THE ! OREGON SUNDAY 'JOURNALV PORTLAND, SUNDAY lIORNINGOCTOLCR W, 1D13
...... , . r . . . . . t. - fc
The Third of the Fu-Manchu Stories
By Sax' Rohmer
nriairr fen eT Redmoat X glanced frsm the window.
I I at the nocturne In eilver end n.ffthl lif '! My posiuoa-is.A. peculiar ue-e peculiar
X J beneath me. To the west 08 the srubbery.;;wiU .1 '" My daughttr, to. eeer thlg prownn per
, , Its broken canopy Of elme, aad beyond the copper aoa ever by the Romas oestrum, and described
h. which marked the center of tta mates, a rap offered him aa a yellow man. It wm the Incident 1b
i glimpse of the Wiverney, where It srwept Into a bread,
alnt bjrdcalla floated .over taVwatar, ; . '7rtUi tJf
hleper of leaves, alone claimed, the 'eer.i;;- ";'i':v' ;
Ideal rural peace, end the music of aa .Bnff H gumr
r evening; but to ray eyes, every ebadow bol- I f
aaUa terror; to my ears, every sound a, signal of dUt(,1.
zor the dreadful hand of Fu-Mamxm was stretched aver
r.cdmoat, at any hour to loose eraa;e oriental horrort A;,:tVi."Tour ds.'ensee srerpot impregnable ifter
upon tta Inmates. ..'". ''V u . "', ... -. all,. then!, be jerked, 'Pn our. Tray ay fbid
"WeWeeld Nayland Em'th. Joining ins at the, win- evenlng'Mr. ; Pjnby wa, tHJnf we about the
Bow, "we had dared to hope biro dead, but we know frew 5 f his ;.,' t few nights ??.", ; t
that he vear4':-.Ve;-iii''',.'! .... .'.-' :'.,Av..rU The clergyman's clouded, wl '
The Rev, X XV' Elthero gough'tj ' nreusly,Hr.4 t ' t .That ' oerUtaly was aJarmlng.' he edu-;
turned, leaning; my elbow upon the table. smd-gtudledV
.the play of expression upon the reffned, eacltiyg acf
' pt the clergyman. ' '
"Tou think I acted fjghtly JjJ tindlnf for fou, M
mlthT,r . C ' - , .' ;
Nayland Smith, smoked ur!misy. . ' "
'Mr. ElihanO he replied, "yea see q me ejfah (re.
ing in tne aaric I am today im nearer to 4h eeaoluMon
ef my tnlaslon than upon that day when. I left Manda. r
lay. xott offer me a clue. X am fceref Teur affair, I
beUeve, standi thus: A aeriee of attempted bWflartea,
er aomethiaa- of the kind, has alarmed, your feovtefiold. .
CTesterday, returolng- her from London with your daotit
Iter, yon were both drug-fed la come way, and, copying
m compartment to yourielves, you both 1 alot Tour '
daughter awoke, and aaw some one else la the oarrlaga
la yellow-faced man,, who held a, case of lnatrument la
Jbla handa," i ' , ,.'!,.,,",
"Tea. I : was, pf wursa, unable ta" enter Inta partle
lara over the telephone. The man waa standing by one :
W the wlndowa, WrecUy ha observed that mf daughter
Sraa awake, he stepped toward her-" , .
-What did bf do with the. ease la his hands rv s
"She did not hotteeor did net paenUea having etleed. '
ta fact, as was natural rha vat frtghana4 (hat she
yeoalls nothing mora beyond the fact that aha etrere t .
arouse me, without iuoceedlz; fait Jpiadg tm Iter
ahouldera and swooned,? , 1 s ,
"But some ooe used jtbe' mergeaoy eH ad' ftsppad '
Pa raIar?.-.-.o"t-. - , v ' - . - we "
"Oreb has no recollection5 f having dsn aa,"
"Hml Of course, no yti low-face nag wag a'b
ralnl . "When did yea awake r - ' . :, .
"I vis aroused by aha guard, hut asly who ha had 't
"Upon reaching Great Tarmouth jraa' Immsdlatsly
nif n EUnttiift ....i . , . f
railed wp, Scotland Tardf Tou goted awry WUaly. air.
Slow long were you In China 7" .
Sir. Eltham's aUte of stjrpnee was g!ot comloal, '
"It la perhaps nottrange toet you should he awari
pf my residence in China,' JJr. pmlth,'' ha asWrhui
my not having mentioned it may em 0v Tba ftfl !"-
bis sensitive1 face flushed In . palpable en)Oarraansnt-T,'
left China under what I may term tot episcopal Ioadl
X have lived In retirement aver ginee. Va wittingly I
aolemnly declare to. you, Mr. BmltH, mwlttngly-l gtlrred
aip certain deep-eeated jrJudlca (a my endeayora to
do my duty-iy duty, J rhlrk yoii d-Ked tta how long ;
I waa In China. I was ther jron .V nW IWf-four
uw wiuiuuivc ir, juiuiBm," gua amiu
With an odd note In his voice. "I hart heea endeavoring
to think where I; had coma across tba name, and a mo
ment ago I remembered. X aS fcppy ta have met you,
air." ':',.''.;-v;-.f?;''j- . :-t ---.h .:
The clergyman blushed agala JO; 4 g Vt. 4 slightly
Inclined hla haad; with Its scanty fair lr.
"Haa Redmoat, aa 1U name Implied mogt round KT
X waa unable to aea In tha dusk."
"It remains. . Redmoat-o, cormptlam at round moat-
raa formerly a priory. dlsosubUshel Mr fbs eighth Henry "
' ""',? wuwm.
