Adventure, July 1, 1928 — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

THE THRALDOM OF SINGAN lived long enough in the East to be sur- prised at nothing. “Looks as if your cousin had got him- self into a fix,” he observed. “We're more or less used to that sort of thing out here. An Indian June from one year’s end to the other, you know; and you may remember that Kipling says something or other about married women and new pianos. However, that’s not my affair; and I suppose it don’t matter a great lot to you.” He offered Eade a drink which the American accepted. According to Head- ley, whisky was the one great panacea for malaria and all the other ills of the Orient. Whenever he got anything the matter with him—which was seldom enough—why, he just drank it out. Except that his face was somewhat colorless and pasty, he looked healthy enough; and anyway, he was brim full of vital energy and humor. While wait- ing for his cousin, Eade availed himself of the opportunity to tell Headley of the fate of the Chauve-Souris and to ask if anything could be done to get the paddle- boat out of the mud. ‘““We’ve no tugs here,” said the man- ager. “I know that little packet well; and I don’t mind telling you her reputation’s none of the best. But I’ll send a message to Quental; and if a gang of coolies can help him, they can go down on our launch.” Upon Cartwright’s return, Headley kept the two men nearly half an hour, offering them one drink after another, before he would let them go. HEN John Eade and his cousin %/ found themselves again upon the roadway on their way back to Cartwright’s bungalow, Eade acquainted his cousin of his good luck, of the business that had brought him out to the East. “The old lady has left you a very com- fortable fortune,” said he. “And if you'll take the advice of an old friend, this time you'll stick to it.” : Cartwright seemed to take the news more or less as a matter of course. He > 163 seemed neither elated nor surprised. He looked at Eade critically. “You’ve altered a lot, John, since I saw you last,” said he. “I don’t think I’d have recognized you, even if I hadn’t had something else to think about.” “And you’ve changed mighty little since the old days at college,” said Eade. “You look bigger and strong perhaps, but you haven’t grown out of your boy- hood yet.” “Then, I don’t know how I’ve man- aged it,’ Cartwright laughed. “I don’t mind telling you I’ve been in hell since I came out here—stone-broke more than once, absolutely down and out, John, and I’ve had some strange experiences, too. But tell me more about this business. What brought Madame Scala and Liu Tang up here? I haven’t yet quite got the hang of it all.” Fade again related the whole story, this time in greater detail. Cartwright listened with the utmost attention. He never interrupted, save for an occasional exclamation, until his cousin came to the part when the Chinese boy had declared that his master’s razor was missing. At that Cartwright whistled. “Then Liu Tang was inside my bunga- low’ some time this morning,” said he. “Looks as if I was lucky!” “So far as I can make out,” said Eade, “he must have got there between the time when you left and sunrise. Had you been asleep when he got here, he would have murdered you; for, according to Madame Scala, that’s what he came here for. On the other hand, he couldn’t have stolen the razor when it was broad day- light. He could never have got into the bungalow without being seen by one of your servants.” “That seems rational enough, John. Have you started business as a private detective? Ifso, you ought to be able to tell me where Liu Tang is now?” “I don’t know that,” said Eade. “From what we know, it seems probable that, having got hold of your razor, he’s hiding somewhere and biding his time. He’s not likely toshow up until after dark.” comicloooks.com