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Show THE LORD OF ,,Mr THUNDER" GATE' iwiV ' SmaU f -Wm rnuokf bV'Wi Dobb-Mei-rlll Co. &&ZiX SffiA. ' THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS SYNOPSIS. In a low drinking: place In the Japanese town of Alltag-iri, Kayama, dissolute son of the wealthy Aochi, Lord of the Thunder Gate, boasts of a girl he is to purchase (with gold stolen from his father). Following a fight In the place, a drunken white man, speaking perfect Japanese, Jap-anese, is left unconscious. Kayama, Kaya-ma, dreading his father's anger, sees a way of escape. He changes clothes with the unconscious white man (to whom he bears a remarkable resemblance), leaving a note of explanation. Leaving, Kayama is robbed and slain. The white man, as Kayama, is taken, unconscious, to the house of Aochi. His name is Robert Wells. Wells awakens bewildered, but to familiar scenes, in Aochi's house. Aochi, almost sightless from age, does not perceive the deception. He had determined his unworthy son should be put to aeath. but Wells' deportment leads him to think a reformation is possible. Aochi dies that day. Wells finds Kayama's note, and understands. Priests remind him of a bargain he has made, to buy a girl. He goes to the temple and purchases the girl, to all appearances white, though the priests assure him she j has Chinese blood. She tells him j she Is white "all white" and begs him to spare her. The narrative nar-rative goes back to Wells' youth, motherless son of a missionary i in a Japanese village. His father sends the boy to America to be educated. James Sanderson, i wealthy San Francisco contractor, contrac-tor, welcomes the boy, his sister's son. In college Bob does well, but is considered "wild." Wells meets Alberta Hay ward, orphan daughter of his uncle's former business partner, and Is Impressed. Im-pressed. She Is really In love with Raymond Williams, but seeing Wells as his uncle's heir, she flirts with him, while scheming schem-ing with Williams to encompass his downfall. Bob's father dies. Sanderson plans to put Williams and Bob in charge of a brld are-building are-building Job at Fushikl, Japan. '4 CHAPTER VI Continued. "Was tliat what you wanted to say?" "Not exactly. You know well after what you just said, I thought " "Like to work on it, Bob? It might," grudgingly, "be a good thing." Then : "There isn't any danger, is there?" Bob laughed. "I'm one tough guy. As far as that goes, it wouldn't surprise sur-prise me if I could handle a knife in the proscribed seventeen ways with the best of them." "It might he a good thing." Sanderson Sander-son repeated. "You know Williams, too. That'd help the work aiong. And you know the outlandish language. Yes, it might be excellent for the firm," and for you, too, he was thinking. think-ing. "You could get a good day's work out of the labor there. Hob? You know how to work them?" "You bowlegged weakling of a pig-litter! pig-litter! Up with that keg o' nails. Up, I said, toad I Would you return in your next incarnation in the form of a scavenger-crab with but half a claw? Could I, Uncle Jim? I'll say I could!" Sanderson smiled, and so it was settled. set-tled. 1 Wells took with him several things. There was the undying love of Alberta 1 (given after coming from Williams. , with many kisses, having assured him that she'd wait until he found "a , way"). SmaU wonder that she professed pro-fessed such ardent affection, of a kind best described by the "affectionately yours." She had seen Sanderson with I his arm about his nephew. She had 1 heard him call Wells "my son." And there was Sanderson's words of warning, wlilch concealed deep affection. "Remember, young Bob," a hand on the shoulder. "No monkey business. On the job twenty-four hours a day not a week, you scamp. No wine. No cards. You have no voice for singing. I needn't worry about the women, when there Is limni a dear gir! waiting wait-ing for you to show your stuff. Remember, Re-member, and take care of yourself. There will be plenty more jobs. Don't kill yourself on this one. Not that work'U hurt you." Ilia voice grew husky as the "all n IT" gong clanged. "Be. a good lad, Bob. Make its all proud of you, son." Clearing his throat, he added, playfully playful-ly so Wells thought, then "This is your last chance. Williams is steady, . Bob. He's boas. Do what he says." As the stern of the boat churned the bay water to brncklsh foam. Alberta Al-berta waved gayly to the two hats that waved bacli. She felt secure. With the two men so close, in the same city, it had been almost an Impossibility Im-possibility to kcp each from knowing know-ing of the other . . , now, she felt afe, able to relax. To plan ahead. If Bhe could have the desired, the truly j desired : Ray's hot words, his atten tion to her every whim, his . . . ! h)i arms about her (and how she 1 bussed them! already) together with ! ... money, position. If she could, i OthemVw . . She had been cure- i 1 i ful, but wns heartily pleased that she could move without watching each movement, speak without weighing every word. CHAPTER VII Rokugoznkl had long been a barren bar-ren port, until harsh words bad overridden over-ridden the Imperialists' opposition. Situate near the Russian shores, with a landlocked harbor, It was stretching out an Impotent hand for trade. No railway connected Kokugozaki with Fushikl. The sand was shifting. Not until Gordon of Sanderson's company presented a report did the Liberals feel confident enough to start action. In the preliminary stage the Imperialists did little more than clamor. Fushikl would be desecrated ! Worse, they would not receive an excellent ex-cellent Interest for lending their money to some Japanese concern. It was a thing unheard of. Objection after af-ter objection was overruled. Only one sop was tossed to them : the work must be done at a definite, stated time that was none too long, as Gordon reminded re-minded Williams and Wells before they departed. The "sop" was more than the Liberals Lib-erals Imagined. If, as old Maraklto, the Imperialist spokesman, pointed to his friends, the seiyo-jln did noot live up to the letter of the 'agreement, It would be exceedingly difficult for the Liberals to give foreign capital more work. For his part and Maraklto winked slyly he would surely do anything any-thing to expedite matters. Sanderson had waved aside any suggestion sug-gestion of Gordon's that an internal strife existed. If there were any. It meant nothing to him. Nor should It 43m Marakito Was About to Do Honor to the Foreign Engineer. to Williams. They were engineers, not politicians. The first night that Williams and Wells slept In the little rouse In Fushikl Fush-ikl which they used until a shuck could be built for them, they were awakened many times. A score of men were outside never to he seen, for the night was dark and finally Williams came into the other's room. "What's it they say, Bob?" he asked nervously. "Oni wnto soto ! Translated, It Is c penile little phrase which means 'Out, devils!' " "Tell them to get away from the windows and let us sleep." "Wouldn't do a darn bit of good. This Is a holiday for them. All they'd do would be to climb up on n roof and pitch rocks at the panels. And paper doesn't stop the sort of granite I notice no-tice around here. Go to sleep and forget It. They'll tire before morning." morn-ing." Maraklto found many little ways to hamper the Sanderson job. Sacks ot concrete disappeared, to filter away In the water, when most needed. The donkey engine missed, as Wells remarked, re-marked, either a leg or an ear every night, and the wires were kept hot with orders for more parts, until Gordon Gor-don wanted to know If the hoys were opening a machine shop or building a bridge. Williams busied himself with the inside in-side work. When the laborers quit, between two days, not even asking for pay. Wells hired more. When they announced that they, also, would labor no more, he cursed them, their ancestors, ances-tors, their family gods, and then brought In new coolies from Osaka. Long lingers of trestles crept along the brown sand. The first bridge of the series already spanned the inlet of Fushikl. Reading the reports. Sanderson Sand-erson grinned. Three days ahead of scheduie. It was on the n'pht that Wells left for Osaka to superintend and person ally conduct maienul lu t UBUikl tna.1 Maraklto honored Wllllami with a ceremonial cer-emonial visit. After being welcomed, the old Im perlalist made great show of spreading spread-ing ribbon-tied currency and wrapped rolls of gold. Then he placidly settled set-tled back, licking the slender glass of shaved vanilla-flavored Ice which Williams Wil-liams had offered him. Williams was sick of FushlkL Why hadn't he heard from Alberta? Why hadn't he gone to Osaka himself. Instead In-stead of sending