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About Southern Oregon miner. (Ashland, Or.) 1935-1946 | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1935)
SOUTHERN OREGON MINER YU'AN HEE SEE LAUGHS Copyright by Sax Rohmer WNU Servir* By SAX ROHMER excluimid In mock horror. “He might never run out to Colombo to And have a cup of tea with me us be »«(^OODBY. then. Eileen. take great care of yourself. promised!" But really her heart was very I’ve probably missed the train and Because she didn't ex..ect everything—but I don’t give a hoot. sad. Be sure to write from Marseilles ever to see Dawson Haig again. She made a charming figure In and cable when you get in. And don't forget I’m coming out In the light streaming from the cabin door, alm; dressed though she March." The girl clung desperately to her was In a jumper and tweed skirt, brother, her soft arms locked about And Matt Kearney felt affectionate- him. Matt Kearney could fee) that ly proud of his dainty sister. "Come on,” said he. “Let's go she was trembling, and: “What's the matter with Kid Sis and dig old Rattray out. 1 must positively beat It. I've got nt leust ter?" he asked, squeezing her. a quarter of an hour's walk through “Kid Sister's miserable: "Because you don't want to go dockland, and falling divine luck, a long voyage by motor bus.” back?" Jack Kattray, chief officer of “No. But because somehow. Matt dear," she whispered very close to the Wallaroo, was exchanging n his ear, "1 feel frightened about few pleasantries with the boss this journey. Don’t be mad with stevedore by the hatch of Numlter me. I know It's silly, and 1 ought to be used to traveling by now. But I’ve got a wobbly, funny feel ing.” Kearney looked down at the tan gled curls nestling upon his shoul der; and in the light shining out from the cozy stateroom they gleamed and shimmered like bur nished bronze. He hugged her af fectionately and told himself that a chill suddenly experienced and resembling cold water trickling down his spine was due physically to the clammy quality of the night, and mentally to the girl’s over- wrought condition. "Kid, dear,” he said, and stroked her hair, “play fair, Seeing little girls off Is bad enough anyway, without giving a fellow the breeze up.” "I’m sorry. Matt It was utterly Big Pig of me.” “No—only Little Pig." he said playfully. “I only wish I were coming with you.” "It wasn't fair, and 1 shouldn’t have said It. It's just this beast ly fog and having to let you go ashore in it Give me a kiss. Matt, and we ll go and hunt Jack Rattray —although I really don't know how you’re going to get home.” Had Some One Passed Him—Or Wisps of mist floated under the Had He Imagined It? lights. Not another soul was in sight on that deck, but there was activity Three hold, but he broke off this on the deck below, and a tremen not too parliamentary debate when dous clamor on the dockside. The the charming passenger appeared R. M. 8. Wallaroo was going out In beside him with Kearney. “What about a final?" asked Rat the morning—sixteen hours late, thanks to one of those fogs. London tray. 'No final for me." Kearney re Special, which sometimes hold up plied. He grasped Rattray's hand. Thames traffic for whole days. I One last lingering glance Kear "Good-night, and all the best ney cast Into the cozy stateroom know you’ll look after her." Rattray, tall, leisurely, taciturn, which Eileen was to occupy to Colombo. He would cheerfully smiled bls slim smile. "Sure thing, Bo’said he. have resigned six months' pay to “You’re mocking me!” Eileen be going, too. The wardrobe trunk, which he bad labelled himself, a cried, and punched the speaker forc green hat on the rack above the ibly In the ribs. “I don’t have an bed, a camera hung on the back of accent like that. I speak better Eng a chair, a dressing case open on the ilsb than you do. anyway!” table. The box of a hundred ciga “You speak more English," Rat rettes which Dawson Haig had tray drawled provokingly brought down to the steamer that “Very Big Pig.” said Eileen. morning lay on the turned-back But Kearney left the ship in a coverlet, and a pile of magazines happier mood and experienced no on top of an unopened cabin trunk; return of that unpleasant chill. El three novels which Matt had leen was In good company, and the brought for Eileen In the rack be voyage would pass like three days. He picked his