'But tha moat is no longer flooded. In fact we arrow
.cabbages in'par of Itl If you refer it tha dtrateglo
atrength of tha place" he smiled, but pit manner was
embarraaaed again "tt is considerable, fcava barbed
.wire fenclhg, andather aTrangemenU. Toil aaa, it ia a
lonely spot,'" he added apologetically. "Aaa aw. If you
iwiii excuse me, wa will resume these gruesomf Inquiries
a-fter tha more, pleasant affaire of dinner." .-
lie left us.' ' 1 , f -' t -
, "Who Is our hostf X asked." aa tha door' closed,
, , Smith smiled. v
"Tou are 'wondering .what caused the 'episcopal
fcloudT he suggested. "Wall, the deep-seated prajudloea 5
which our reverend friend stirred up culminated la the
Poxer rialngsl" ' ;;'-., i, ..-W;;f.if".(; --iK-rr'.':.
"Good heavens, smith ! X aald. for X could not reeoav
Hie the diffident peraonaUty of tha clergyman with tha
memories whloh thoee words awakened,' . ,
"He evidently ehould bo on our danger UatH my
friend conUnued "quickly, "but be baa ao completely
affaced hlmselt of recent years that I think It probable
!that some one else haa only just recalled hla existence
to mind! The Rev. J. D. Eltham, ay dear Petrie, though
lie may be a poor hand at saving souls, at any rata haa
eaved a acore of ChrisUan . women from death-and
iworser . .v ? . '.',.-.'!,-'.:'.--.-
"J. CEltham-" X began. 1 ' ," , i',',''
' "Is 'Parson DanT rapped Smith--"tht 'Flfhtlng Mia.
alonaryr the man who, with a tarrtsoa r of a dosea
rripples and a German doctor, held tha hospital at 'Nan
Tang against JM Boxers! That. Who tha Rev. J. D.
atham 1st But what he la u to sow I have yet to find ' "
put He U keeping something back-eomething which '
Ma made him an object of Interest to young Chlnar
.. "Rodmoat," said the Rev. J. D. Eltham, 'tiaa lattarlr '
ibeoome the theater of strange dodngs." . T
He stood en the hearthrug In hla library. A shaded
l -f the big table and candles In ancient econcis
n ??n JH1 wjntelploce afforded dim illumination. ' Mr.
IJtham nephew. Vernon Denby, lolled amoklng on the
window seat and 1 eat near blm. NayUnd Smith paced
restlessly up and down the room, ; ; . VT- ,
"Some month ago almost a year," continued the 1
Zm 'xx attempt wai mad. upon the
6'ouse. There was an arrest and the man confessed that
he had been tempted by toy , collection" He waved
t is band vaguely toward tha several cabinets about the
aoiadowed room.. . .. ..... , . ..
"It was aborUy afterward that I allowed ray hobby
for playing at forta to run away with me." He amiled
en apology. "I virtually forUfled Redmoat-agalnat Ues-
i asaers of any kind, 1 mean. Tou have seen that the
liouse elands upon a kind of large mound. This ia artl-
ficial, being the buried ruins of a Roman outwork, a nor.
lion of the ancient caatrum." , Again be waved lndlo- '
actively, this time toward tha window. TT
a "ifl" .WM Prtry " was compleuly Isolated and
defended by lui environing moat. Today it la completely
aurrounded by barbed-wire fencing Below this fence.
a the east, is a narrow stream, a tributary of the
waverney; on the north and west, the highroad, but
early twenty feet below, and the banks are perpendlou
; ir. On the south is the remaining part of the moat now
y kitchen garden; but from there up to the level of
i e bouse Is nearly twenty feet again, and the barbed
vire muet be counted with. . '
,.'!Th 'ltnc". aa you know. Is by way of a kind of
rutung. There ia a gate at the foot of the eteps (they -
e some of the original steps of th priory. Doctor
j erle) and another gate at the head." . , !tT
lie pauaed, and smiled around upon ue boyishly, '
"My secret defenses remain to be mentioned," ha re
filmed; and opening a cupboard he pointed to a row of -
tteriea, with a number of electric bells upon he wall
hind. "The more vulnerable spota are connected at
t . bt with these bells," he aald triumphantly. "Any v
. mmpt to scale the barbed wire or to force either gate
v. ould set two or. more of these rinaingl A atra co
axed one f also alarm," he added, "and a careless rook
vrw ua into a berfect banlo on another onnaAlnni"
)e wae so boyish ao nervously brisk and acutely
ntUtlve that It waa difficult to see In bim the hero ot '
9 Kan-Tang Hospital. I could only suppose that he
1 treated the JBoxere' raid In the same spirit wherein
mot would-be trespasseiw within tho precincts of Red-
- u It bad been an escapade of which he was aft a.-.
d aahamed, as.- fainUy, be was ashamed of his
.r'lflcatlons. '..' .-,--. .;'.. .. .' t
"j .ut" . rapped Smith,7 "It was not the -visit of the 1
'lit which prompted these elaborate precautlonar ,
i r. Kltham coughed nervously,
I am aware," be eald, "that- having invoked official
i, I must be perfectly frank with you, Mr. Smith. It
tha burglar who was responsible for my continuing
- -e fen re all round tbe abounds, but the electrical -
anc followed later aa a resu.' eft several die-
. l nights. Mr servants grew Uneasy about some''
who came, they aald, after dusk. No one could d
' e this nocturnal visitor, but , certainly we found
, A I must admit that ,
the train,: followtnc' cloaely upon thle'ctaaf,
-Which ted ri t peah te th poUca, lltUe aa
.(flerlred to' court te?V.'!.VfcV".i'.
