Adventure Magazine Cover — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

174 perhaps a second replica, behind him. This one was to be exchanged for the original. Everybody’s face was to be saved. Helen, by Painece drugs, to be cured, Remsden to be left as president, and relieved of his Damoclean fate. Only the museum would suffer and be none the worse for it, thought McNeill, knowing other spurious objects venerated there as real. He, Neill McNeill, had brought this about by taking advantage of China’s position as the Sick Man of Asia, looking to America for aid. The princes had come with a dual purpose—to get the claw and to establish friendly relations. Which cause they held the greater McNeill did not venture to imagine. He did not care, feeling certain that the evening would see the end of their troubles unless Remsden proved obstinate. In this case McNeill promised himself that he would devise a little pressure on his own account. Ten Shin turned to the lady on his right. “Would you read the future?” he asked her. “I am sure that for you it will be rosy.” Tao Chan had entered the little tent and taken his seat before a stand of dark wood, the legs formed of writhing dragons. There was a dish in front of him. “You will not be spirited away, I assure you,’ went on the prince. guarantee that you will not be enchanted, but turn about is fair play.” The guest laughed nervously at his raillery but consented to enter the tent. The curtains closed and there was only a low murmur to be heard, drowned largely by the rising notes of the orchestra. In less than two minutes the woman came out. * “Your wizard is a flatterer, prince,” she said. ‘I wish I could believe half he promised, though he does not speak very good English.”’ “He has learned it for the occasion,” said Ten Shin gravely. Liu Chi next asked his dinner partner and she disappeared. McNeill could hear the first visitant answering questions. “I can’t describe it,” she replied. ‘‘Wait till your turn. He showed mea funny plate first and then—I don’t remember really what happened. It was all over so quickly, but he told me a lot of strange things that might come true. I hope so.” “Chinese hypnotism,” whispered McNeill to Helen under cover of the chatter. ‘He Wiis noe Adventure read her own wishes. It will be your turn next. us. I can guess what they are after.” At Liu Chi’s request Helen went into-the booth, remaining there a little longer than the rest. When she came out she was pale, and McNeill handed her a glass of wine. “Don’t talk now,” he said. later.” She nodded brightly at him. “Tt sounded like good news,” she said. Some of the fairer guests refused; others accepted and the novelty began to wane. Tao Chan pleaded, or pretended to plead, exhaustion, and withdrew in the palanquin. Then the lights went up. Ten Shin arose with a toast to the United States and another orchestra, typically American, broke spiritedly into the ‘Star Spangled Banner.” The brilliant assemblage rose. As the strains died, Liu Chi made his peroration. ‘“Heliogabalus,” he said, ‘smothered his “Tell us guests to death with rose petals. Tonight it | is my cousin and myself who are smothered with your good-will, but not to death. And, though roses grow in China, we have a more typical flower that bears the charm of sweet forgetfulness—the faculty of dream- less sleep. The lotus! May its petals bring to all of-you that boon to end the night.” The canopy above the table divided and a shower of fragrant blossoms fell while all the room was filled with mystical perfume. Laughing, congratulating, the guests departed, the princes standing to bid them farewell. ‘We shall see you once more before we leave, I hope,” said Ten Shin to McNeill and Helen. Then as they passed on he touched Remsden on the arm. “A word with you, sir,” he said pleas- antly, and envious guests marked Remsden as one given special favors. ) the anteroom. He came to them at last with the face of one who has seen his own ghost—his features twisted like a man who has suffered a stroke. All the way back to the limousine he did not speak but plucked clumsily at his own fingers. At the house he achieved speech with an effort, as if his lingual muscles had suffered paralysis. THE two waited for Remsden in Don’t be afraid. It is going to help | (E(0) JOO MIG <S7GO nm