way through litter side tbe green hat. “Ah, well!” he sighed, "you'll be on the dockside. Just tinder an arc a comfortable Little Pig. Winter, he paused, turned, and loosed back, the purser, is a star turn. You’re Jack Rattray and Eileen were at bls table, and he'll see that standing on the deck by the gang He waved his hat and everything's right. Jack Rattray Is way. an old pal. so that you won’t lack shouted: "Good-by until March, and good company.” "1 sha’n’t lack company," said iuck!" "Good-by, Matt,” came the girl'» Eileen archly. Her mood changed, and she voice; and: "Cheerl-ho. old boy.” But Rear smiled mischievously, That was Rattray. pey welcomed the change, and: The fascinating activity of those “You little devil!” he said, and squeezed her hard. "Don’t forget docks claimed Kearney. Here East meets West: produce of the Spice there's a spy aboard.” “1 might buy him over!” said islands, tea of Ceylon, the timbers “Oh, don't please do that!’’ Eileen of Burma, jostle ironmongery from Birmingham, lie cheek and jowl Eileen. with chemical products of Silver- TU tell Billy Haig!” CHAPTER I town. At night especially, under dockland floodlights, amid river noises and the hoarse voices of workers, the mystery of the port of London, tyi>e of a vast nnd ever- turning wheel of empire, touched the poetry which was part of him. He stood there for a moment look Ing about him and falling to notice a man who, ten paces away, seemed to bo watching the dock gntes—a tnlllsh man wearing a white rain coat, collar turned up. and a soft brown hat with the brim pulled down. But the other man had seen Kearney—and the sight of Rear ney had set him dreaming. Colombo a year before. A year I It seemed only like a week! The mist dis- persed before the eyes of the dream er by the gates. He saw Mount La- vlnla hotel, and a petite, slender girl In a blue frock crossing the deserted mahogany dance floor. She had been a sort of revelation, open Ing his eyes to all that had been lacking. He was among the stars again, could see the winking lighthouse callously stabbing the tropical night, hear the plaintive tremolo of a Tamil love chant floating up from the village. . . . From these haunting memories be was abruptly jerked back to reality. He withdrew Into shndow. A man was coining out of the gates—so muffled up In a heavy fur-collared coat that Ills features were indistinguishable, This man turned sharply left, passed Kear ney. and was swallowed up in the fog. And as be vanished, something— an Instiuct perhaps; or was It a faint odor suggestive of musk?— suddenly brought Kearney an un accountable return of that senaa tibn as though cold water trickled down his spine. He stared Into the fog. Had some one passed him— or had he Imagined It? He hated this sensation—as of an indefinable dread — which twice, now, had oppressed him. A hand rested on his shoulder. Kearney twisted about with a cry. The man in the white raincoat stood just Dehind him. And, stock still, peering Into the other’s face: “Good Lord!" Kearney exclaimed joyfully, "it's Dawson Haig!" • ••••• • Eileen watched from the rail un til fog hanging over the dockside swallowed up Matt's figure. She turned and looked at Jack Itattray. Seeing her expression: ‘•Whatever» .‘he matter, Eileen?" said he. "Oh, I don’t know, Jack 1" she re plied. She was angry with herself, "I'm behaving like a perfect little Idiot tonlgnt. And If you ask me why, I can't tell you. It’s Just Jim- Jams. Except that I think it began with a horrible looking man wear ing a fur-collared overcoat!" “Oh!” said Rattray, conscious that duty called him but held against his will by the girl’s unac countable mood, •’When did you see this furry bird? And was It his collar or his overcoat you didn't like?" “Ills face! He looked Into the open door of my stateroom while Matt was up in your cabin. I saw Ills reflection In my hand mirror. When I turned, he wasn't there.” •‘Do you menn he was actually In the room—fur collar and all?” “No—foolish Idiot! He was stand ing Just In the doorway, and he was smiling ... the most horrible smile Imaginable.” “An Englishman?” “Oh, no, he wasn’t! A China man.” "A Chinaman! In a fur coat ! No wonder you were shaken up!