Paul Ellsworth Triem

“ He broke off and stared at the Chinaman, towering there before the door. Ah Wing had neither spoken nor moved; but there was in the room a disturbance as if a great voice had shouted out a curse.
Slowly the Chinaman came back toward his visitor. His face now was the impassive face of a carved Buddha.
"Colenel Knight;" he said gently, "the high gods have undoubtedly brought you to me. I am the only person in the world who can save you, for I work outside of the laws of men. ”

“ Luck had turned against her, with the loss of the jewels. Others who had helped her in her earlier years had turned away after that—as if the old woman had suffered contamination by accepting this gift, bequeathed by a certain rather notorious beauty whose affairs had upset thrones and dynasties.
Yes, a very good joke on the old woman. And she had died in abject poverty. That was the way that sort of thing went, Louie realized. One was really a fool to do anything for anyone but one's self.
A sound came through the half-open window of Colonel Knight's suite—and again Louie Martin grinned. ”

“ Before he could cry out, a coil of that round thing that had come at him whipped itself around his neck: another and another, and all that was left of the man who had robbed Madam Celia, Mother of the Friendless, swung like a pendulum between floor and ceiling.
Ah Wing, passing through the basement room half an hour later, paused to regard a curious sight: an amorphous, spineless thing that had once been a man, guarded by a great snake. The python was coiled like a huge ship's cable round the dead robber. ”

“ HIGH in an apartment house, overlooking a street and something of the city, Monte Jerome, leader of the Evening Wolves, sat at his ease, a cigarette in the corner of his thin, merciless mouth, a telephone within reach.
From the back rooms of the apartment came the sound of heavy breathing, intermingled with an energetic and unmusical snore. Louie Martin, gem expert for the gang, and "Doc," their society specialist, were sleeping. ”

“ In that instant the young man thought of his mother, old, placid, credulous, to whom he had told fairy stories to account for the money he gave her so prodigally at times. And he saw the dark eyes and the oval face of a girl—his girl, Irene—and the face of Lee Hin, serene and impassive as if carved of ivory. It was Lee Hin who had warned him this very evening; and warned him of the business itself, and of Burke, Jerry’s associate in it. ”

“ Colonel Knight sat down heavily. It was obvious that the assault upon the door was shaking his nerves so that he could hardly command his voice. His eyes were the eyes of some hunted thing, which sees itself at the end of a blind alley.
With an evident effort, he tore his glance from the quivering panels and fastened it on his companion.
"Yes," he said hollowly, "there are five of these men, and they have been chosen from the elite of the criminal world. I myself selected them and trained them. Each has his special ability. ”

“ And above all these details and beyond them was something the man in the ulster could not quite define—a radiation of power, as if the intellect and will of this strange being seated before him saturated the atmosphere of the empty room.
"Pray be seated, Colonel Knight!" the man in the chair said courteously. "I am glad to meet you. You have been recommended to me by a former student of mine—you know that I take only a few cases. It will be best for you to tell me your story, fully and accurately." ”

“ With a strange detachment, as if he were already a spirit, Burke listened. The night clerk was speaking:
“There has been no mail for him, and no visitors—except a Chinaman, who brought him a package of laundry. I guess he’s a stranger—”
Burke’s face became purple, and his body drew itself into a great knot. A Chinaman to see him! Laundry—he had had no laundry!
Suddenly he understood. Perception shone through him like a searchlight.
A Chinaman never forgets! Lee Hin—
He tried to shout the name. ”

“ An' I hope to God there won't be no voices around here tonight!"
The Strangler grunted, and the "Kid" slouched off up the stairs and into the room that had been Monte's. He closed the door carefully, crossed over to the light, and then stood listening.
The night wind was stirring around the house, whistling and moaning down the chimney; but the "Kid" had an antidote for fear tonight: he went over to his bed and fumbled for the jewels. The touch of the smooth leather-covered box started his heart to pounding. ”

“ Jerry shook his head, defiance and wonder in his eyes.
“I will tell you. He has fallen in love with Irene—with your girl. In his malignant pig brain, he is thinking how he can get you out of the way. I can feel it whenever he comes near—he radiates hatred like a pestilence!”
Jerry laughed uneasily.
“You're buggy, Hin,” he replied. “Burke won’t try to put no Indian sign on me—he daresn’t. He'd pull himself in, if he shoved me!”
Lee Hin turned to his microscope.
“What is willed to be, will be,” he observed sententiously, “No man can overcome his destiny.” ”

“ I rule by right of intellect and will, and my first failure will be my death warrant; for, judged even by the standards of a thief like you, Colonel Knight, I am an outlaw—one who is outside the protection of the laws of men! ”

“ Open that door, or we'll gouge your eyes out when we break in!"
Ah Wing waved his hand affably toward the source of this ominous promise.
"And our friend out there?" said he. "Is he one of those whom you have described?"
"I was just coming to him," replied Colonel Knight, raising a shaking hand to his forehead and mopping off the beaded perspiration. "That is 'Billy the Strangler,' and I think the 'Kid' is with him. Those were my Apaches—my gun men—my killers. They are much alike. Both have cunning of a low order; and persistence—they are like bloodhounds, once they are put on the trail. ”

