Show aa lat v N X YUAN IV u A HEL HEE SEE SE W ROMMER B y SAX L A U M by SAX ROHMER service CHAPTER VI continued 9 when came tile tha of 0 a silken shawl a patter of beef beeta ft soft cry and ITI Ellec leeno ns sweet anna arms wore vero about its his Billy mily dear ah my 0 d dl I 1 youre covered with blood I 1 what asat Is itt chatis ihrl II 11 cydear My dear 1 V he said Its nothing im safo and no ono one must kno know W 11 she was staring into tits his face eagerly her own raised in a sort of agony of apprehension haig began to tremble jone gone was evora resolution ile he so eo recently had made mi useless hopeless lie ile held tier her so BO cloce that she fihe thought ue he will break me ln in halt half land exulted no ile kissed tier her until she ebo was breathless helpless oil oh my darling lie ho whispered ijo he hod find so eo little to offer this hla won der girl Jo lo lobed cled ced happy in tits hla arnis amis so eo much to tell her so much to explain yet somehow all lie could toly ay over and over again woss was 1101 oil my darl darling tig A few moments after the file walla iao roo dropped tier her anchor off port said ilia british consul came aboard there was a i conference in the captains cupta lna cabin hal had deliberately failed to deyear reveal th tho fact that lint there wils was a man overboard the first news was given by a steward entering the missing 4 mans clans room in tile morning the the conclusion was ana come to that the h morose chinese passenger had committed suicide during the night by jumping overboard now in the closed cabin of 0 the colo commander manCer dawson haig revealed the truth to captain peterson and tho ilia british consul 1 I take full fill responsibility he be said eald 1 you can seo sea for yourselves Ys tho the sort boyt of gang I 1 have to dent with traga andl I 1 now this murderous attack attach on mo me I 1 got off lightly with a cut scalp and a torn slee sleeve vel I 1 the commander scratched his grizzled lioi load tl wh what at do you sou wish mo me i to do in opec torTI the consul melted in my iny opinion tho the persons whom you suspect of being associated w with ith the missing assassin should be da 11 dawson haig stood up grinning vava gly abid shifting hla bli head upon what eyl dence I 1 he doin assure yon that except for a scrap of poper paper providentially discovered by bliss kearney Ko arney theres nothing to doctor Oest bestler ler for instance with any COnS conspiracy WACY directed against vie me anil aind even that Is far from conclusive I 1 mean he be coull could explain it in all sorts of ways waya no ile appear to bo be no ac if tainted either with miss misa valerie valeric ednam or with mr chow and car gainly not with tho the german hartog on an tho the lower dock deck and what have I 1 against cheso three peocla which would justify detention I 1 fissure assured yon lid hc shook lits his hend 1 1 icalla nothing then what are ard wo we to do sald said tho the consul consul of course I 1 could do dei tain them thein here for a time no ile no ottle till was reply t with the coming of daylight the babal of the curious port roso rose to toll fall blast sallers sellera of all kinds of vares wares carpets lace jewelry ilar in lain ghani ingham and the rest met up shops on oa dock deck turning the he ship into a miniature bazaar dawson very reluctantly lad bad agreed to allow Elle onto to pur mue aua her inquiries in tier her own way but he be realize that she lind mil actually left the ship fillip until she had been gone isome time alo was vat latching ching len chow who having collected his bis baggage was waa now following lo a porter toward tile the ladder hartog had quietly juicily gone ashore an hour before just before mr chow reached tho the gangway lie ho passed assed a fortune randsome Fand teller idler nn an evilly handsome some fellow wearing shabby clothes end and a tarbush not an egyptian haig determined hut but possibly a greek creek or an armenian some coln e words were exchanged rapidly although lanig was too far away to overhear overbear them tito clana man ann pointed stio shoreward claig looked and saw a native boat in this boat sat oat elleen with two women passengers the party mariy being escorted by doctor bestler and the ho ships burgeon t dawson haig became acutely uncomfortable the tha girl had played her ber part admirably even to the extent of striking up a friendship P with MISS ednam hut but neither froynt Irom tho he woman nor from tho the ans wan rian physician had she gleaned guy guething thing in the nature of a clue khe bhe was convinced and had bad assured of tile the fact that they know knew stio she was watching them hurrying down the ladder the dark eyed fortune teller was pulled away in a boat which waited len chow followed in another there was nothing to show that the pair were associated hut but why had the chinaman pointed put gut eileene El Ei leens party hale haig stood there watching and trying to make up his mind which of several courses to adopt eileent at all costs he must keep elleen eileen in sight llo was up against a closely and cleverly organized group lie alone holding all available threads la in tits hands elleon eileen had find some shopping to do ot at simon arzt and so eo to this diore store the party made their way doctor