Francis Worcester Doughty

“ Another situated as I was when I suddenly met you would surely have shot your lover, Young King Brady. I spared his life."
"I thank you for that."
"Waste no time in thanking me. Look at the character on the door directly behind us. What does it say?"
"The door of love."
"Well, Alice, which door shall it be? It is for you to decide."
"Nonsense, doctor. Don't be ridiculous. I am in your power. Get ahead and let us end all this."
"Will you marry me, Alice? I will make you a good husband. What is more, I am in a good paying business now. If my schemes succeed I am in a fair way to become rich." ”

“ What do you mean by this?" shouted Ah Lung, recognizing the Doctor's voice.
"Business," was the reply. "You would not accede to my very modest request so I have to do the best I can for myself. So Young King Brady was your deaf and dumb friend in the next alcove, was he? Say, Lung, I'm going to read you a lesson. I'm going to teach you how dangerous it is to muss with me. As for little Brady he knows how I love him and what good reasons I have for my extreme affection. But you are dead wrong if you think the fair Alice is here, Harry."
"Did you kidnap her, Garshaski?" demanded Harry. ”

“ The next instant part of the runway flew up, closing the doorway, while Harry and Alice looked on.
"You scoundrel!" shouted Old King Brady. "Harm that woman at your peril!"
"Leggett is signalling!" cried Harry. "There are Chinks in the launch!"
"Save the princess!" exclaimed Alice. "That yellow fiend has unearthed the treasure and now he will kill her."
"But how to get at him!" cried Old King Brady. "You two keep guard here. There must be a rear entrance. I'll tackle him there." ”

“ Alice shuddered.
"We have fallen into the hands of a bunch of yellow fiends," she thought. "I wonder if there is anything too wicked for Dr. Garshaski to do?"
The two masks now seized the princess and laid her down upon the table on her back.
They then proceeded to tie her hands to the ropes attached to the post, while her feet were made fast to those attached to the screw.
The brave little woman never let out a whimper—never said one word.
"You see, Alice," said the doctor, taking his place beside her. "Don't you think of interfering, or you shall get your dose." ”

“ Old King Brady soon discovered that he had attempted the impossible. He could not start a single screw.
"This is a bad job," he exclaimed. "We shall have to lower the box again. I greatly fear that we are up against a murder case. If the woman was alive, she would surely have revived before this."
"She said she was dying," replied Alice. "It begins to look as if she spoke the truth."
"Get back to the boat," called Harry. "We may as well run around to the India Basin warehouse. We shall be able to open the box there." ”

“ Lung," said Old King Brady. "Have you any idea what the motive for all this can be? Any starting clew to give us?"
"None whatever. I am just as much in the dark over the matter as you are."
"Suppose this Wang Foo wanted to marry the princess?"
"Would he box her up and treat her as he has if he loved her?" put in Harry, speaking for the first time.
"Listen," said Ah Lung, "Chinamen are not all fiends, as you may think."
"I don't think so," retorted Harry. "There are white fiends as well as yellow fiends." ”

“ Alice and the princess waited until they were tired, and were just preparing to go to bed when the door was suddenly thrown open and two men wearing hideous paste-board masks after the Chinese style entered the room.
Dr. Garshaski and another followed them, an old Chinaman with a long, drooping mustache. A person Alice had never seen.
"Young women," said the doctor, "you are to follow us to the torture room, unless you, Princess Skeep Hup, instantly reveal what I wish to know, or, rather, give me your promise to do so, for it must be revealed to me alone." ”

“ One old white-haired man, a splendid swimmer, particularly attracted Young King Brady's attention and he fell into conversation with him.
He learned that the old fellow suffered terribly from insomnia.
"Why I often come down here and go in alone at midnight," he said, "and sometimes in the early morning hours. I was here this morning at a quarter to one."
"Is the place deserted then?" Harry asked.
"I don't believe the North Beach baths are ever deserted," replied the old man. "There are always a few old cranks like myself paddling about; sometimes we see strange sights." ”

“ The kicker obeyed, and was just about to step back into the launch, when Old King Brady, ordering him to remain where he was, he sat down on the big tin box.
Instantly he jumped up again, exclaiming:
"Good heavens! There is some one alive in this box!"
"Ah! The princess!" cried Alice. ”

“ Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.
"I know very little about your American spiritualists," he replied, "but we will not continue the subject. I am ready."
"Where do we go?"
"We will talk of that outside."
"Am I made up to suit you?"
"Yes, yes. As I look at you I fail to see how any one could see through your disguise."
They passed out of the joss house and walked down Jackson street hill.
"One thing," said Harry. "You must pretend to talk to me with your fingers deaf and dumb fashion when we come into the presence of others."
"Oh, I can actually do it," replied Wun Lung. ”

“ It is still in use in China for extorting confessions from thieves. Nice contrivance, isn't it? But its use has been by no means confined to the Chinese."
"What you allude to happened two hundred years ago, and you know it," retorted Alice. "It takes yellow fiends like you and your friends here to torture a woman in these days!"
"Bah! They would rack people to death for religion's sake to-day if they dared," answered the doctor.
"But you have your warning, so heed it," he added, and advancing to the princess, he again asked her if she was ready to reveal the secret. ”

“ Old King Brady shot the bolt and threw back the door, which was not locked.
Ah Lung was sitting up leaning on Harry.
He certainly was a horrible looking object with his face all bathed in blood.
"Not dead!" exclaimed Old King Brady.
"Not dead, but in a mighty bad way," gasped Lung. "The princess!" he added. "I see you have Miss Montgomery all right."
"I'm sorry to say we have seen nothing of the princess," replied the old detective. "I haven't had time to ask Miss Montgomery about her yet. What has become of her, Alice?"
"Dr. Garshaski carried her off," replied Alice. ”

“ The old detective flashed his electric lantern around.
"Your Chinese puzzle isn't it, Mr. Brady," whispered Leggett. "Is there any end to the mysteries with which these Chinks like to surround themselves?"
"None, absolutely none," replied the old detective. "It makes one tired to try to follow their curves. But listen a moment. We may catch on to something."
"It's a blame sight more likely that someone will catch on to us," growled Leggett.
"Hush! Hush! Listen!"
He had scarcely spoken when someone behind the middle door called out in a loud voice in English:
"Now, Ah Lung, I've got you. ”

“ The big hall contained many Chinamen, most of them standing around with their hats on talking business, for this joss house has a good deal of the character of a Chinese commercial exchange.
But there were worshipers there before the idols, if they can be so called.
Really, it bears no resemblance to Christian worship.
When a Chinaman gets down on his knees before the idols and throws joss sticks out of a box just as a gambler would throw dice, he is consulting the spirits of his ancestors as to what course to take in business, love or pleasure. Just this and nothing more. ”

“ Going up to a handsome buffet, Lung poured out tea for himself and Harry, helping him also to sweetmeats and Chinese cakes.
"Is this just a business club?" asked Young King Brady.
"Just that and nothing else," was the reply; "there are several clubs meeting down here. While the members are all part of one grand organization, these clubs are organized for different purposes, and a man may belong to one without belonging to another or knowing anything about the others. That's the way we work it." ”

“ Brady, I begin to believe you are telling me the truth."
"I certainly am, but let us leave this house. I don't wish the doctor to know I have been here. I should like to talk with you further, Mrs. Garshaski."
"I'll go, but you needn't call me that. I go now by my mother's maiden name. I am known as Inez Reyes."
"Mrs. or miss?"
"Miss."
"Very well, Miss Reyes. Let us get out; that is if you have accomplished your purpose here."
"My purpose!" she replied, grimly. "My purpose is to catch my husband and make him give me money to live on. He is an opium smuggler. He is rolling in wealth. ”

“ In the middle of the floor stood the box which was supposed to contain the Chinese princess.
"So you have come at last!" exclaimed the Chinaman in his own language. "I thought you never would."
"Patience, Wang Foo," replied the doctor. "We can't get there all in a moment."
"But the princess may die. She may be dead now. I believe it. She ought to have been released long ago."
"Patience, I tell you. I know my business. She is in no danger of death whatever."
"And the woman you were to bring to look after her. She must have an attendant. She is not to be ill treated. She is of my own blood." ”