. , v:y(Wid ;m!th 'alhtil-.:
a 'wladow n
looked AoroH U-i f!n:)!ny law .to where ih
pnaoowf. Di me lifUUi-rf Wft A CQf
7 kd been In London tor a few days.
a4 .daring my absence Vernon oame down.
hrlBfln the dog with hint Pw fhf Mgh M ll'
arrival -n ran, panting, jw u inrubbftrf
yomjar, . and did not' oomg pub lie went to
look for It with a lantern, and fount it lying
among the boshes, fluke dead. The poo areav
ture had heea dreaofully bestea ahmt tba
'The gates wtre looked," Denby lntarrBr-v
ad. ."and a ona aeuld have got wut ef th ;
' grouoda without ladder and eorae aaa ta ' .
assist bJm. But there waa n sign ei a ttrlndr
aomg ewoufc oawaras aaa searcDM overy m
"Haw long hag that afhar of ton ' to " ' L
howling r' Inqulrad Bmlta, -
'Onlf ; itoea Jtsz' death. aaM Denby
gjnlckly,' " ...
"It. a my tnasUff,' explained the dergy. .
nnaa, fand he la eonflned to the yard, Ha la
never allowed an this side of the honse."
Naytend ahnl(b wandered aimlessly . about '
the library, '
'1 m gorry to have to preoa you," Mr,
BJtbajR," he said, "but what waa the natara Of
the wmrnlpg to-which you" referred, and from
whom ld It aamor .
lit, SUtham fcesltated tor a lon time. : .
', - ,MI have aeea so nnfortonate,' ha aald, a '
last, "la my prevtoue efforts that X feel assured
Of four hostile erttldgni when Z tall you that X
an eontemvlitlng gn Immediate return to H
Manl", Sv . . , .. v v . .
- Imlth Ivittpad round upon htm as thecurh
W?" y sprfo.
"Then van an
Then you are going hack to Nan-Taagr
fc orled. "Now X tAoerataadt Why have yoa
Dot told me before? That la the key for whloh
1 have vainly been eeaklag. Tour troubles date
rom tha time of your dectglon to rerarnr'
"Tes-I must admit It," aopfeised the clergy
man,-diffidently, ( -
"And your warning aaau from Chlnar1
"if'.-did,". ; , , t.t .r , 1 x
lr "From a CSimamaar ' v. f '
, 'Trom the Kaaderln Taa-ekta-Tat' ' v
ra t -BMdoa i.itf aa , h '
-len-ieun-iat: My good alrl. Ha warned
advice t XJaten ta met"
e id ted now, his eyes brlarht, his lean figure
curiously strung : np-alert, - "JTha , Itandarfas
Ten-Sun-Tat la one of tha seven f v
f. W
T da not follow toil Vr AmttkN . . V i I
. v'Not alrl China today Is notthe Ob la ef; v ' .
iM. It la a huge aeeret machine, and Raraa' on ag tta
most Important wheels I s ButMf, aa understand, this
official la a . friend of yours, bellera ana ta has aavwd
your life I Ton would bo a dead maa now If it were aaa
, for your friend ta ChlnalMy dearjrtr, you must aooa
Th. fa . ta Hm a)nM T sua msuS kl.
qualntance, Tareon Dan" showed through the surf aaa
at tha Rev. 3, XX XCKham,
"No. alrl" replied the clergyman tha ahtage In
hts vole was startllng-"X am called fa IfaJa-TaaC Only
One may deter my golngP
The admlxtura of deep spiritual Mr sreoas with lav
tease truculenca In hla voice waa dlssiaitlar frost ar :
thing X aver had beard,. s::-f,W-i'x::kr.
"Than only One can protect yeo," cried atattlk, "tor,
by heaven, no man will ha able to Aa aol Tour prasaaaa
In Ho-Nan can do no possible good i vreaaat It snvat
do harm. Tour experience ta IN? ibavlia fresh la rwwr
memory iM "'. , 4
"Hard words,. Xdr. fcntthl':?'? ' i
"Tha class of missionary work Wktei yatg favor, sdr, '
Is Injurious to International peasa At tba rrsant ana ,
ment Ho-Nan la a barrel pf guapaw4ar fa would ba -the
lighted match, I, do not wlUlnaly gtaaA bttwaan
any maa and what he chooses ta aonslder na duty, wt
X insist thatk you abandon your visit ta tba la tartar of ;
Chlnar' - "
, , "Tou Insist, ltr. Smith T :
"Aa your guest X regret tha jtaaaaaHr sf ranln4lsuj
you that I hold authority ta snfloroa ltr. ;
Denby fidgeted uneatly, . The tone at tha aonvraa
tlon waa growing barah and ha atmeephare f ; the
library portantoua with browing gtorma, : - ' .
There was a abort, allent interval. " , -' v'.
"Thia ia what X had feaxed, and axpeoted," said tha
clergyman. 'Thla waa my reaaoa fay Bt aaakjBg p Hiatal
proteotlon." iA'..;i;'V;,t.',..!. i'(f: ; ,
Tha phantom Tallow sarH aM Kaylasd Smith,
"today mauriauaea under the Tory erst at tht waatara ,.
woridr' ry-irt j''iW.i-i-''V.a r : ,
, , "Tha Tellow Periri My'detr Vs. fmltlH? '
"Ton scoff, air and ao do othorsl . W take ' tba
proffered right hand of friendship nor inquire If the bid
den left holds a knltet The peaoa of the world 1 n4
stake, Mr. Ultbam. , Unknowingly, you tamper with tre
mendous issues." -r.'.5, , ', ;
Mr. Eltham draw a dean breath, thrusting both tuuadg.
