the place A slovenly eny lookIng look look- Ing negro emerged tI from the blackness blackness black black- ness nt at the en end cad of the cave antI and ap- ap But nut Halg had not yet et discovered his man Then he observed it n l customer customer customer cus cus- tomer who unlike the rest did tIld not smoke cigarettes an Arab apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap parentI muffled up In man many col ored rags and crouching In a a dim corner A glass rested rested- upon a small stool besl beside e him And tills this eccentric Arab In the corner smoked a meerschaum pipe 1 Hassan flassan Suk es-Suk said saltI Halg Haig sharply The negro nodded retired d Into dark darkness and presently return returned ell He lie Indicated that Halg Haig should fol fol- fol- fol low Halg Haig crossed crossel th the reeking littie little lit tie tle room almost br brushing th the garments garments garments gar gar- ments of ot the meerschaum smoker A door on the right of ot an uncarpeted uncarpeted passage was open four steps descending to n a sunken chamber As the negro withdrew Halg watched the curtained doorway The rhe first test was about |