Oest teatler Oe atler ler it appeared had purchases to make also the ships surgeon Il eatherley went along dawson haig who had bad been in port said twice previously and oddly enough upon the same business which saw him there now having satisfied himself that this was the of the party become became interested la in tile the movements of mr len chow this gentleman depositing hla his baggage at tile JP astern exchange had strolled out like a man with nothing better to do than kill time the fortune teller had entered a shop nearly opposite dawson lanig wearing the tinted glasses of mr air smith 0 sat down at some distance from the door anti and ordered a cool drink he was doing some hard thinking at about this time eileen had completed tier her purchases her companions pant oas excluding exal excl u ding doctor heath orley erley had allowed themselves to be lured hy by wonderful shawls and other pitfalls which await awalt unwary trave travelers lewla a eastern shops chop doctor bestler I 1 handsome casket of inlaid infald wood p covertly hiis watching min him elleen eileen agreed hut but hell fall down on it and expect half a crown all tile same we shall see lia ha I 1 proceed Iroc eed my ay good fellow you iou belong said the man star ing into her hand not to england not I 1 think to europe but to some country far west of europe perhaps it america detected my accent was el teens leena mental comment you come not to egypt but to somewhere farther to india I 1 think link and in india some rome one Is waiting for you some one you love and who loves you no not I 1 ile iio stared closer it Is not so yet there la Is some bome one who walts waits there to Is somo soma one I 1 have brohen of who Is now on his way to india or to e place very near to india and there he will meet you ali ah but still I 1 am not right I 1 lie ile Is here this one liere bere in port said eileen betrayed herself by a sudden start for him there are many dangers and for you too lady I 1 read it in your palm but you will be married and be very happy there will bop bo be P enough said bald elleen eileen startled by the maps mans reading then we must stick to our bar gain yes said bald doctor bestler Oest ler the man smiled triumphantly please follow my lady my gentleman he said it to Is not far please follow elleen eileen was conscious of a 9 sudden vague uneasiness it was very difficult to appreciate the fact that she was in the company of a criminal but it remained ft a fact nevertheless th eless a fact that the mans strange charm of manner invariably made her forget perhaps the others would like to come she suggested doctor oester nodded returned to the shop and presently came back the ladles ladies are still absorbed with slik silk wear he said smiling silk tindley ha ba go 80 I 1 have left doctor to take care of them and I 1 arrange that we shall leei meet at the eastern exchange in halt an hour the armenian led them into the native quarter Ei eileena Ell leens cens brain began working rapidly the question repeated itself over and over again should I 1 go should I 1 go perhaps oven even at the last moment she would have conjured up some excuse but suddenly she ehe saw a sight which reassured tier her made tier heart slog sing dawson halg had followed len chow when the chinaman apparently aimlessly had set out and had bad temporarily lost loft sight eight of him at a corner almost at the same game moment lie he had seen elleen alone with doctor bestler accompanied by teller 1 ck ap along the narrow street recognized the glitter of sir mr THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING matt kearney young american living in london says ay goodby good by to his hia titter eileen on board the wallaroo the ship to la conveying in gold to australia on oil his way home kearney meets inspector Ina dawson haig ot of scotland yard Tard very much in lovo ova with eileen Is on the trall trail of opium which he la Is convinced Is concealed in jo lungs warehouse called to other duty halg delegates delegat em kearney with detective norwich to visit the place and find out what he can while in the warehouse kearney up and carries away a notebook which be turns over ner to halg yuan see loader leader of a band of international thieves la is at jo lungs lung 1 lie he sands two ot of his followers follower after norwich and kearney one of whom he be realizes must have picked up the notebook haig Is in puzzled over cryptic not notes in the ilia book referring to the wallaroo soon boon after leaving kearney ICe arnay norwich ts in murdered but kearney la not overtaken while halg haig Is inc over the book a monstrous creature enters seizes it arid and escapes at cairo yuan confers with his hl lieutenant aswall pasha over a mysterious coup they are planning lne halir halar boards the wallaroo at marseilles from radio messages mea Bages he decodes he realizes alises re that members member of f y anana dianis gang area are on board and that they have recognized him A chinaman tr arlea as to throw half overboard but goes coes over oer himself in a desperate despe rafe struggle that this man was vas arf an associate of criminals murderers she could not doubt yet he was a most entertaining comp companion anlon and in spite of tits marked ugliness possessed the rare quality of soothing without