In hie pockets. ' . f,
"You are painfully frank, XIr, Smith." ba aald. "nut
X like you for itl 1 will reconsider my position aad talk
this matter over again with you tomorrow."
Thus, then, the storm blew over. Tt X bad power
ex penanced such an overwhelming sense of imminent 1
peril of a'alter presence aa oppressed rn ai that
moment. Tee very atmosphere of Redmoat was Jm
pregnatoo) with aastorn devilry I It loaded the air like
some evil perfume. Aad than through tba alienee cut a ;
tnrououtg cream nam scream on a woman in airesc xeatr,
, "My God I if a Oreba I" whispered Mr. KlUiam,'
la what order we dashed doom te the drawing room -
T Mnnnt mosJI. Bus rmu wu kafara ria whan 1 IaaimA .
over the mresholood aaw Mise JSltham prone by tba
These were closed aad bolted, and she lay with hands
; outstretched in the alcove which the windows formed,
X bent aver her, Nay land Smith waa at my elbow.
"Get my bag," I said. 'She baa swooned- It It noth
ing eerlOUS." i :;,- v-. , ,
Her father, pale and wide-eyed, hovered about me,
muttering inoohereatly; but I managed to reassure bim, r
and his gratituda when. I having administered a simple
, restorative, tbe girl si shed enudJeringly and epeaed bey "
eyes, waa quite pathetlo.
. x would permW ae Questioning at that time, and em .
, bar father's arm she retired te her own rooms. ... .
H waa some fifteen minutes later that bar message )
wag brought to me. I followed the maid to a quaint lit
tle octagonal apartment, and Oreba Eltham stood be
: fere me. the candlelight caressing the soft curves of hey
face and gleaming In the meshes of her rich brown hair. .
When sttie had answered my first question, she hesi
tated in pretty confusion. -.;v... . ,
"Wo are anxious to know what .alarmed you, Miss
v Eltham."'.- "v.,f , . ... .
She bit her lip, and glanced with apprehension toward
the window. ,.""'......,.,..,..;". :.:,:,. ,,.,( ,.!,.,
"I am almost afraid to tell father," she began rapidly.
"He will think me imaginative, but you have been so
kind. It was two green eyeat , oh I Doctor Petriel thoy
looked up at me from tbe steps leading to Che lawal AnAV
theyanonc like the eyea ot a catl'V v
The words thrilled me strangely. '"." - . ';;
j "Are you sure tt was not a cat, Mhm El thamr t ' t
"Tha ys were too large,- Doctor Petrie, , There was
something dreadful most dreadful in their appearanoel '
- X feel foolish and silly for having fainted twice in two
flays I But tho suspense la telling upon me. I suppose. -Father
think" she waa becoming charmingly eonfldon
tlal. aa a woman often will with a tactful phyrtclan ,
'"that abut up bare we are safe from whatever threatens
us." X noted with concern a repetition of the nervous '
shudder. "Hut since our return some ne else has beea
In Redmoatl" .,.-.. ' -
,,: "Whatever do you mean, Mise Eltham V " W .':
"Ohl I don't quite know whet I do mean, Doctor
: Petriel What does it all meant Vernon lias been ex- i
plaining to me that some awful Chinaman ta seeking tha
mi v." a '.' i
.Mil '
;; wr- ,a?ci
y iW I'll:: ffl
Kv VP'"
tit fools!
lot ,ths ioin It snythinp: hi
, ' , , . tber. he wilj Jiatf us to it
1 . . I ' Vs-JSCW elites f'X' jfXr
t ttrn at Mr. Kayland.BmUb. if tha sems man wantsV
- v my laanen wny nag be at doneor'
"X am afraid yoa puuia melTV
,aOt aourM I anusit A m. SnOMu m l rti rln.
- Ha could have klUed aa both quite aaatiyi And last night '
i soma ana waa la father rtmr '
- "Xn hla reamVi . - .- ' 'y
"X could act Bleep, and I beard something moving.
Sf y room is the next one. ! knocked an tha. wall and
woke father. There was nothing, aa X aald tt was the
, bowling af the dog that had frightened mar I ''
' , "Bo oould any one"get into hk fooar
. 'X cannot Imagine. But X am net aura It waa a man!"
- "Klas Xltham, yon alarm me. What do yen suspect T"
"Tea must think me hystericsi and silly but while
- father and X (have bean away from XUdmoat nerbapi the
. usual precautions have been neglected. Xa there any
; creatara ' any large creature-whlon aoula altmb up the
wail te tha window f Do you know as anything with a
leagr, thin body?" f
: Stor a moment I offered no reply, atudytn the glrt'a
pretty face, bar eager, blue-gray ayea widely opened and
fixed upon mine ' She was not of the neurotla type, with
her clear complexion aad sun-kissed necks ' her arms, .
bealthllf toned by exposure to the eouatry airs, were
' rounded And Arm, and aha had the agile shape at a young
XMaaa, with none of the anemia languor whhm breeds
raarbid dreama, She waa frightened yes) wbe would
not have beanT But the mere Idea of thla thing whloh .1
, aha believed ta be In Rddmoat, without the apparitloa ef
j tha . sreea eye, moat ' - bare . prostrated . , ... wietun at' ;
"Have yeu Seen such a creature. Mia XCIthamf '
fine hesitated again, glancing down and prasalef bar.
finger tips together. - -
"Aa father awoke, and caBed out to know why I
knocked, X glanced from my window. The moonlight '
threw fhalf tha lawn' Into shadow, and just dieeppsatpg
(a this ahadow waa aomethlng-eomething of a brsam
color, marked with sections r , .