“ Harry covered the Doctor, Old King Brady managed to make the princess let go her hold on his hair, but not without some difficulty.
Quickly they tied his legs together, searched and captured another revolver.
Meanwhile Garshaski had not spoken a word. His face was deathly white, the sight of his own blood which flowed freely had apparently turned him faint, for by the time the Bradys succeeded in securing him he had relapsed into unconsciousness.
"Call Alice!" ordered the old detective. "We want to find out about the treasure while we have so good a chance." ”

“ Old King Brady shook hands and invited the doctor to sit down, introducing Leggett as a Secret Service man.
"Do you mind if I take my supper at this table?" asked the doctor.
"Not at all," was the reply.
Having come up with the man, it seemed to the old detective that he might as well listen to anything he had to say.
"I thought you were going to China, doctor?" he began.
"Did go," replied the doctor. "I have been across twice since I saw you. How is Young King Brady?"
"Well."
"In San Francisco?"
"I don't know where he is just now. He is working for a man on a private matter. ”

“ He is as keen as a razor. Some time ago he fell madly in love with Miss Montgomery, and we had all kinds of trouble with him. I am afraid he is at the bottom of her disappearance."
"I'm on the job. Where shall I lay for him? Here or in front?"
"In front."
"Will I do as I am?"
"It's the best you can do at short notice. Listen. You saw him give me his card. I am going to his room on Stockton street. If I can get in I shall not hesitate to give it a good overhauling. I must be quick. Do the best you can for me, Leggett."
The Secret Service man gave his promise and Old King Brady hurried away. ”

“ The ordinary Chinese women do not compress their feet.
The doctor bent over the box and listened at her heart.
"She's all right," he said. "I'll have her out of this in no time."
He produced a leather medicine case, and, taking a tumbler from the washstand, proceeded to mix small portions of the contents of two different vials.
The result was a reddish liquid, of which he administered a few drops to the princess.
"Now, Alice," he said, "we can talk freely before this man, who is just from China and can't speak a word of English. Our love affairs can hang over a few days. ”

“ Old King Brady now aroused his female partner and explained.
But by this time the voices had ceased.
"Must be that they are in a sailboat," observed the kicker, half aloud.
"Will you kindly keep quiet," breathed the old detective. "This mist is as good as a telephone. I want to do business to-night if I can."
After a moment the voices in the mist were heard again.
Alice listened attentively.
"Chinese?" whispered Harry.
"Yes; hush."
The voices ceased.
Chinese never hold continuous conversation like other people. ”

“ Yellow ones there certainly are in this town, and I greatly fear that it is into their hands the princess has fallen."
"Is there money coming to the man who marries her?" demanded Old King Brady, abruptly.
"That's just it. There was $20,000 of what you call dowry to go with the princess. As you are probably aware, among my people women rarely carry with them dowry. On the other hand, men who want to marry have to pay for their wives—buy them, you call it, though I never could understand where the difference comes in between paying for husbands, as is done right along in America. ”

“ Brady; indeed I do. The worst Lung & Lung have ever done is to buy cheap opium without asking questions."
"Very well, I accept that. Do what you will. I want to help you out and to help myself out at the same time. Now then, what do you propose?"
"Listen here," said Ah Lung, lowering his voice. "You Secret Service men captured a lot of that opium the other night, but you didn't get it all by any means. There was another boat load which ran in ahead of the one you captured."
"I can well believe it. The people in that boat fired at me in the fog." ”

“ Alice came. The princess almost fell over herself in her delight, chattering eagerly in Chinese.
"Well?" demanded the old detective. "Well?"
"Oh, he got the treasure all right," said Alice. "It is in here."
She led the way into the front room, which was fitted up with a bar and upon this stood an old dress-suit case.
"That's it!" cried Alice. "They have but just finished their work. Garshaski was going to drown her and make off with the money. The princess says that he found it under the hearth stone and that there is a lot of it."
Leggett now burst into the roam. ”

“ Wang Foo knows all this. He is my partner in certain business transactions. He is her cousin. He started to escort her to Shanghai from her home in Pekin. There she was to sail on the Manchuria for San Francisco. But Wang Foo deceived her and took her aboard an English tramp steamer, the Dover Castle. He has delivered her to me. She must be made to give up her secret, fair Alice. That was another reason why I kidnaped you. I want you to do the detective act. Get the secret out of the princess as best you can, only get it. Make her understand that if she don't give it up she will surely die. ”