*’ "There was a queer mesky smell. too—” “Have you seen him since?” “Yea. I saw him afterwards od the dockside, looking up at mo.” “I thh.k that settles It.” said Jack Rattray reassuringly. "There was a bunch of stuff shipped by n Chinese agency down Limehouse way for a firm In Sydney, Some d— n silly mistake. Theyre hauling It out now—n h—I of n Job—from Number Three hold. This oriental bird was probably the halfwit re sponsible. It's given me more trou ble than the specie." “The specie?" We're h Spanish galleon “Yea. this trip. Eileen ' " Itattrny smiled his slow smile. "Minted gold from the Bank of England, consigned to the Commonwealth Bank of Ana- Il's just coming tralla. Look I Well, I nboard. Two millions! must slip off now. They've rushed this little lot aboard us nt the Inst moment, and I've got to find a safe home for It. Take my tip. Turn In with a book and. If you like, I'll have a nightcap sent along In about half an hour. Leave It to me." “You’re a Kind Pig." said Eileen, and squeezed his arm affection ately. She had known Jack Rattray for three years. He hud Introduced her to Dawson ilalg In Colombo—only a year ago. . . . As be went off with his slow long strides, she turned and entered her cabin. Tbe memory of that strange lemon-yellow face, glimpsed be- tween upraised flaps of an astrak- han collar and the pulled down brim of a soft black hat, haunted her ridiculously. Of course, the man wun some Chinese shipping agent. The niquirent evil of his smile might have been no more thun a distorted reflection In the mirror. She wondered If Dawson Ilalg would write. . . . Queer, that odor, like mask. It seemed to hung about. . , . Yea, ahe would turn In nnd read. • • “You see. Kearney,” said Detec- tlve Inspector Dawson llalg, star Ing up at an old print which dec- orated the bur. “officially, my hands are tied. It’s because I’ve always made a point of finding the loop boles in official regulations that I've got as far ns I have.” The bar was sparsely populated. Two firemen, amiably drunk, lolled In a corner. A solitary, seedy look Ing drinker sat against the wall. smoking tils pipe anil inking sips from a tankard A »hlrt sleeved bin mini made up the company Kearney smiled hi the speaker. He regarded William Dawson Ilnlg ns one of the most remnrknlile men In London a man destined to win an International reputation Ilnlg had been nt Slunytuiral with Kear ney— Michael Kearney now United Stilles consul ul Colombo st that time having been stationed in l.lv crpool. Catastrophe came lust as Ilnlg went up to Oxford Endowed by Ills father with a load of debts and a posthumous V (’., he had en listed In the Metropolitan police force. He wm today the young est detective-inspector In the crim inal Investigation department, with n great future assured “Iteguln t ions weren’t made for you,” snlil Kearney laughing "But I'm still In the dark You leave the Wallaroo after lunch with dramatic farewells, and then bang me on the back nt the dock gates nt ten o'clock nt night!” Hulg raised Ills tankard, content plating It with Interest, and: "I gave you a lift as fat us Lima- house.” he reminded Kearney. “You ought to be thnnkful for that. And the beer Is good . ." Kearney banged the counter The barman replenished the tankards. And, when he had etired: "What's afoot?" Kearney naked tn a low voice. “I don't know !“ win Haig's sur prising answer “I can only think there's been a bad leakage of news. Some time ago.” he went on. "a con signment of pottery wns sent from China to a firm In Birmingham This consignment, unopened was recon- signed to a Chinese firm It Sydney, per Messrs King, shipping agents, of Limehouse. It wns pul on the Wnllnroo. I checked It myself, this morning.” “Was that how you managed to get down to see Eileen?” “It was." Ilnlg acknowledged, •'and I blessed the chancel Now. here’s what I meant when I said my handa were, tied; neither K. dl vision nor Scotland Yard have had power to open those cases of pot tery. Oh, It’s too d—n silly to talk about—because I know for a fart that they are stuffed with ■gtim’l” “Opium ! But why send drugs from Chinn to Australia via Blrmlng ham !” <TO nt. coMixi n)> T he P erilous W orld O riental C rime is laid bare by Sax Rohmer, author of the world * famous Fu Manchi! stories, in his newest romance, wYii‘an Hee See Laughs" in which the heroic love of a boy and girl is tested to the utmost. Reading it is like living through a breath*taking adventure Follow this remarkable story through from the first lnstnll« men! to Its startling conclusion