"What eiaa aad tuiper .,,;, , -
- ; It moved aa ulokly J could form na Idea of its
shape. f but i aaw uuite six feet ot It flash aoroes the ;
"Wd you bear any thlngr' ' " ' - ;
' "A swishing sound la the eturubhary-tben aothms
'. mOra. :,..... , .'..e :. . i ... :
She met my eyea expectantly. Her confidence la my
powers of Understanding and sympathy waa gratifying, '
though X know that X but occupied the uoaitloa eh
;. lathwr confessor. V''r'rf'' ,: , t-rx M
'Have u anv Idea." I aald. "'how it urn, ahnut itiat -
you awoke w the train yesterday while your father did
notr' ' ''' i'.. '- -
m.m - ....!. i, ,. . M . i - '
drank thT whole "of cufuir " '
Ir. Eltham'a voice called from below, 1
"Doctor Petrie." aald tha xirl ouloklr. what da von
think they want to do to himl" .
. . 'Ah!" t ranllodi "I lih I tins ttiAft" "
"Will aou wink ever what I have tnld vsaMFM t :
do aeaure you there le something here lh Radmoat-eome-thing
that comes and goes in spite of father" e 'fortifloa-'
( Ions' I Caesar knows there 1st Listen to him T He drags
t hla chain ao that I wonder he does not break Itl"
Ae we paessd downstairs, tha howling of tha mastiff
' and the clank) clank! of the tightening chain as be threw
tbe weight of his big body upon It sounded eerily through'
the bouse. ''-'" ... -. ..( ....." - - . .",,-..
I eat la Smith's room that night for eoip.e Ome, be
pacing tha floor, smoking and talking.
"hlltham haa influential Chinese friends," fee said. ,
"hut thAv darA Tint hiv. him in N.n.Y.n. A t nr.Mn. .,
Ha knows the oountry as be known Norfolk he would
aea thingal .:.'-- v, 5,..,,. . .. .A
"Hla precautions bare have baffled the enemy, I think I
The attempt in the train points to an anxiety to waste '
bo opportunity. But while Eltham was abwent the waa
getting bis outfit in London, by the way) thay have been
fixing some second string to their fiddle here. In ease ao '
opportunity offered : before - be returned, they provided
for getting at him here," - . , , . , .
( "But how. Smith V ' i . ,
"Xhat's the mystery. But tbe dead dog in the shrub- :
bery is significant!"
"Do you think some emissary of Pu-Mancbu's Is
actually Inalde Redmoat T" - .
"It's Impossible, Petriel Tou are thlnkin of secret
E sages and so forth! - There are none. LMhara haa ,
taursd up every foot of the place. There isn't a rat
left unaccounted fort, and as for a tunnel under the
moat the house stands on a solid mass of : Roman ma- -eonry,
a former camp of Hadrian's time. I nave seen a 1
very old plan of the Round Moat priory, aa it was called.
There is no entrance and no exit save by the steps, no '
how was 'the dog kirl ed 7'
I knocked out my pipe on a bar of the grrate,
. ."We arc in the thick Of it here!" I said.
"We are always in the thick of it!" replied Smith. ".
"Our danger is no greater in Norfolk Chan in-London.
But. what do they want to dot That man in the train, 1
with the ease of instruments what inetrumentsr Then '
the apparition of, tho green eyes tonight Can they have
been the eyes of Pu-ManohuT Is some peouliarly unique '
eutrage contemplated aometfhlng calling for tbe presence .
of tbe Msaterr'
1 aW i!1 VI ' I
' -.i . (I t , ...
.i
" Ing r.t:and without. klUIng tjm."
. '"Quite so. He probably baa l -.etruc
'be r7rffuL But God he V, t
Tg ta
-a ot
Chhieae mercy!" . .
- I ,wit u inr-ewt rwm, then, -Bat J did
-' not even undress, refilling my pipe. and seating
. - myself at the open window.; I had seen
. Uanchu onca, , But having looked upon the
... ' awful- Chinese doctor,- the memory of hla"faoe,
with it filmed green 'eyes, could never leave
" me. The Ide that' he. might be near, at that
moment; was a poor narcotic ; ,
The howliot and laying of the mastiff waa
.i flmost coDtlnuous.' ' .. i : . ,
When all else la Redmoat ' waa still, tha
(log's mournful note yet rose on the night, with
something menacing In it. I sat looking out
across the sloping turf to where the shrubbery
Showed a a black laiand in a green sea. The
moon swam. In a cloudless sky, and the air
...was warm and fragrant with country atneile,
1 It was in the ahrubbery that Denbya;ollle
'had met. his , myeterloua death that the! thlnej
seen' by Miss ltham : had disappeared. Waal
unoanny secret did it hold! "
,' ' Caesar became silent.'... '.'; V
.Aa. the stopping of a elook wW aoraatlmea
awaken a sleeper, tha abrupt cassation of that
distant howling, to whloh I had grown, aoous
' tomed, now recalled ma from a world ot gloomy
lmajtalng.v;'.
1 glanced at my watch In tho moonlight 1 It
wag twelve minutes past midnight
esb, but naw in a tone of ahe anger. Ha
afresh.
waa alternately bowling; and snarling la n way
that rounded aew to. me, The crashes, as he
leaped te the end ef his chain; shook the build
ing fa which ht waa confined.: It waa aa I
stood 'vp to lean f root the window, and oonv
mend a view af the corner ot tha bouse that be
broke loose.'- r ' .-. . . i ,
With a hoarse Day be took that decisive
' trap, and X beard hla heavy body fall against
the wooden : wait There followed a strange,
tuttural cry and the growling af the dog died
away at-the rear ef the house. ' He .was out!
But' that guttural note bad not home trom the
Vhroat at a doc Of what was be In pursuitT
A.t which point his mysterious quarry en
tered the ahrubbery X do t- Jknow. X only
kaefT , that X aaw - abaovtely nothing ,. until
Caeeer'e Ube ahtpd WW streaked across the
lawn, and the great creature went crashing
late tba undergrowth. . :- . - ,'
Tbe faint round : above and to my right
told me that X aa not the only spectator of
the acena X leaned further from the window.
Is that you. Miss El thamr i asked. -'
"Oh. Doctor Petrie!" ' she aald. "I am so .
glad you are dwakei Can we do - nothing te
betpf Caesar will be, wuedr.c? r r. - -,
"TMd yedeo what be went attar V
M, ate called wack-and drewf&er breath
eberply. . . :,it-'r;: "
' rr a ftraat Isura went racing across tba
grass. - wat thf of A man la a blue dressing
gown, wbe held e lantern high before blm and
a. revolver ra his l.h( hand. Coincident with
my i recognlana of Hts. ptham be leaped Into
the ahrubbery n the wake of the dog!
But the night bad ft another surprWa, for
Kayland Smith's toice camel , ' j
lurks
"Com back I Come back, XClthamr ,' : ; . "
: X an out Into the passage and doWnstaka The front
door was Open. A terrible aoAfKct Waged In the shrub-
bery between the mastiff and. Something esse. Passing '
round to tba lawn, X met Smith ful'f dressed. He bad
Just dropped from a first-floor window.
The man la medl" be atW4. XSan'be know what
lurka there T He should not bavd gone alonel"
Together we ran toward the dancing JJght of Ifleham's
lantern.; The sounds of oonfilct cefsed antddshty. Stum
bling over stumps and lashed by lor-tw'?lng branches. -we
wtruggled forward to Wberd ' the aierrymia knelt
among the bushes. He glanced i wit tears la bis eyea,-
aa wa. revealed br the dim ilabt: -:: V " ' .
; "Xjoogi" no crieo. i : . , - ..::- :,yt . v V
v Tflie bodr of the .dog lay at bit fot - .
It was pitiable to think that, Dhg ftarlei brute) fbould
have met bin death In such a fashlqn, snd when X beat
sad examined him X was glgd ta find trioea o Ufa. 1 '
- "Irag Mm out He U hot eal" I aald.
"And hurry r rapped f mltn, pefring abouj him Heat
; and left , y't-i:-?:'" - Tr-'":?
' So we three hurried freft thai bauaM p)ee,'dragting ,
me dog with ua, ; Wa were net molested. He gouad ils
turbed the now perfect Suilaofl. -, r
By the lawn edge we eama tipo Xtnby, balfrtatid
and sUrodst Immediately Edwards, ibisrdner, glse pp
aeared. The white fiacea of tho boist ferrtnta ghowed
U ana window and Miss Eltham called. m Iran ba?
room! , , if t , , y ( . .
'19 be deadr v' V- ' ! t
"U, I replied, "only tunned," i '
. W 'T,d d0 roun1 to thl ytrtf, 4o xamlned
' 1 . Hi been struck by soma heary, blunt la- i
ftrument hut h skull waa not broken. It It hard to kill
A mastiff, t'-,:;-:. -L..i-: r
you t(chd ta hlnv" doctorr asked Iffltham.
"Wa Must gee that the: IUala doee not escape!"
Ill ffci wa grim dad jit This waa a different man '
frem the alf&de erymtn we knew; thla waa "Parson
Un' again, -; " :;.y, x,;,Jr rs-:t;.r
. t Aecepted" ifi tare Of the canine paUent, and Eltham, '
with tha othera. Want elf for more lights to search the
shrubbery, Ag ; wen wishing a bad wound between the
mastiff a ear, Us Eltham joined me. , It was the sound
ei nor voice, I think, rather than my more sclentlflo min
istration, Which recalled Caesar to life. ' For, as aba
entered, hw tall wagged feebjy, and a moment later he
struggita to wa test-one of which was injured.
anu or
l!?.. fW" "'."f "d no one oaa
i jSV S "i?0 uTn lok' at one another, Nay-V
land Smith, angry but thoughtful, tugging at tha lobe ot T
"iJff! . WM BU n,Wt in rnomsnts of perplexity. :
t-SW,h.tJ?.rti.?,,n,B.fi0f UJ KHham. Smith, and I
tested the eleotrical contrivancoa from every point They
' rjSyJ.'.?0 9Tiw-' it became more and more lncom'
prehenstble how any one could have entered and quitted
Redmoat during the night The barbed-wire fencing waa
intact and bore ao signs of having been tampered with.
.UA8S,t,.,,,l vadartook an exhaustive examination of
.tne swruboery. n- ,; ..-. - jy..- sv,.; ,...,..,(:(..
At the spot where Wa bed found the dog, gome five i
paoea to the west of the copper beech, the grass and
weeds were trampled and the surrounding laurels and
rhododendrons bore evidence of a struggle but no human .
footprint could be found. - . -
;'Tb ground is dry," aeid Smith, "We cannot expect
r'ln my opinion,",! said.
