Evening Star Newspaper, January 23, 1921, Page 60

THE ENCHANTED BASKET ATTLE, rattle, rattlé down the|and they had almost to feel their)out whether they have any press that|ments of Canton poroelain and"—she beautiful front went the jinrikishas, over the Hong Kew bridge and along the Bund toward the 10N€| ¢pe stone lintel and muttered to him-|yesterday morning and they report Yow of forelgn banks near the Nan-|self: “No, not her: Ho Aw king road. *“Ho Lan Yin Hong! Lan Vin Hong! Aw Saw kik! Saw dik!” cried the hotel boy WhOiand out of it he drew a long brass|machinery from home. was acting ae guide to the party of three Americans—(“To the Dutch- Asiatic Bank! To the Dutch-Asiatic Bank! Hurry up! Hurry up!’) The eoolies increased their already rapid: pace and in a very few moments more deposited their burdens at the gate- way of a pretentious-looking building. lr:l,'n the flagstaft of which floated the tri-colored flag of the Netherlands. “All three pieces man can waitee this side little time,” said Dr. Willlams of the China Navigation Company’s med- jcal staff, quite ready to exhibit his knowledge of pidgin-English to the later arrivals, and. turning to the lady ‘and gentleman who accompanied him. added: “Here we are; now we will wll go in nndddwldehlh?t&'pclln“'d - They passed up the steps a - tored the bank, where the assistant compradore (or native cashier) re- ceived them at the counter and took their cards into the manager's office ¥That looks all right, doesn’t it?" said the surgeon as he pointed significant- Iy to a handsomely framed notice on the inner desk— TICKETS of the 2 Royal Dutch Lottery of Batavia cashed here. *Now the only question is. shall we take it in sovereigns or bank notes or silver? Let me see—$10,000 divided among three, that makes about $3,333 apiece, with a little extra change | thrown in. doesn't ‘it 3 “It certainly docs,” answered Miss Olivia Spencer, who, with her brother Jack, formed the remainder of thel trio, “and I congratulate you on the: excellence of your mathematics. I think I will take mine half in bank notes and half in gold—you know I just love the sight and feel of gold: 1 can't help it, I caught it in Cali- fornia—but none of thuse awful ‘chop dollars’ for me, if you please. Why. it would take an extra jinrikisha to carry the load, and then the very thought of all the people that have Dbeen handling them is enough to give the creeps, anyway. y‘fl"And you, Jack? What shall we say for you?" “X’ole!. old man, and notes only; I want to have ‘that old-fashioned way along. There were mno dis- doors and each house looked exactly like its neighbor. When they stopped. the leader felt with his hand across t must be nest few paces far-| This door. He went a ther and felt the stone again. time his fingers went into a crack key. “Ah, it is here “Put_the bundles down and I will carry them in,” he said to the panting coolie, who was mopping his brow with a very ragged piece of white cloth. “The well,” venerable master s was the reply, “and American feeling of a ‘fat foll' in my pocket, you know.” * % k *x HARRY WAGENPOOL, the genial Dutch manager, appeared at this his customers “First moment and greeted with real East Indian courte of all, ladies and gentlemen, knooking the ashes from his Sumatra cigar, “I want to extend to you my hearty congratulations on winning the third prize, and to assure you that the directors of the Royal Lottery will be especially pleased to know that it has gone to & group of Amer- jcans. We are anxious to have our institution better known in your part of the world, where” he smiled broadly as he spoke the words, “I believe there still lingers a little of the old-fashioned prejudice against Taising & government's income by these means. FPlease s into the inner office and we will call the head 5 A compradore at once.” When all were seated he touched a bell, and the long- gowned Celestial immediately re- sponded. “Talkee Compradore come this side just now' The vision bow- ed and vanished as silently as he came. “You have the ticket with you, of course?" answered Miss Spencer it's right here in my little “And the number is——77 “Thirty-six thousand and one. And here is the special telegram from Ba- tavis, which reached us before the Papers lnnmch lh‘ lrck‘ flllmberu this morning.” 