“ A shrill whistle sounded presently, and he saw the Strangler beckoning him from a doorway. Crossing over, Monte followed his henchman into an alley, down a flight of narrow stairs, and into an unlighted basement. Here they were joined by the "Kid," who carried an electric torch.
"Come on, Chief," the "Kid" commanded. "We'll show you first what we was up against—watch your step! If you stub your toe you'll land in hell!"
They turned: and went down another stairway, narrower and steeper than the first. At the bottom their way was barred by a heavy door, studded with great iron bolts. ”

“ Ah Wing plunged into the pool without a moment's hesitation. He knew that no man could evade his destiny, and that if it was written in the stars for him to die a lingering death in Paris, he could not die in a well under Chinatown. ”

“ Greaves replied, his voice also tinged with dislike. "If Mr. Burke would tell us a little more—"
Burke shook his bulldog head and growled deep down in his throat,
"You gents know as well as me that I'm taking my life in my hands as it is. This Lee Hin is bad medicine. He's got the craft of a Chink and the education of a white man. If you'll leave it all to me, I'll frame things so's you'll get your birds. If you don't—"
Mr. Burke clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth with an air of finality. His furtive eyes were defiant, as if he perceived the disgust his presence created. ”

“ Monte had the unflinching courage of the perfect animal. But he had no notion of breaking up a gang which might prove useful to him.
"All right, boys," he agreed, more pacifically, although his dark eyes continued to glow like coals. "If you can afford to take it easy, you got nothing on me! Tell me what happened."
"That's more like it," the "Kid" growled. "Now you're talking like a gentleman, Chief! Well, we follows the Count here, and thinks we has him holed up. We can't bust down that door—this is an old Chink gambling hell, and everything is stacked against a fellow that wants to get in. ”

“ I chose him because of four qualities: his physical strength; his native cunning; his lack of sentiment—or, as it is usually called, 'mercy'—and his absolute freedom from superstition. Monte believes in neither God, man, nor the devil. He was my right-hand man—and it is to his merciless pursuit that I owe my condition!"
Ah Wing had drawn a note-book from his pocket and was jotting down data. He glanced placidly toward the door, which was again shaking under a rain of heavy blows.
"Pray continue!" said he.
Something of the Chinaman's imperturbability was beginning to influence the white man. ”

“ The clerk listened to him with gathering wrath.
“Mosquitoes your grandmother!” he snarled. “We never have no mosquitoes in this house! I shouldn’t wonder if you had the itch. You better find a room somewhere else!”
Burke looked ferociously at him, but the clerk returned the glare with interest. Not for nothing had he run a water-side hotel for ten years. He knew how to meet threat with threat. Burke went out and ate breakfast, for which he discovered he had little appetite.
He put in most of the day walking the streets, thinking of his grievances, and treating his mosquito bites. ”

“ Monte said to the saturnine strong-arm man—who for once looked rather cowed. "I never was afraid of a dead man—just so that he was really dead. I guess you're kind of soured on that part of the house!"
"Soured is right," mumbled the "Kid." "Say, I wouldn't sleep in there if you was to give me all the sparklers in New York! Just let me get my stuff out!"
As he went back toward the room from which the body had recently been removed, the "Kid" saw the mocking glance of the Strangler fastened upon him. Billy was enjoying his discomfiture. ”

“ It was a face suggesting daring and resourcefulness, this face of Colonel Knight; and for a few moments the two sat staring curiously at each other.
"I think I can condense that statement I have to make," the white man said finally. "I am a man of wealth. Five years ago, while traveling in Europe, I had the misfortune to attract the attention of the greatest gang of international thieves ever organized. Perhaps you have heard of them? They were called 'The Evening Wolves,' and were led by a man who called himself 'Count von Hondon'." ”

“ A door had opened close at hand, and they could hear deliberate steps ascending a flight of stairs. From where they stood the basement door was invisible, but next moment the tall figure of Ah Wing came into view. He was carrying something which looked like a wire basket.
The Chinaman turned and walked away from the house. As his footsteps grew faint, Monte stepped out of the shelter of the bushes.
"You stay where you are and watch the house," he commanded. "I'm going to find out what that yellow devil is up to!"
He struck off into the darkness, and "Doc" found himself alone. ”

“ Billy the Strangler lay with his wolf's face turned toward the ceiling, his lids drooping, his mouth agape. A pool of blood on the floor told his brief story.
Monte stood for a moment staring down at the dead man. Then he turned and walked hastily along the little passage that led to his own room. Nothing was disturbed here, he discovered.
Suddenly a voice sounded, apparently at his shoulder:
"Ah, Mr. Jerome, we are approaching the final scene in our little drama! Greed and suspicion have done their work. ”

“ Knight demanded.
"Not yet. I shall remedy that presently."
Colonel Knight's voice rose into a snarl:
"Remedy it? You mean you want them to know?"
"Of course I want them to know. I want them here, where I can deal with them. But never fear, my friend. Your old enemies will never be able to hurt you!"
He paused and looked around the apartment, then turned again to the man in the bed.
"These are your quarters. Adjoining your bedroom is the bath. This door opens into your sitting-room, and adjoining that is my conservatory, which you are at liberty to visit when you choose. ”

“ Lee Hin interrupted. “There is friendship—and service! I am doing this for my country. Her fisheries represent a tremendous source of wealth. The fungology and the bacteriology of fishes—it is an inexhaustible subject!”
He paused, glanced keenly at his companion, then abruptly changed the topic:
“I see you have not changed your clothing, my friend. I know only too well what that means. The Shanghai is due in this evening. Jerry, can’t you see how this is going to end? Let me tell you something: that false friend of yours, Burke, is even now scheming to get the best of you. ”