The Chinese Parrot (Charlie Chan Detective Series) — page 351: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

———_ . as os "T've been acting like a fool. Going to give good old dad the surprise of his life when I get home. Take over the business, like he's wanted me to, and work hard. So far, I haven't known what I wanted. Been as weak and vacillating as a—a woman." "Some simile," replied Holley. "I don't know that I ever heard a worse one. Show me the woman who doesn't know what she wants—and knowing, fails to go after it.” "Oh, well—you get what I mean. How much farther is it?" "We're getting there. Five miles more." "Gad—I hope nothing's happened to her." They rattled on, closer and closer to the low hills, brick red under the rays of the slowly rising moon. The road entered a narrow canyon, it almost disappeared, but like a homing thing Horace Greeley followed it intuitively. "Got a flashlight?" Eden inquired. "Yes. Why?" "Stop a minute, and let me have it. I've an idea.” He descended with the light, and carefully examined the road ahead. "She's been along here," he announced. "That's the tread of her tires—I'd know it anywhere—I changed one of them for her. She's—she's up there somewhere, too. The car has been this way but once." dol comiicboeoe S CO