18 5 J ~Quite right, quite right, and the third grand prize is yours.” Then, ad- dressing the native cashier who had just entered in answer to the sum- mons: “Compradore, please cash this order for ten thousand dollars for the visitors."” “Velly, good,” bowed the corpulent Ching Pow, “wanichee all note. Some goldee, some silliber, how fas] 7 “Oh, only about a hundred dollars in silver.* spoke up Pr. Willlams, “the rest in notes and then"—pointing sig- nificantly toward the vault behind the lass ition—""you might give us those nice little pugs of new 's keep in there for [ three of sovereigns you alwa: your spect: jends. Ching Pow withdrew to the inner sanctum, where his brother Celestials were chinking the coin. He was gone but an instant when he rushed back with a look of surprise and anxiety on his usual placid countenance, and startled the manager and his guests with the exclamation: “Dis ticket him no my have pay dis money one piecee Chineyman dis morning. S’posee some man he hab makee stealee’ s “What on earth do you mean? cried Mr. Wagenpool, rising from his seat and snatching the ticket and order from the compradore’s hand. “You say you've already pald this number? Go back there and get me the other ticket at once!” Then, calm- ing himself, he turned to the part !3ére may have been some serious mistake here on the part of the native staff—although they are al-| thetr c\ll-' it cor- ‘ways overparticular with tomers—but we will have rected at onoce.” “Why, what can it possibly be™ ex- claimed the lady; “there certainly are no duplicate tickets and these people. with all their ecunning ingenuity, are surely not able to forge one " Ching Pow reappeared with a book and two pieces of paper, which he | laid on the asionished mmnagers desk. Sure enough! There was the unmistakable evidence before them: ticket number thirty-six thousand and one been presented at the mative counter fully three hours before: the cash had been duly paid to the holder. Ting Sang and the bird and the prey had vanished together! *“My friends,’ sald Herr Wagenpool, after he and customers had ex- amined the pupers, “1 am bound to confess that we are the victims of a very clever forgegy—the very first in | all my experience here—we wiil sum- mon the police department at once.” “A pretty serious affair, this'* re- marked Dr. Williams, as the party rose to take their departure. nd who, may I ask, has to bear the loss | w or the Royal Dutch in the case, ‘That's the all-important Lottery? Question for us. “Ah, that will have to be determined the consul when the police make Mr report. The bank cun pay only ade ticket and the evidence must de- tarmine which is the genuine one and which is the forgery.” “And are we to leave our ticket with you now?" “Yes, the ypolice must have posses- sion of them both.” “Well,” remarked the surgeon, “in order to make sure of future identifica- tion I will just put my private mark on ours,” and drawing a little vial of iodine from his pocket, hefore the man- ager 4 etop him, he painted with the little brush in the cork the initials “A. R. W.” right across the face of the ticket. * k% % RIGHT across the wide Nanking road with its twinkling lights, anduptoward] the north whera the Tea House'of the Anclent Sages entertains 4ts hundred of nightly guests, there passed that same evening 2 solitary figure clad in the Jong blue gown of the scholar and followed by a coolie bearing on his bamboo two common- place bundles of matting. They turned &t the corner by the teahouse and elbowed their way through the nar- row Alley of the Genii until they came | » 10 the rear entrance of one of those handsomely gilded shops which front on the Ho Nan road. which are known ail @ver China us places where lot- tery tickets @re bought and sold There were 0o lamp posts in the alley it and not the white man." the night is dark and the way is long and the burden is heavy, I know the master will not begrudge his servant a few extra cash.” “We bargained for a hundred and fitty. did we not? “The master's words are truth it-| self, but the extra pipe and bowl of tea are not amiss. “Hold out thy hafd: Behold the extra ten—and now begone! He waited until the coolle had dis- appeared, and then placing the brass key in the ancient lock he opened the door and dragged the two bundles into the courtyard. Leaving them there in safety, he ascended three small wooden steps and knocked upon a closed wooden shutter: First, three knocks, then two, then one. He waited a moment and then he heard the bolt drawn from within. The shutter was Have you brought i volce. It is all here,” he replied, “come out and help me carry it in A small door opened and a figure emerged, bowed over with the apparent weight of vear: he was really physically af- flicted—none other ~ thun “Cripple CFkin the well known vender of chances. He attempted to 1ift one of the bundles, but it was too much for him, 50 he untied it and took out carefully twenty rolls of rough brown paper and carricd them. five at a time, into the house. They closed the door and the shutter and both sat down at a table. .