Wells? Perhaps Wells received his letters there. What did this old bird want? He, Williams, wanted a cold bath. And sleep. But this money! Marakito saw the other's eyes lose their lackluster appearance at the sight of the gold. lie broke open a second roll, and set down the empty glass with a polite hiss. "There are three thousand dollars upon the table," he told the glass. Williams had none of Wells' Oriental Ori-ental restraint. "What for?" he asked abruptly. Marakito closed his eyes. "A day's pay. Pay? Reward, rather. I would be displeased If the bridges were complete com-plete too soon. Your company Is fined a thousand dollars for each day's delay. On the table Is triple that amount. Refund a third to your employer. em-ployer. Keep a third for yourself. The remainder for that other," speaking speak-ing of Wells. "Why?" "A reason you would not understand. under-stand. Your employer loses nothing. It must be secret. Tell none bnt the other engineer." He kept a hand on his short knife, none knew what these queer foreigners would do. "That Is for up to twenty days. No more." A hurried picture passed through Williams' mind. It was possible. There had been trouble already. There might be more. Spans lost. Pieces gone. Quicksand. Gordon was not Infallible. Why why not keep It all? The engineer moved In his chair and the eyes of Maraklto opened with a snap. "He would not take It," Williams Wil-liams said briefly. "He need not see . . . what might happen." Marakito understood of what Williams was thinking. "He would see." "In the old days," the Jap's eyes slltted a trifle, "there would be a knife zzz but now: questions would be asked." Williams shivered at the grim tone. Excitedly, with nervous fingers, he lit a cigarette. Before he could speak, Maraklto asked softly: "If It Is permitted per-mitted to ask, perhaps the other engineer en-gineer has . . . does he like women? wom-en? He might be enticed away? No? Wine, then? He does? Yoh I It is a simple matter. We will entertain him. You say do not look amazed, I have lived In America, or how should I speak thus? you say 'Ho! There are Influential men here. There has been trouble. You visit them. Be friendly. Drink wine with them.' You slap him on the back. 'Be a sport.' Tickle him gently in the ribs. 'Be a devil In this homely town.' That Is how. We will do the rest." "He will not go. Not In working hours." Maraklto looked at him sadly. "How? Are you not the chief? Is he not under your orders?" He caressed the golden pile with his eyes. "We will not hurt him." Williams clawed his shirt pocket for another cigarette. What had Sanderson Sander-son said? No booze. The last chance. Wasn't this the way? "It is true," he agreed. "I am the chief." - - - - - . . Wells grinned when he was told of his new duties. "Sort of glad-hand boy, huh? How are you. Marakito-San? Accept of this excellent cigar, which cost a yen. We hope it blows up, and you with it, you old hypocrite. Don't you know r.-e realize thnt you are gumming up the works?" He laughed. "That the stuff, Ray? As easy as easy. Be sure to write Uncle Jim that I'm entertainer entertain-er for the Fushikl end of the firm. I'd hate to have him hear that I'm setting set-ting out Into the bean-oil district on my own." He yawned. "Gosh, but I'm nil in. I ought to write home myself, my-self, but I'm going to hit the rice-straw. rice-straw. Ton send 'em all my love, Kay." He paused. "This'll give me a chance to brush up my hushido: that's the code of honorable conduct, Ray, and it's some long-winded affair." The 'It tie shell-curving roofed tent-ruse of Fushikl was gay with lanterns. lan-terns. All of the panels had been removed, re-moved, and Wells took his place without with-out speech or welcome upon the zaou-ton zaou-ton of silk. Marakito was about to do honor to the foreign engineer. The room was brightly lighted, which. Wells knew, was unusual, but probably intended to give him the "white lights" which the Yankee Is supposed to hold dear. Finally Maraklto, as the host, broke the silence with the consecrated formula: "O-somatsu degozarlmasu ga ! dozo o-hashl!" and all bowed silently, si-lently, picked up their chopsticks and begun to eat the preliminary rice and vlncgared fish. The maids poured warmed sake Into the cups; not until several of these had been drunk were toncues loosened. It is clear that Ray Intends to ruin Bob. Do you suspect his method? (TO BE CONTINUED.) |