Show RN li I 1 OA Is BY ALUE lowe ml copyright 1927 warner bros pictures picture inc i dolores costello Coa tollo in n OLD SAN la Is a warner bros 1 of CHAPTER ill III continued it is red senor fenorl dolores tone implied it is forbidden 1 I know I 1 like red his hand han was below hers holding the stem but a vasquez gives a red rose only to the man she loves there was no coquet try in her remark then I 1 must win it from you vou please I 1 want it because I 1 terr terry y choked and could not finish he ha had d spoken very softly as if afraid of his own boldness he watched her breathlessly without knowing why she obeyed dolores let go of the stem and the red rose of love was in terrys possession the spirit of youth enveloped dolores and the stranger friend who in a few short moments moment had become so something more A glorious elusive veil of romance seemed to settle around their throbbing hearts and made ade them strangely happy and contented in the old spanish patio back in the living room brandon had not made the desired progress with vasquez he puffed disgustedly on Ms his cigar for a moment then drew a paper from a deep breast pocket opened it with a flourish and leaning far over the table passed it on for inspection his in manner inner was that of an agres sive business man closing a big deal he was confident that the figures representing the offer would be accepted immediately it is an enormous price far inore than the place is but my client is generous when mien he be wants anything lied brandon will you sign now vasquez had listened intently from the beginning although his attitude remained stiff and unbend unbending irig he needed the mone money y yet the place meant so much to him also lie he felt that it would belie a trust to dispose of his ancestral holdings he did not know what to say perhaps it is just as well he did not attempt speech because he was almost overcome with suppressed emotion od i and a lump was in his throat why you simply cant refuse to sell bellat ot that price thundered bran den banging his fist on the table its brows puckered in annoyance brandona Bran dons manner irritated him more than the proposition and lie he looked away front from the scrutinizing g eyes that were trying so hard to hold 19 attention the room was filled with pleasant old memories it would be hard to give up everything he had cherished just for the sake of money yet with dolores to be provided for lie he must not think of himself he shook his head sadly 1 re gretting all that he would lose and miss miss brandon mistook the motion for a refusal to sell his lips tightened grimly and a nasty look came into his eyes 1 I know youre kuure broke vasquez and I 1 also know youre only holding out from damned stubborn pride A quick intake of breath almost like a sob escaped lips but lie did not speak his eyes glittered at such coarse familiarity from a tranger tc anger it wont vont do you any good to refuse this offer continued brandon tapping pini the paper sign significantly if you do lose the place anyhow the man I 1 represent is influential enough to have your old land grants grant declared invalid better sell now anti and be lone done with it vasquez was speechless with rage he looked upon brandona Bran dons threat as a challenge A moment before lie he would bould have sold for dolores sake but bat after brandona Bran dons insult he could not mot sell without loss los of pride with a mighty effort he mastered his feelings arose and drew himself up to liis full height he looked down upon brandon he who seeks seek to intimidate a vasquez is either cither a stranger in this land or a fool lie he stated proudly you may anay tell your client that I 1 will never sell self at any price without waiting for the lawyers bewilderment to permit a reply lie pulled the bell rope summoning his servant your hat senor lie he said with a decided air of finality brandon realized that lie he had been dismissed with a rude jerk he accepted his hat froni fron uthe the servant and scowling furiously stormed out into the patio very well vell senor he called back tauntingly you refuse to sell pell your broken down ranch so we shall proceed to take it come terrance he commanded as a he saw terry sitting beside the pool with dolores we were re leving ving reluctantly the young man followed his uncle to the carriage before stepping in lie he looked back at dolores wonderful he exclaimed bously won wonderful gerful hell bell ejaculated bran don sitting clown angrily angri lv hes an old fool terry sighed and pressed his hand i against 11 a moist red rose bud that was perfuming his breast pocket his uncle never seemed to understand the carriage rolled away but terry lid did not forget to look back for a last glimpse 0 of dolores as she stood oce side her grandfather rand father I 1 brandon was not at all concerned conce with terrys thong thoughts gats being