\ small and very smoky kerosene lamp shed a dim light from a shelf above them. Crip- ple Ching began: “All went well as 1 directed? You took three thousand} in gold, three thousand in notes and| p'ied the fll(hf\fl' in silver?” “Exactly 80, confederate Lang 8hin (“Twin Stars, 8o called from two star-like frost bites that adorned his cheeks). “Here is the gold and the zates.” placing the bags and rolis upon the table; “and here are the forty packets of a hundred dollars each.” ‘And_the compradores suspected nothing ™" *“Nothing at all—they =imply over- whelmed me with congratulations and thanked the Buddhas that I had won ‘Ah. that is as it should be, but it is fortunate that you got there early, for some miserable foreigner is al- most sure to bring the other ticket before the day i8 over. And you took it all to the Baptist mission and hid it in the storeroom until nigh “Yes, exactly as we planned. * “Then by the aid of all the Buddhas, we will count it all over once more and place it in the well of heavenly blessings for safe Keeping. Suiting the action to the word, Twin Stars and Cripple Ching went over every coin and note and then. wrap- ping them all carefully up, they lifted | a worn piefe of matting from the floor and opening a trapdoor con- cealed by the dust. deposited the treasure in a deep hole in the_ground and covered up all traces of their crime. jow that all is successfully ac- complished.” sald the cripple, with a sigh of relief, “what do you say to a fresh bowl and a pipe at the Tea House of the Ancient Sages? “It would be most refreshing after this hard and dangerous day's work." echoed Twin Stars. “Yes, we will drink the health of the Royal Batavia lottery—and then to happy dreams over our new-found So they passed out together through the living room into the gilded shop with its mirrors and carvings and gerolls and all the paraphernalia of the lottery dealer—out into the street under the great golden sign of the establishment— “MIAO LAN TZE" (The Enchanted Basket). « e . e e e o Inspector Joseph McArthur of the Shanghal police looked across the table at his deputy, Capt. O'Keefe, as they sat in secret conference in the private room at headquarters, and pointing his finger significantly at two lottery tickets that lay before him, said: “Well, Cap. it mighty clever piece of work and “Oh, sir. you can take my word for it, they were made right here in the tlement, and what's more they were made by their own people. You y and wecretive and suspicious that they wouldn't let the tickets go out of their own country for fear they'd never get them back.” “I believe you're right—and now the very first thing is to search every printing house in Shanzhal and find “HAPPY DREAMS OVER OUR NEW-FOUND WEALTH.” THE SUNDAY STAR, JANUARY 23, 1921—PART 4. A Wang Foo Story. by Sydney C. Partridge. oy will do this kind of work. Put Ah Shanghal water | ¢ingyishing signs or numbers on the|Sam and his brother at it; they're our | would be worse than losing the lot- best native officers, and they'il ferret it out quicker than ever we could. “Beg pardon, Chief, I put them at it that there’'s only one possible place where it could be done, and that's up at old Dr. Donaldson’s. He's just fit- ted out his place with a lot of new ou mean the Baptist Mission Press up by the French Bridge?” he same Sir." “Well, 1 think you and I had better just go up theré quietly this after- noon and have a private interview the old gentleman before the s be tn et susp hide things. o'clock and we'll hire a couple public jinrikishas on the Bund, and mind— no_uniforms—just citizens’ clothes. ight you are, sir.” * k% % TARLY that afternoon the two of- ficers called at the Mission Pre: and were courteously received by Dr. Donaldson in his study. They ex- _ Come around at 2 added, with a significant smile—“that tery ticket, wouldn't it? Perhaps you are drinking too much China tea; they edy, you know, that it is apt to mal'(f; newcomers a trifie shaky at ot fi “Miss