boring elloca eileen was benj enjoying oyang that sense of martyrdom sd BO door dear to womans comans nature her spirit was seeking bowson paw son all the t tine where was ans liet ilet was ho safe didble did he appreciate preci prec ate tate what she was doing with it nil all sho she was so happy that she was frightened doctor bestler had bad step stepped to the open doorway to examine the casket cassiet by daylight anti my gentleman said maid a soft sott voice volee the doctor stared attired li rough hla his glasses at the speaker it was the Armen armenian lafi fortu fortune riet teller 1 I do not wish to buy anything hal said the doctor good humored ly 1 I do not wish my palm to be ae rend read no and I 1 do not wish to know my future Is it BO sor it la Is not so my gentleman the sort soft continued it la 14 that I 1 know where there are boxes such as this his but ever so much better and chen cheaper per you know tills this lia hn pall paid doctor ler smiling at ellean you think perhaps I 1 dont know this thial 1 I liaa you may I 1 say I 1 do not wish to buy eyen even such a box bov t 1 I make with you a bargain the man went on earnestly 1 q I charge you nothing nothing unless you buy from the shop I 1 take you to this Is my bargain eileen began jbf tough laugh sly ily lady I 1 laughs said the armenian earnestly nut but I 1 will show her lie he took her hand as is doctor returned and placed tho the casket on en the counter from which hei be had taken it the doctor rejoined them it if I 1 tell this lady true said eadd the man still holding Ei leens hand something I 1 cannot know except from the palm will you come with me to the shop I 1 show your youl smiths smoked glasses dawson haig followed awen twenty i ty paces behind I 1 doctor bestler oer tier avs talking to the palmist guide and could not possibly have noticed her back backward glance on they went into several streets presently in a street native from end to end cod they pall paused sed A dingy little shop on the left was evidently their objective elleen eileen glanced back dawson haig was still only twenty paces behind I 1 the shop chop wan purely arab in appearance pe arance they went down two steps into the interior and from a dim corner the proprietor whom the guia addressed as mohammed appeared mohammed bowed low opened a door hidden in the dark recess fro from m which he had emerged and stood aside ileen elleen glanced back la in the direction of the street dawson 11 nig was outside confidently now she stopped stepped into a big room to pause breathless with astonishment the fortune teller had not exaggerated exaggerate this ans indeed a wonder house it a I 1 tren treasury sury of b beautiful and there were eother other rooms beyond you yon see my lady said the palmist softly what I 1 tell you true 11 it was indeed true since this anti and not hot the lite establishment in stam boul was the he principal warehouse of that great and mysterious indus try controlled by yuan ileo see here to port fort said came the choicest pieces to be distributed for some soma even found their buyers tn in turkey some in france and some in england eileen experienced a sense of bewilderment it was wag amazing in fact terrifying opening as it 41 aid d out of that tawdry little shor shop what did tt it mean what could it mean she looked around that Alad gladdins dins cave and slowly the canns came to tier that only a rockefeller could have bid for the contents CHAPTER vill VII D DAWSON AWSON HAIG pulled up before tho file shop of mohammed further aurther consideration had convinced him that his barlier fears for elleen eileen were grou groundless adless ilia own life hung upon a thread this he recognized and he scrupulously avoided overhanging windows and watched warily anyone who walked too closely behind him but he had no intention of leaving elle elleen en alone in the company of doctor Oest ler lie ile entered the shop and looked about him film the place was empty binig clapped hi blo hands handa and a moment later the aged proprietor appeared howing bowing to low what can I 1 do for you my gen tl bleman tle nian eman he croaked 1 I came to join my friends who arrived here just ahead of me haig replied ahl ah I 1 mohammed nodded yes yea y es walt but one moment the door of the treasure house was opened and nd he had a glimpse of a long low room lined with will od V I 1 some words worda were exchanged ra rapidly shelves and casesi cases the sound of mo 51 0 ham hammers meds shuffling slippers s grew faint died away A blank wall faced the shop and there were no passersby passers by it was a queer backwater and elaige wondered what had bad induced elleen eileen to visit isalt it lie he stared again through the open door then he moved forward ard and looked 0 o aang alib rooan like a cashot sun ainer chining revelation ton came this was a branch or perhaps the parent es ot of jo lun lungs ts limehouse emporium oame came the sound of fling footsteps returning the ilia aged agea arab reappeared my g gentleman ent leman he be said 1 I am m sorry borry to keep you waiting but bui your friends have gone gona bonol it by the other door halff haig stared through dimness seeking geeki n g for the ilia expression in those eyes they thel stay long I 1 he snapped the old arab spread his him palms eloquently e I 1 |