H. Bedford-Jones

“ And Ling Ti, who had reigned in the second century A. D. would have taken some fine things with him to the spirit world.
"I'd like to know whether this mandarin was lying," reflected Hanecy, striding down the narrow street that led past the ruined palace moats.
An instant later he had his answer. It came in the shape of a dirty beggar, who rose up out of the dust and came within an ace of sending Hanecy to join his several ancestors by means of a six-inch sliver of steel.
For a man so immersed in thought, the American moved with astonishing rapidity. ”

“ To his surprise, the officer in charge stepped out in front of him.
"Why are you stopping me?" demanded Hanecy, who was accustomed to the deference accorded whites, and particularly Americans, in the Flowery kingdom.
"The orders are most strict, honorable sir," returned the officer. "We are posted here to apprehend a murderer."
"Ah!" Hanecy smiled. "You will know him by sight. I suppose——"
"By search, excellency. A merchant named Yen Ching was murdered this afternoon. His slayer carried off a highly valuable tablet of old jade and several tins of opium—which is, of course, contraband. ”

“ I promised a friend to keep it six months. I am a man of honor."
"But your friend is dead!"
"He may come back," was the only response.
Hanecy knew himself blocked. Yen Chlng's honor and his fear of a ghost-haunted future were insuperable to money. He copied the inscription on the tablet, thanked Yen Ching and departed.
He went straight home to Kiang's house. He had no doubt that the tablet was genuine, for It was unmistakable Han jade, such as is no longer found In China. It was, he conjectured, one of a number bound together by the pierced edges to form a jade book. ”

“ HANECY did not deceive himself when he deliberately chose this course. Benson was the most dangerous man in China. He knew the dialects like a native, and had lines of influence and graft extending in all directions. Small, rather shortsighted, coolly pleasant, he never lost his head for a minute. He was said to have all the ruthless cruelty of a Manchu, but few of his personal enemies ever reported on that point.
The first problem facing Jim Hanecy was to discover what was up. He had letters to a fur dealer named Kiang, who was delighted to take him as a guest ”

“ I suspected Benson wanted to get me out of the way, since we had exchanged a few illnatured words. I've been here ever since, writing sonnets, which the priests admire vastly, and having a good time."
Hanecy grinned at this and began to revise some of his notions about Toptit.
"You're not the fool you look," he observed.
"Thanks, sorrel-top. Same to you. Is Benson on your trail?"
"Maybe. And maybe I'm on his." Hanecy's steely eyes glinted. "You must have some information about that Ling Ti stuff, or Benson's friend wouldn't have jumped you." ”

“ If Benson had it——"
"He has it," said Toptit calmly. "That's why I sent word to the yamen—that message to you. Benson knows that I have the list. He won't go after the stuff until he's got me out of the way. Savvy? He knows now that I'm alive and kicking and still dangerous."
Hanecy regarded his compatriot with admiration.
"Say, I've underestimated you, old hoss! You're a cool devil. What's to hinder Benson going after the stuff while you're laid up here?" ”

“ There's a nasty cut under my shoulder."
"I thought they would have tried to make certain," said Hanecy. "Knocking a white man on the head and slinging him into the river is a rather dubious guarantee against his talking. Especially thick-headed white men. But go on."
"Spare the compliments," retorted Toptit. "Here's the real dope on that guy from Hanan. He came here with the stuff, but the news had spread pretty fast. When he got here the mandarin tried to grab the whole business for himself, but the stubborn beggar refused to give it up and he got away from the yamen with it, too. ”

“ He promptly hired a boat and went to Cheng-tu. He did not know why he went, but he smelled a distinct rat. One of the four was Benson, and Benson never went after anything in person unless it was tremendously important. There was something up.
"Some big news broke suddenly on the coast," reflected Hanecy. "Reached 'em all at once. Let's see now! Toptit is straight as a string. Benson is crooked as the devil. Gramerfeld would rob his own brother of a penny. Carson plays a lone hand, same as I do. H'm! I'd sooner work with Toptit than any of the others—but I guess I'll trail Benson. ”

“ The Tale of the Tenth Tablet—By H. Bedford-Jones
THIS is the First of a Series of Complete Stories by an Author of Fascinating and Mysterious Yarns. The Second Story, to Appear in The Star Magazine Next Sunday, Will Be "The Emperor's Amulet." Dealing With Another Adventure of Ling Ti.
CHENG-TU is an ancient city on a plain, with three million people crowded around it. Before the Roman empire fell, Cheng-tu was great. Hence, it might be imagined that when Jim Hanecy, agent and dealer in antiques, came 1,500 miles up the Yangtze river to this city he knew what he as doing. ”