centered on the young girl of the rancho nor did he bother to recall that although they had not been introduced they were sitting together beside the fountain foun tun ven very much absorbed in each other when lie came out front from his unsatisfactory interview the incident made no impression on brandon because it had nothing to do with money mon e y he was already mentally preparing prep aring a report for his chief in which vasquez was to be described as a blithering idiot close to the hacienda vasquez and dolores watched the departing carriage their thoughts were as far apart as is possible for two people who are so fond of each other bah what a swine breathed vasquez set lips 1 I feal feel that the he hacienda hasteen has been defiled by his presence aroused from her own pleasant thoughts dolores looked ather at her grandfather slie she was hurt and surprised by b V his remarks but lie he oil as it ic dawned on her whom lie he meant but granddaddy Gran daddy the younger senor was quite nice fortunately vasquez ud cud not even evel hear he was vas thinking of brandona Bran dons threat his fighting blood had been aroused and he determined not to give in squaring slender shoulders he stalked away to plan what would be the best procedure ploce dure when the unknown grafter tried to take his beloved rancho away from him the last male descendent of the vasquez line either in in spat spain or america dolores olores lJ to lo loicel iced down 10 lo n the road until the last cloud of dust from terrys carriage had scattered in the air her luscious full lips were curled in a gentle smile she was sure that he would come again and blushed modestly a at her own boldness in wishing that it would would be very soon CHAPTER IV the czar of the tenderloin san Francis cos chinatown was an acute and growing problem to certain of the city bosses its ever increasing prosperity was a golden river of eriv elege money constantly floN flowing ving into the pockets of the political politic nl ring but I 1 I 1 its six tong rulers were a decided me menace jacc to their peace of mind wealth and power were a factor to be feared of all the bosses who waxed fat and prosperous from the privilege pickings chris buckwell the czar of the tenderloin was the greediest gre ediest and most cruel he had risen froni obscurity to the very pinnacle of power and as the leader of 0 san Francis cos political ring anti and king of the underworld was ruthless in his persecution 0 of th the e chinese 1 picture if you c can an a person a stocky qt heavy shouldered with a fore head like a greek bard and a face like mephistopheles and long doniz magnetic eyes of piercing blackness ss imbue this man with all the cunning of 01 the 2 east ast and the sophistication of the west in one shrewd intellect and yoli you have a fairly accurate mental picture of chris Buc buckwell kmell As he sat in hi his living room his hand resting on the table lie was the per personification of power at its na worst ora he idly drummed wit with his fingers as he gazed out of the window obviously he was waiting for someone A gentle tapping on the paneled wall bi brought him cautiously to ni feet tiptoeing tip toeing eing across the room lie he pressed whidden button in the wainscoting A portion of the wall slid buck back noiselessly and a girl wrapped in a aj huge silken shawl stepped into the room with a word of caution buckell buckel went to the door and locked it t As the girl removed the shawl sh she stood revealed aled in all the lovely silken allurement of the east evidently a half caste with all the seductiveness and charm that only the orient ran can produce her complexion was as softly pink as a peach bloom her big questioning eyes re repealed baled nothing but mystery in their hidden depths I 1 buckwell turned briskly front from the door and said what is it you want i speak quickly theres a delegation from chinatown due here any minute I 1 that iz i z it I 1 came to warn you all chinatown is in a furor they all say that this time you have gone too far lu Fong their leader has spoken the word they will vill kill you if you dont ease up tip on your demands her voice came soft and low like the whispering of a spring wind through the willows for a moment buckwell was startled out if his usual calm his hi face paled and his eyes took on a squinty slant that gave him a queer oriental look entirely foreign to his usual appearance pe arance it was gone in a second anti and lie he was again the tha strong masterful leader the demigod of the underworld denv der world orld all right san toy ill be careful thanks for the warning I 1 wont forget it he seemed entirely entire lv oblivious te tc the alluring charm of itis his visitor perhaps it was because something more momentous was pending or it may mav have been that the charm had long since lost its ability to please san toy was disappointed she clearly