Adventure Magazine Cover — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

The Dragon's Claw the magnificent roses,’’ she was saying. “You mustn’t be so extravagant.” “It was not I,” he answered. see you this afternoon.” He hung up the receiver in relief. He was certain that the two princes were watching him covertly, as cats might watch a mouse. But Helen was safe, despite their covert threats. Again he tried the direct method. “If I succeed in getting Mr. Remsden to relinquish the claw,” he said, “could I count upon your influence to have the news transmitted to those most inter- ested—to Tao Chan for example?”’ ‘You may be assured, Mr. McNeill, that we will do all that we can. For your own warning, if you so regard the pin you found on your pillow, we can hardly better recommend you than to the wonderful protective methods of your great city, many of which we hope to ultimately adopt or adapt. Before we leave we hope to give a banquet to those with whom we have come in close contact. May I hope that you will be present?”’ “But Til g@'wy DISMISSED, down in the private Erm clevator and back into America again, McNeill went chagrined to his own room. He knew that he had failed, that he had touched only the shell of the consciousness of the princes. Not one shade of doubt, of surprize, of anger or pity, not one atom of any emotion had they shown. He might as well have spoken to the lacquered images in the temple at Hoang Lung. But from that minute he would watch the safety of Helen. She must be made to understand her danger. The infinite sarcasm of his reception burned within him. He had been as im- potent as a small boy blowing bubbles at the feet of the great statue of Buddha at Laiting. 7 He was before his time at the Remsden residence, but Helen was expecting him. The roses she had spoken of were in a tall vase of metal—gorgeous American Beauty roses several feet tall. “The most exquisite, royal things,” she said. ‘‘And the thorniest! But you have to pay for them by the length of the stem, I understand. I thought they were from you and I was going to scold you for the pricks I got in arranging them.”’ “I wish I had thought of them,” said 169 McNeill regretfully. “And I am _ very sorry for the damaged fingers. Was there no card with them?” : “No. I looked carefully. But they came from your hotel.” McNeill looked thoughtful for a moment. “T have promised to see your father before I go,” he said. “I failed to convince the princes. and, in almost the same breath, emphasized the threat. You have got to be careful of your comings and goings, Helen. Promise me that you will?” She noted his first free use of her name as she blushed and then answered: “Very well, Neill, what do you suggest?” CHAPTER IX THE WHITE DEATH + next day the princes went to Wash- ington by invitation to see the sights of the Capital City. Their suite was still reserved, but McNeill breathed a little more easily. The menace hanging over Helen seemed less imminent though he could neither dismiss nor fathom the sug- gestion of Ten Shin that it had already fal- len, and it had been an assertion rather than a suggestion. But the days went by and she appeared as blooming as ever, while Rems- den himself completely regained his poise. No national president was better safe- guarded than was he night and day; the protection extending to his stepdaughter. He no longer affected to hold McNeill at a distance. The Irishman’s polite covering of the contempt in which he held Remsden may have enraged him, but it also forced him to at least an equal politeness, as a lion will go through tricks it hates from fear of the tamer and his whip. There were few allusions to the claw. Twice McNeill urged Remsden to do some- thing toward the restoration of the claw, to communicate with the princes at their hotel in Washington, but, confident in the power of his little army of protectors, he stubbornly refused to discuss the question. It was a week after the departure of Liu Chi and his cousin that Helen made a complaint that struck fear into the heart of McNeill, ever alert for danger against the girl he loved and, who, he had reason to believe, returned his love. In the shadow that he still feared hung over them all, he They pleaded lack of interest Gomicbooks,. co nm