"OMI Ml, IrlaA ,a A,
, una,. ia. Ma m an rage no ;
. broke loose." .-
"I think so, too," agreed Bmlth. : "But why did thla
person make for here? And how, having mastered the
dog, get out of Redmoat I am, open to admit the posai.
blllty of some one's getting tn during the day while the
gates are open and hiding until dusk. Rut how la the
name of all that's wonderful does be get out? He must''
posaess the attribute of a bl.-dl"
I thought of Oreba Kltham's statements, reminding
my friend of her description of the thing which she had
seen passing into this strangely haunted shrubbery. -
' "That line of speculation soon takes us out of our '
depeh, Petriel" be oald. VLeit us stick to what we can T
understand, and that may help ua to a clearer Idea of
what at. present is Incomprehensible. My view of tha
'Case to data stands thus: " :.. " .-a..". .,,?,;.:.,..,;-,.... "v"
. "(1) Eltham, having rashly decided to return to the
interior of China, is warned by an official whose friend-
ship he has won in some way to stay in England. .
"(2) I know ffhls official for one of the yellow arouo
represented in England by Dr. Fu-Manchu.
"(8) Several attempts, of which we know but little, te
get at Eltham are frustrated, presumably by hla curious
defensea.' An attempt In a train fails owing to Miss
Eltham's distaste for refreshment-room ooffse. An at
tempt here fails owing te her insomnia. ..
") During Eltham's absence from Redmoat . certain
prepareUlone at made for hla return. These lead tot
. "a) Tbe death of Denby a collie. "
' . Xlavlng provided for bis immediate needs, X left him
in charge of his young mistress and Joined tbe searon
. vmrvr, xnev naa encarad lh, .nruhhar. tmm ,i
awn hUnk. , .
"(c) The things heard snd seel l u
P t.
"Bo that tha elear?iig vp ef.ar.y faut j
the dlaoovsry of the nature of theo r'"
comes our Immediate eorv-e- n. The prime v; :
, preparations, ret-"l, waa 1 nX!a some oi:e to
ceas to" EUham's room. r. c . er events are 1 '
J The dogs .bad. to be got rU ef. fw Inatancai ar l
no doubt that . Mia Eltham's wakru!ne .
father a second' time," : , ' ' r r '
? "But from what? For heaven's sake, from whatT"'
Smith glancad about Into the llght-pMdhed shadow,
' t'Btom a vliilt by some one-r-perbaps by Fu-tianehsj
himself I". be said la a bushed voice! "The objeot of that
visit I hope we may never learn, for that ft'ould mean
that it mad been- aohievedl" t . -V ;,;
' "Smith,'!, I said, "I do not altogether understand yen,
. but do yoU think he has some inofdibla creature hidden
her somewhere T It would be like him!" ,
v "I begin to auspect tba moat formidable ereaitura In
' the known world to be hidden here. I ball eve IM-Manohm
lit somewhere Inalde edmoatl', " .
' ' Our conversation waa InWrtipted at this point by
Denby;-wbe came to report that he had examined tha
; moat the roadside and tha bank of the stream, but found
no footprint or. clue of any . Wnd,;.',! Aj i
; " "No one left the ground: all Redmoat Uat nlghV'X
- mlnkr' he said.1 And hla voioe Had awe In it
' .That day dragged slowly n, A. Party of aa scouren
,tbe aatghborhoo4 for traoaa of strangers, examining every,
. foot of the Roman ruin hard by, hut vainly.
j war- not your presence jiero inauoe jru-Mancnu te
'abandon huj planar t asked Smith.
' "I thiak not." 'he reoUea.-"Tou see. unless we
' M " 1?"' I hv an
?, rtta vAaawrn aaaaa m aiuawmji nu aj UOI MlaUWbsSaT Ut
ihey must re forward, XI wilght turn aside, of course.
to assassinate we. If opportunity arose! ,.But we know, ?
"from experienoe,' that be permit nothing to interfere
jWiQvhla schemes." . ' , , i
i , The aUmak af that extraordinary business was reacned . !
.very quiokly, and there In that quiet Norfolk home wa
found ouraelvea at handgrlpa wth one of the mysterious v '
horrors which cnaracterlxed the operations of Vr. Fu
Manchu. It wad upon na beflore we realised it There
la no Incidental, muslo ta .the dramas of real life.
M we oat , n. tht IHUe terrace la the-creeping twl. v
.light, X remember thinking how the peaoa of the scene .
gave the lie to my team that we bordered upon tragic
.things. . Then Caesar, who had been a docile patient ail '
day, , bca bowling again, and X saw Oreba Elthaxa ;
inhMd4er, c.y;r-As;-.:i.:r4
' X caught Smith's eye and was about to iwcoee: out
retirement Indoors, when the. party wag broken up la '
more turbulent Taahloa. I suppose It waa the presence of ,
th girl which prompted Xenby to the raa act-a desire .
to personally distinguish himself. But,' as X Tsetlled
afterward,' hla gate had rarely left the shrubbery alnoe .
dusk, save te seek her face, end new be leaped wildly te
hi feet overturning bia ohair, and dagbedi across the -', . v
Sisag t tba traast-V-: .'U'-'.'tw ' , v
"W Tt M r no yeijed;, Tld yon ate ltr ',
He evidently carried ' revolver. Vor from the edge
,of the ahrubbery : a that sounded, and la the flash we '
aaw Xenby wltlt the weapon raised...,.-: -. ' ,
-, "Orabal an In aad faates the wtndowal'" cried XClthaam, v
"Mr. Bmtthi will yeu enter the busbar from the west!
Doctor Retrle! East!' Ed wards I Edward! !"-end he waa
off aeroes the lawn with the nervous activity ef a eat
As I made off ta an eppoalte dlreotioa I beard the r
gardener's voloe from tha lower gate, and I eaw EUtutm'a
plan.' Xt waa to surround the shrubbery., ,
' Two mere abate and twe flashes from the dense heart
eft greenwood, Tnea a loud eryX thought, from Denby v :
rouowwg-eiience, omy hrokea tha howlrng af tne mr
mas tilt. ;' .v...'..a-,'.-s ''i:r'M0-:-'-'.''kl'
X aprtnted throngh the rose cardan, leaped beedleaaiy ?
ever n bed of garanlums and naUotrope, and plunged la
am sag the bushes aad under the elma. : Away etf tba i
loft I heard Edwards shouting and XCHlham'a answering
voice. i'J-) xxi,-j:i--i" '?-si: : K''-. .f vi:,'
"Denbyr X erled, and yet lander. "Xeabyr , .
: ; But the ellence fell again,,. "; y --.--I''J'
' Curt vm upon Redmoat new. but from amine tn
T . mr 9Ttt nma a ooustomed
the twilight any eyea bad grown accustomed te gloom, . "
ana t eouid see rainy wen what lay before ma Not
daring to think what might lurk above, below, around 1
me, i pressed on into the midst, of the thicket
' "Veroonl" cams Eltham'g yolee from one aide ' "
' "Bear mora ta the right Edwards r X beard Nayland .
Smith cry directly ahead af me. . ; ; f
With aa eerie aad Indescribable eenaatlen ef impend-
tng dlaaater upon me, X thrust my way through ta .
(ray patch which marked a break ia the elm roof. At .
the foot of the copper beech, I almost fell ever Eltham.
- Then Smith plunged late view, lastly, Edwards tba
gardener rounded a elf rhodedeadroa aad completed the '
party, , , i , - ;:i
' We atood quite etui for a moment. '
A taint breene whispered through the beech leaves. -
."Where la bar - - . Z
" X cannot remember who put It Into words, X waa tea
I ..ft -1 .
ac ua
-1 her
cased with amaaement to notice Then Eltham bstna '
f sou.Un.';,'.;v': yy-:'':yc xr? ;'i;;"
, "Vernon!, Vernonf Vmor S-X y'y-'yy ;
His voioe plMbed higher upon each repetition, There r .
was aomethlng berrible about that rain, calling, under
, the whispering beech, with shruba banked about us cloak '
tag God alone could know what .-'. ; , .
' Prom tht back of tha house came Caesar's faint reply. '
"' "Qulckl lightat" rapped Smith, "Every lamp yeu -,:,aaTer
W '-. , , , . I:
. ) Off we went, dodging laurels and private, and poured
out on to the lawn a disordered company. Eltham's face
was deathly pale and hla Jaw aet bard. He met my eye. -'
"God forgive mel" be aald, "i could do murder to
He waa a man composed of strange perplexities.
It seemed an age before the lights were found. : But .
at laat we returned to the bushes, really attar a very
brief delay, and ten miniMes sufficed us to explore tne ,
entire shrubbery, for it was not extenslva We found
bit revolver, but theiwwas no one there nothing.
When we all atood again on tfle lawn, I thought that : j
I had never Seen BmKh so haggard.
"What la heaven's name can we dot" he muttered.
"What does it meaoT",
. He expseted no answer, for there waa none te offer
, - "Searohl ' BTrertwherer' laid Eltham hoarsely.
He raa off Into the rose garaen. and began beating; ,
about among the flowers like . a maamau. , muttering, "
"Vernon I Vernonl" .;..'. "
Por close upon an hour we alt searched, ,W, searched. .
every square yard, J think, within tbe wire fencing,- and f
found no trace. ' Viae Kltfaam slipped out in the con-
fusion and joined with tbe rest ef us in the frantlo hunt
: Some of the servant assisted, too.
t It . was a group terrified and awe-stricken which .
came together again on the terrace. One and then an
other1 would give up, until only Eltham and Smith ware
i missing. -Then they oame back together from examining
tn steps to the lower gate. Eituanf dropped. on to a - -rustic
seat and sank hie head in his hands, .
Nayland Smith paced up and down like a newly eAged v
animal, snapping his teeth together and tugging at nU
' ear." ""'- v"'- .. - :i,'v.-.'':-;:),li!"i- Mfii-.-i-. j" ...piwA
i Posiessed by some sudden Idea, or pressed to actloa
by his tumultuous thoughts; he snatched up a lantern
and strode silently off s cross the grass to the shrub
bery ouoe more. I followed nlm. 1 think his idea wae -that
be might surprise any one who lurked there, lie ,
surprised himself, and all of us.;-
For right at ths margin he tripped and feU fiat I
ran to bim, - -
He had fallen over the body of Denby, which lay -there!
'-: -
. . Denby had not been there a few moments before,
and how he came to be there now we dared not con- '
lecture. Mr. fclthara Joined us, uttered one short dry
sob, and dropped upon bis knees. - Then we were carry : .,
Ing Denby back, te the house, with the mastiff howling
a marcme funebre. , - . .
We laid him on the grass where Itetopbd 'down from ,
tbe terrace. Nayland Smith's harvard face waa terrible.
But the stark horror of the thing inspired him to that
which, coscelved earlier, bad saved Denby. Twisting
suddenly to Elbnetn, be roared in a voice audible beyond
t lbworare foolsl Loose the dos." -
"But the dosr 1 began. v
' Bmith clapped his hand ovsr my mouth. - '
"I know he's erlpplodl" he whispered. "But if any v
thing, human lurka there, the dog will lead us to itl If ' '
a man is there, he will fyt Why did we not think of It '
beforet Fools! fools!" lie rald hla voice again. ".ej .
him. on leash. Edwardil He will lead ual"
CONTINUL3 C ANOTXl FACri