showed by her manner that he expected something more but buckwell was ob durant and taking her gently but firmly by the arm ami guided her to the partition and out through brough the sliding paneL from which he had fid entered ant ered san toy disappear ed down a dark stairway as 1 bously as she came and the panel ct clicked icken behind hen bee buckell unlocked the door d or and returned to the table with avith an ominous frown on his face and he was just in it binic hardly had he been seated j aen when a servant announced that the delegation was waiting to see him I 1 with a wave of the hand he indicated that they NN ere to be brought before him SN sik China inen en entered erect followed by bv several ward losses bosses buckwell nod J ded and waved them to the vacant chairs around the table the bosses sat town down entirely at ease and as one i man proceeded t to 0 light cigars tilting back their chairs they waited for whatever was to happen i the either cither did not see Buck wells ell s invitation I 1 tation to be seated or else chose chos e deliberately deliberately to ignore it they y came forward to the table bow i ed deeply and arranging themselves be before fa r i it t stood motionless with nith right hands slipped into the sleeve of the other arm lu lit fong their leader anu and spokesman vias nas slightly in advance of the others Buc buckwell kvell eyed them silently zilan aly and with ith a countenance as imperturbable as 33 their own suddenly reaching the table lie he seized a stron strong paper cutter in his right hand and an d alo sins his fist on it snapped the steel in two and tossed the he pieces into the fireplace the bosses stirred uneasily but lu fong and his friends lid did not seem to notice if the exhibition was an object lesson to them it f failed ailed of its purpose buckwell sensed this im Inedia mediately tely for throwing all pretense pretense aside lie he pointed his linger menacingly anti and said lu fong this i is the showdown drw n we warned you before to confine your business strictly to chinatown you have 11 t lone done it i t and now sell your hot holdings lings at the figure I 1 offered or well close you up tighter than a drum and remember this from now on no chink can dwir property outside 0 cf f the chinese chi nese district is he sank back in his chair to note the effect of his latest anti and most severe edict the situation wa was tense no on one said a word but every e eye in the room was on the inscrutable features of lu fong the tong leader watched him anxiously as if trying to discover what it was all about though willing to abide by whatever he said haicl lu fong gazed at buckwell silent ly he was evidently i weighing thel the situation carefully fu fully lly recognizing recognizing g the strength of those pitted against him then as if there was nothing else to be lone done he shrugged his shoulders slightly anti and smiled faintly with true oriental grace he beed low in acceptance of the inevitable and said evert even though the gods place the greater in the hands of thy adversary one must still bow to the will of the gods god youre a wise vise chink lu fon fong said buckwell ath a smile of satisfaction you know when youre licked ill meet you at the poodle dog tomorrow night at nine and well close the teal deal the conference was over once again buckwell and his henchmen had triumphed I 1 lu ln fong nodded in agreement to ithe the meeting and with his tong men at his heels shuffled from the room the bosses waited until they had d disappeared 11 appeared and then gathered around buck buckwell N vell slapping liim him on the back with many man jests of congratulation soon they departe decarte d with gruff chuckles and a wave of their hands they too were satisfied there would soon be more easy money for their tills buckwell Buci buckwell well was alone only for a moment when the servant again again I 1 appeared anti and announced brandon and his nephew I 1 terrance brandon came forward with a frown on his face his dismissal from the vasquez rancho still rankled buckwell greeted liim with a smile still thinking of his recent history over the to tong ng leaders well brandon what success brandon brandon replied a bit hesitatingly I 1 1 I saw vasquez chris but the oll old fool refused to sell at any price terry c up to the table as he heard his uncle mention the name of vasquez his interest quickened as lie he realized the leal pul purport port of their visit to the old hacienda Buck wells smile smil changed into a scowl as he be stared at brandon he chlome failed in getting what wham he wanted and could not tand stand failure in anyone who worked for him brandon shifted uncomfortably as buckwell said 1 I want that land and I 1 intend to get it I 1 would have paid 1 vasquez the price I 1 told you but now ill spend the money to prove that his grants rants are invalid to be continued |