Olivia,” answered the blush- { Ing young man, as he promptly stead- ied his arm and so avoided the threat- ened crash of the porcelain, “do you really notice that 1 am a little ner- vous today?” You most certainly are.” ‘And do you really, in your heart of | hearts, think that it is nothing more | than the Batavia Lottery and the IChinn tea that causes it?" ‘Why,” she added, with that sweet- v innocent but very deep look that | has played over the countenances of ithe daughters of Eve since the very first day of a mortal man's proposal, why what else can it be. { “What else? What else?” he re- | peated as he drew his chair nearer to I her side—and inwardly thanked the | 5ods that her brother would be gone at least another ten minutes—'why {nothing else, of course, except just imy own foolish self and, a-n-d you.” “And me? Oh, yes, I see. Of course, it was all my fault. If I hadn't said half-jokingly to you and Jack that night, when the hotel clerk oftered us the ticket, ‘Let us all three take & share in it” why we shouldn't have | zotten into all_ this entanglement. | should we? And you wouldn't have i been obliged to run over here every afternoon to tell me how the case was going on, would you?" “Oh, 1 really didn't mind that at all. In fact, I've actually enjoyed it, so much 5o that I've mustered up cour- age to come over here today and ask you to share: “Another lottery-ticket with you (Did he notice that she very deftly, as she said these words, slipped a 1i tle doyly over a paper novel that lay on the table beside her, and just in time to prevent his reading the title if he had looked that way?) “An- other lottery? Why, that would just even-up the account, wouldn't it. I inveigle you and Jack into the Royal Dutch game and then you turn around and suggest a similar risk to me, First Eve tempts Adam and then Adam returns the compliment by a Pty similar temptation on his part—Isa't that it? “Well, yes, it does look a little that way, but this isn't that kind of a lot- tery. I m-e-a-n it isn't that kind of he said to the runner. that being the) sign of the shop of his friend. “Miao Lan Tze, Miao Lan Tze!” Then it suddenly dawned on him that the words for “temple” and “enchanted’” being almost identical in sound, his runner had quite naturally mistaken the one for the other. Recognising the shop as one where lottery tickets were offered for sale, he decided to enter and intrview the proprietor. The doorkecper ushered him to a seat and in a moment the form of Cripple Ching appeared. There was an unmistakable some- in his face that immediately suspicions and he decided to take the chance of an evil conscience and boldly accuse him of the theft. After the formalities of the tea and pipes he turned suddenly upon him and seizing his arms with both hands. he lifted him bodily to his feet and looking him through and through with his piercing eyes, said: “Cripple Ching! Lead me instantly to the place where you concealed the money!"” ““Wnat money sked the astonish- ed proprietor of the Enchanted Bas- ket, struggling to free himself from the iron grasp. “What money? What money?” re- peated Wang Foo, feeling the of his threat beginning to work, the ten thousand dollars that cashed on ticket No. 26001 of the Dutch Lottery. Give it to me instantly or we will summon the police tear up every board in Your floo; “I didn't forge the ticket! I didn't cried the terrified ine and I bought that later—show me the money or in ocome the police, and straight to jail you go!" He led the way into the inner room, lifted up the torn piece of matting. uncovered the “Well of Heavenly Blessings” and there lay the notes and the gold and the silver just as he and Twin Stars had hidden them! The latter individual entered the room just at this moment, climbing down the ladder from the loft above. Wang | Foo ventured one more chance. “Ting 8ang!” he cried, and the luckless Twin Stars, looking into the barrel of the detective's revolver and seeing that escapo was impossible, surrendered himself as his prisoner. ok ok ok X looks very much as if The En- chanted Basket was like a ma- gician's hat,” remarked Inspector Mc- Arthur to Wang Foo, as they ocom- pared their final notes in the office. “It contains all the goods we are (AIT AL R THE MYSTIC WALTZ got both the villains and the money. and now all we want is the man who forged the ticket; perhaps he's hiding down somewhere in the basket, too. You can guarantee Ting Sang be- longee all me Twin Stars?’ he asked of the native officers whom he had summoned into the room. an seclure all ploper.” was the answer; “dat bank compladore hab come dis nide two thlee timee talkee he. “Then,” he.added, turning once more to Wang Foo, *“let us summon all our friends and proceed to Mr. Wagenpool's at once. When all the party were assembled In the manager's office, including Dr. Don- aldson, as well as Dr. Willlams and the 8pencers, our Man of Mystery arose, and tightly grasping a piece of yellow paper in his hand, thus addressed them: “Ladies and gentlemen. it has been a pleasure and a privilege to me to work in connection with Inspector McArthur nd his splendid department in unravel- g this most interesting case; and 1 now present to you my report, which takes the form of three rather startling surprises, viz.: First, and perhaps most important to you who are losers, we have recovered every dollar of the ten thousand! Second, our suspected vil- lains are entirely innocent! Cripple Ch'ag bought his ticket honestly from T | the regular agency and Ting Sang cash- ed it honestly for him! Third, we have not found any trace of the forger—for the simple reason that there has not been any forgery—and Charles and James must be freed from all suspicion at the Mission Press! This telegram from Batavia will give you the needed information as well as the closing sur- prise. He unfolded it and read as follows: “To Harr Wagenpool. Manager, “Dutch Asiatic Bank, Shanghai: “Just discovered that by curious ac- cident the numbering machine printed duplicate of ticket No. thirty-six-thou- sand-and-one. If too late to call them in, the Royal Dutch Lottery will have, in"honor, to pay them both. “KARK KRINGLESON, “Government Agent."” e & & e s s s 1t, of course, goes without saying that Dr. ‘'Williams did not allow any delay in he matter of interesting Miss Spencer ‘n_the larger “lottery in life"—as an retual fact, the exchange of the tickets if such we may call the propoeal and ac ceptance, took place on the steps of the bank, and, as Wang ¥oo smilingly re- marked, “they both drew prizes!" And when, a few days after the wed- ding, the bride wished to select a name for their little bungalow on the peak, to whom should she more naturally turn than to our famous detective, and what could he—or you or I or any one—say, but to tell her to chisten it “The Enchanted Basket.' (Copsright, 1921.) | | ‘ By Mme. Lucie Delarue-Mardrus | Translated from the Freach by ‘William L. McPherson. T was one of those ancient cha- teaux which, still erect and massive, standing in a country- side equally unchanged, recall the days when medieval legends were still honored in our venerable land of France. Nevertheless, automobiles buzzed and tooted around it and the large British family which occupied it every summer and autumn led & 1ite in it which was eminently modern. Tennis, canoeing, motor cycling and similar sports occupied the young people, and had it not been for the distinction end elegance of the older girls and the married women mno trace of fairyland weuld have been left in that country of the past. It is a fact that women's clothes— even those of today—=add a marvel- ous touch to any background. expanded wings of sashes, the com- of the world before the great de- parture is a bit of irony not without legance as well as its melan- She was astonished. “But,” she began, & little intimi- dated and distant. “Let me go on,” he broke in. “I asked you, as they say, to sit out this dance and you consented. So you must know this_evening that I un- derstood you. We shall never see each other again, but it cannot offend God that we have had a little talk. You are going into the convent, mademoiselle, and I (it is a secret which you will be the first to know) have decided irrevocably to become a minister. It is a parallel, all the same, in spite of the difference in our religions; for 1 believe that we are both guided by the same aspiration. Don’t you think so, too?" She looked at him with her big, clear eye “Oh!" s 1d, “a minister e thought a second, and added: “I admire you. It ought to be dif- :X:Il'l to remain in the world, after 2 He smiled ecstatically. He realized Money Could Be Made to st o ang e vesn. wewe] 1 A1K Liouder Than It Does” HAVE about given up hopes of ge! By Ring W. Lardner. ting any answer to all the letters | 1 been writeing to Pres. Harding and it begins to look like he either had the writers cramps from signing caddie’s cards and the doctors is keeping his condition a secret, either that or he never got my letters as I didn't put down no St. number and maybe the mall carrier in Marion But whatever the trouble is, the time has don’t know which is his house. past for monkey business and I and my friends has decided to appeal to the voters to go to the front in my behalf and they will not only be do- ing me a favor but themselfs as well. because if the people don't step in “THEY'S WHOLE WEEKS AT A TIME WHEN I DONT HALF TO TAKE NOTHING OUT OF MY PANTS POCKETS AT NIGHT BUT MY COMB AND BRUSH.” and make my fight their fight, the pres. elect is libel to surround him- self with the same kind of male help we been enjoying for the past 8 yrs. and the comeing administration will be another dud. Therefore I and my friends request all right thinking Americans to write to their congressmens in words of one syllible and ask them to bring pre: [And when you can’t borrow and peo- Ple can't pay their income tax till the brokers has wors out their voice | hollering more margin, why in & crisis | like this a man like I that can think | of & acheme like I have thought of is 2 better man than you are Gen. Dawes, |or any of the others thmt has been m;;l;lo‘l;;d for this high ofce. e as me can be told in 2 words More mints. I would hop on a train and eves Ty ‘:?:‘;‘ Wwe went through that adver- Lo anires factory sights I would Sump ?‘ "ln start g mint and you wouldn't = lo build them all new neither. ou can buy some & bargain that use to be used to make juleps. And until we had made money enough to Carry us over the present shortages, 1 would run some of them double time and call them “double mints” and keep em open even them “after dinner mintares and esil coarse the money you mints is all chicken food .na"u";‘.{': present we would half to pay the country’s debts in dimes and quar- ters and etc. but only till I have time to get another scheme working in re- gards to currency. They teil me that the reason the govt. is shy of currency on acct. of the high price of paper and printers wages and every piece of paper money the govt. puts out costs them more than its worth. ‘Well, they was a plumber restin, in the house the other day and il he was here the idear flashed on me and I asked him to let me see a 320 bill & minute and he let me take a federal reserve note for that amt. and sure enough it was just like I remem- bered it. They was a picture of Cleve- land on one side of it and the other side showed a train and a areoplane and a automobile and & big steam boat and a little tug boat and what any of | them things has got 1o do with $20 is a misery to me, unlest the automobile was a tax! which you could see it i wasn't because the driver was looking ahead. So I seen my idear was O. K. and if put in operation the govt. could at lease break even on currency and probably make a good profit an haven't had time to work out the de- tails but I will give a outline of the scheme 80 as you can sée what I am getting at. In the 1st place they's no sense makeing bills now days in denomin: tions like $1 and $5 and $20 and etc. ‘What they should ought to be is $1.10, $5.50, $22, $27.50 and so On up. Then instead of sticking pictures on them that don't mean nothing, I would have pictures of the different things that can be boughten for the amt. of the bill and whatever articles the vt. advertised this way, why somebody would half to pay for the advertise- plained the object of their visit and ended by asking if it was possible that the tickets could have been printed—of course without his knowl- edge—at his establishment. He looked the papers over very |h. carefully by a strong light and final- Iy said: “Well, gentlemen, it is an excellent plece of lithographic work, and we have, I belleve, the only new: press in Shanghai that is capable of it, but you must remember that there is something even more necessary than a press for doing this kind of thing, and that—pointing to a group of workmen in the courtyard—that is the printer! There are only two men in our whole outfit who are really what you could call ekilled lithogra- phers, and 1 know them so well that 1 wouldn’t suspect them for a mo- ment. Besid® this, I superintend all this kind of work in person and it would be impossible for them to put any matter on a stone without my knowing it at once. No, gentlemen, the Baptist Mission Press is not re- sponsible for this fraud; you will have to look elsewhere.” