"Oh, I see, a plan of a secret hiding-place."

"Now you know," said Tung-yu to Clarence, "tell me----"

"Not till I know of the smoke."

"I refuse. But I give you fifteen thousand to get that fan. One thousand now if you tell me who killed the woman and who has it."

"Good," said Clarence, "I'll trade. Dr. Forge strangled Miss Wharf."

"Ah," said Tung-yu leaping up, "he has the fan. Thanks Kw.a.n.g-ho," and he bowed to the half-destroyed image.

CHAPTER XVII

A DISAPPEARANCE

When Rupert returned to Marport next day, Burgh accompanied him. The young squire of Royabay wished to give information to the police regarding the guilt of Forge. But Clarence persuaded him against doing so. "You'll only get me into a row," said he, in his candid way. "You see I told a lie."

"You tell so many lies," said Rupert sharply, "I don't know but what I ought to give you in charge."

"I guess not, seeing I saved your life last night."

"No. You're right there Burgh. But have you really anything to do with this murder?"

"No, 'cept as how I told old Tung-yu last night."

"Just repeat what you said. I was so faint with the loss of blood that I didn't gather half you said."

Burgh nodded. "You were pretty sick. I'd to help you back to civilisation, same as if you were drunk. If I hadn't, you'd have been robbed and killed down that Bowery gangway."

Ainsleigh could not, but acknowledge that Clarence had acted very well.

He had saved him from the man who attacked him in the street, and also, it was owing to him that the two had escaped from the gang of Hwei.

Finally Burgh had taken Rupert back to the Guelph Hotel in Jermyn Street, when he was rather shaky from the wound. It was much better this morning, but Ainsleigh looked pale, and not at all himself. Still he did not grudge the trifling wound--it was merely a scratch although it had bled freely,--as the knowledge he had acquired, was well worth the trouble. They had left the den in Penter's Alley, some time after midnight, and had returned safely to the West, where Rupert had acted as host to Burgh. That was Clarence all over. Whenever he did anyone a service, he always took it out of him in some way, and but, for the dangerous position in which he found himself would have quartered his carcase on Rupert for an indefinite period.

"But there ain't no denying that I'm in a fix," said Burgh, as the train drew near Marport. "That is, if you split Ainsleigh."

"No, I won't split on you. But if Forge is guilty he must be arrested,"

said Rupert decisively.

"But I don't know if he strangled the old girl after all."

"You said he did, last night."

"Well I wanted to know the secret of that fan."

Rupert shrugged his shoulders. "You know that the fan when waved in a certain smoke--of which by the way you learned nothing--reveals a hiding place which contains certain things Tung-yu wants--"

"To ruin Lo-Keong," said Burgh quickly. "So I guess if I can pick up that fan from old Forge, I'll yank in the dollars."

"Aren't you satisfied with what you have."

"This thousand. Oh that's all right. I cashed the cheque before I joined you at the station--got it in gold so I can clear out when it suits me.

It's always as well to be ready to git."

"I suppose," said Ainsleigh dryly, "in your varied career, you have had frequent occasions to 'git' as you call it."

"You bet. But git's slang American and good Turkish lingo, so you've no need to sneer old man. 'Say, about Forge. What's to be done?"

"I'll communicate with Rodgers and tell him what you say. If the doctor is guilty he must suffer."

"My eye," said Clarence reflectively, "won't aunty be mad. Well I guess this will square us: she won't play low down on me again."

"Burgh, you're a blackguard."

"I am, that's a fact," said the buccaneer in no wise disturbed. "But don't you say that in public or the fur'll fly."

"Pooh. You know I'm equal to you. But this story--"

"The one I told Tung-yu last night," grinned Burgh, "I'll reel it out now, and you can sort it out as you choose. I believe Forge to be the scragger of the old girl, because he had that tie of yours."

"How did he get the tie?"

"I gave it to him," confessed Clarence candidly.

"Yes--I remember you said so last night. But I forget how you explained the getting of it."

"Huh," drawled Burgh folding his arms. "You might call it stealing old pard. Y'see Miss Pewsey--my old aunty that is--saw Olivia--"

"Mrs. Ainsleigh, hang you."

"Right oh," continued Burgh imperturbably. "Well, aunty saw Mrs.

Ainsleigh pa.s.s the tie to you, and when you went to the cloak-room she told me. I was real mad not knowing how things were, as I wanted that tie for myself. I'd no notion of your getting things made by the young lady I was sweet on."

"I wish you would leave out my wife's name," said Rupert angrily, and wincing with pain, for his wound hurt him not a little.

"I'll try: don't get your hair off. Well I cut along to the card room--no t'wasn't the card room--the cloak-room, and saw you standing by your coat, just hanging it up again."

"And you saw me put the tie in the pocket."

"I guess not: but I fancied you might have done so. Then I waited outside while you yarned with the Chinese cove and Tidman. After that I cut in and you know the rest."

"Up to the time I knocked you down. Well?"

"Smashing blow," said Burgh coolly, "you can use your hands pretty well I reckon--but a six shooter's more in my line. Well, when you cut, I lay down and saw stars for a time. Then I thought I'd pay you out by annexing the tie."

"You didn't know it was there?"