10 Short Novels Magazine — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

at, 20 © Ten Short Novels Magozine “What do you want?” Hugh demand- “Makee chin-chin—talk, you savvy?” “Yes, but I’m not talking to you down here.” “T think maybe yes.” He stepped to one side, and Allison caught a glimpse of a knot of half-naked Chinese hiding behind a half-opened door. He whipped out his pistol and leveled it at the Ying Lee Gi- ant. “Let me by,” he ordered. “No can do. If fight, you go that way.” He gestured to the room, whose door had been half-opened. A pale light burned. Allison glanced in. Upon the floor lay his rickshaw coolie, Ho, his head twisted at a grotesque angle. Hugh’s lips tightened, and his thumb flipped down the safety catch of his pistol. “Get out of the way,” he ordered. The man smiled and took a knife from his sash, his yellow face leering. Hugh did not hesitate. With a flick he reversed the end of his pistol, and its butt crashed ‘down between the man’s narrow eyes. Half-stunned and blinded, the Chinese staggered, groping for the wall. Hugh hurled himself at the men who had gathered behind the half-open door. The impetuous fury of his attack sur- prised them, and they retreated a step. The pistol butt descended again, and a second native dropped. The others dodged into the room where Ho’s limp body lay. The American slammed the door after them and threw a bolt that locked it. Then he dashed along the passageway and raced up the stairs. His pistol was still in his hand, and the head waiter fled _ in panic. Soon Hugh was back in the private dining room he had left less than ten min- utes before. Count Uchida, Dagmar and Baron von Schlechtweg were still seated around the table. ‘“Where’s Miss Barrow?” Hugh de- manded. Expressions of surprise appeared upon the three faces that looked up at him. “My good fellow, what’s the matter?” Count Uchida asked. “Your pistol— this—” “Let that go. Where’s Miss Barrow?” “She called a rickshaw and left,” Dag- mar explained. “She said she suddenly remembered—” “That’t a lie! Where is she?” “IT say, my friend, this is a bit thick,” said Baron von Sehlechtweg. “You are called away and the American young lady goes on her own account. You become insulting.” “Tl do worse than that if she’s not found,” Hugh threatened. “I ver’ sorry for you,” Uchida spoke softly. “Perhaps it would be better to call police.” “That’s just what we'll do,” Allison re- torted. But there was no help to be gotten from them. Neither the Siekhs nor the British detectives that arrived from headquar- ters could find any trace of Betty Barrow. Ho’s death was attributed to a Chinese tong war, and neither Hugh Allison nor the British Secret Service could find one clue that would connect Uchida, Dagmar or the baron with the girl’s disappear- ance. A dozen witnesses had seen her ride away in a rickshaw—yet all trace of her was lost within two blocks of the Door to a Thousand Delights. ETTY BARROW was led into a win- dowless room whose furnishings were the height of Oriental luxury. Silks, teak, jade and alabaster reflected the light of candles whose wax had been dyed a brilliant red. Collections of ancient Chi- nese armor decorated the walls. The girl’s arms were bound, and grim- | faced native women walked on either side of her. As the silken curtains parted, she saw Dagmar Marsen bending over a small cabinet on the opposite side of the room. She was speaking in low, carefully enun- ciated sentences. As Betty entered, she hastily snapped a switch and turned to face her prisoner. The bare-armed native woman bound Betty in a teakwood chair standing against the wall. Then they bowed silent- ly and retired through the silken cur- tains. “Am I supposed to thank you for this?” The American girl looked down at her bonds. Dagmar lighted a cigarette. “I’m sor- ry to put you to all this inconvenience,” she said, “but all is fair, you know.” “Love or war?” “Both, perhaps.” The woman smiled. She mixed herself a whisky and soda. “Sorry I can’t invite you to join me,” she said, “until after you’ve talked to a friend of ours.” (EO) TOOK (F@ ? a Pee Pah! hele Oe “ta —. im — — 7 a — i ee, a a ee,