Adventure Magazine Cover — page 180: what you’re looking at

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166 measures for protection. They may be quite sufficient, if expensive. Good morn- ing.”’ “Hold on a minute, McNeill. There is _ no good wrangling, as yousay. I’m getting ona bit. Never used to know what nerves were, like you. It’s indigestion; that’s what it is. But you'll let me know how you come out with the princes, won’t you?” Neill reflected. It would give him a good reason for coming back—a chance to see Helen. “You said something happened yester- day,” he said. “At the meeting when you gave your address, I suppose. What was it?” “Doubtless I exaggerated it,” said Rems- den. The colossal conceit and egoism of the man had already restored him from the fright caused by the finding of the paper pinned to his counterpane. Now a shadow of fear was visible. He hesitated. “Tt was awkward—unexpected,” he be- gan, “I mean the presence in New York of Liu Chi and Ten Shin. Then some of the committee asked them to be present and the press took it up. It was em- barrassing. I had to change the talk I had prepared in some measure.” Remsder got fiery red under McNeill’s shrewd look. “But it went off well enough until it came to meeting the princes. I-say well enough, though I had felt all through my speech that they were laughing at me—you know what I mean, McNeill, those ivory faces, motionless, the smooth lids that don’t open like a white man’s, they just slit apart and you see their black eyes laughing at you, like mocking devils. And, when they shook hands, it was like touching the skin of a snake! “‘ “Hands across the sea,’ that’s what Liu Chi said, ‘we are not so far apart, Mr. Remsden, after all.’ That was a threat, all right—a touch of the velvet glove. Nothing of the hatchetman method about those two slick yellow devils, Mc- Neill. And they smiled when they handled the claw. I had a wild idea that they might try to claim it. I would never have made the presentation if I had known of their presence in the country, but they just smiled with their eyes and gave it back to Forsythe, our curator, who was watching .. them as he does every one, even me, with Adventure the eyes of a hawk. The gift belongs to the museum and he is responsible. Every one is a possible thief in his eyes.” “TI suppose,” commented McNeill, “that all ancient curios may be styled stolen goods. The dead and their habitations have been ravished of jewels; temples of their carvings and inscriptions S “That’s it exactly, Neill,” broke in Remsden. ‘That’s the point of view you must take. Science must not be judged, however, by the rules applied to the living. I do not consider myself a thief but a— ‘““A benefactor.”” The sarcasm was lost. “It was the way the prince said ‘we are not so far apart,’ that impressed me. They are both in it. They mean to get it. They were at the bottom of. the attempted robbery last night.” ‘Tf it had been possible for the duplicated claw to get across,” said McNeill, “they might have made a shift. That would have eased matters. But it would take some powerful influence to make Tao Chan let even the copy go. The shrine has worshipers and he will not let the common people know of the substitution. It would spell peril for him to be without the fetish. “But I will let you know the result of my interview. Now, for my own business. I would like to see Miss Helen. I might tell you that those affairs of mine are no longer in the air. They are being exploited with ample capital and protection.” “T am glad to hear it, glad to hear it, IT am sure. Wish you every success.” Remsden touched a bell. ‘“Tell Miss Helen that Mr. McNeill would like to see her, Jackson.” e in her own parlor. Thankful that fl-§ she was not the type that required reservations, he told her frankly that there was a certain menace concerning the claw. That her stepfather had fallen in her esti- mation was evident. She had thought the present he had made to the museum was merely a clever substitution and, though she said nothing as to the risk to which they had been exposed at the Hoang Lung temple, her manner conveyed her opinion of the man who had prompted it. eT think I can remove the menace,” said McNeill, “but your father——” McNEILL found Helen .Remsden Gomichbooks.co mn