Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

=. _— “S “ T¢—ain’t.” Fang Wu chortled. “Let me set you right. My abode, hangout if you wish, at that particular moment, was in the packing case. You see, there were two compartments—one for the coffin, and one beneath it, for me. Possibly you re- member the rather unnecessarily large di- mensions of the case? And now shall we proceed to the next bubble?” “No,” Sparks answered defensively; “ I never saw that case.” “A fact for which I am very glad,” Fang Wu stated emphatically, and sin- cerély. “Shall we now return to our little game of chess? We had, I believe, arrayed the pieces, and the next move was to be mine. What could I do? I will tell you. To attempt flight would be impractical, quite hopeless. The Western State would pursue us at twice our speed. We would be reported by every ship that crossed our path. Eventually they would come up with us. Therefore, why struggle against the inevitable? “JT shall permit, assist even, the West- em State to find us. When she comes alongside of us, I shall then make my move. This, my dear Miss MacTavern, is it.” Fang Wu-handed a typed message blank to Miss MacTavern. “It is a copy of the message I shall send to your father aboard the Western State when she shall come alongside us sometime before dawn. You will wonder why I do not radio it to him now, why I wait until they find us. You may think that to do so is a bit of bravado, foolhardiness, Perhaps I can explain. “It is a psychological truth that what the eye sees for itself is more convincing than the written word. Your father will undoubtedly be standing at some vantage point aboard the Western State, presum- ably with field glasses, with which he will be searching our decks for you. By that time he will have just read this message. Possibly the written word might not con- Vince him. Therefore, you and I, with Mr. Rutledge and Mr. Sparks, in the réle of minor characters perhaps, shall stage a little performance, for your father’s benefit, upon our deck. DIRTY WEATHER. “5 difficult to believe me, my dear Miss Mac- Tavern, when I tell you that our little per- formance will be quite, quite convincing?” Fang Wu pointed to the message blank in Miss MacTavern’s hand. “I might add that that message is my final card. A pleas- ant supper!” Fang Wu bowed slightly, and left the cabin. They heard the key turn in the lock. Miss MacTavern read the message. Her face paled. “‘ May I see it?” Rutledge asked. She handed it to him. Sparks and he read it together: Rdo nr I ck 138 SS Yung Swei Fid I am date to: Clinton MacTavern aboard USS Western State. Warning (period) at the first shot fired by you (comma) at the first attempt made by you to board us the following events will take place (colon) the first officer and wire- less operator of the SS China Queen will in- stantly be subjected to death by torture—the torture to consist first of needle pricks upon the eyeballs and a slow tearing out of the fingernails, this to be followed by other methods of producing acute pain until death shall result (semicolon) that is only a prelude to the tortures that will be inflicted upon your daughter (period) You have only one alternative sheer off immediately and make no effort at pursuit nor arrange for other ves-* sels to trail us (period) In good time you shall hear from us again (period) (Signed) Master oF YuNG SwEI. After finishing the letter Sparks said, ““ We've got to get out of here, Pete!” CHAPTER XXVI. THE GIFT. ‘9 SAY we eat that chuck.” Sparks eyed, hungrily, the tray of food on the table. ‘ They wouldn’t monkey with that. According to that there sweet billy- doo they want us just about as fresh ’n’ kickin’ as can be.” The food and water vanished beneath an instant onslaught. locked door, looking at it, curiously. “S’pose there’s any one on guard out-— side?”’ he asked. -"