H. Bedford-Jones

“ Benson was certain, it appears, that you had done so. As a matter of fact, it was the mandarin who had Wu Liang murdered!"
"You have proof of this?" demanded Hanecy, eagerly.
"The best in the world," and Kiang quietly handed him the ambassador's ring. "This was taken from the finger of the mandarin."
Hanecy looked at the circlet with its green jasper stone. Only two days had elapsed since he first saw it; in those two days it had brought death to many men. Here lay the thing in his hand—he slipped it on his finger reflectively.
"See here!" Hanecy looked at the fur merchant reflectively. ”

“ He told Kiang frankly of his own interest in the case, described the ring, and asked for help. At first Kiang was not very responsive.
"I am a lonely old man and know nothing."
"But you have tong brethren, and the guilds are strong In Cheng-tu."
"Also, I am sad. Wu owed me an account of eight hundred Hang for fur. He has no heir, the state takes his property, and my bill will be unpaid."
Hanecy swore to himself at this news. All Wu's magnificent collection would go to the local mandarin, and Benson would get a fat slice of it!
"Your bill will be paid," said Hanecy, swallowing his wrath. ”

“ Benson. He, too, is an American—a famous dealer." The smile of old Wu was cherubic, but his eyes were not. "Is he a friend of yours?"
"He is not," said Hanecy, with curt emphasis.
*⁠*⁠*⁠*
A little later, Jim Hanecy left the villa, afoot. He preferred walking, especially when a stormy mood was on him. He was not particularly worried about any loss of dignity in native eyes.
"Ethnology be hanged!" he observed fiercely as he strode toward the city. "I hate like the devil to be beaten. There must be some decent way of getting that ring from old Wu. ”

“ Hanecy assented. He was one dealer who did not lie, even to buy things cheaply.
"It was recently taken from the grave of the Emperor Ling Ti," he said. "I understand that it came to you."
"True. Now, my friend, we shall speak frankly, for I know your reputation. It is one to be envied by other white men in our country. First, allow me humbly to show you the ring."
An attendant brought in a box lined with silk. From this box Wu Liang took another box. Four boxes in all there were, and In the innermost lay the ambassador's ring. Wu Liang handed it to the American. ”

“ KIANG blinked delightedly. "I will report all this to my tong brethren," he said, and Hanecy knew that he had managed to start something.
These things were before the day of the Future Welfare Society and kindred organizations. Japanese influence was terribly strong at Peking, and was just starting the morphia traffic. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1949, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 74 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”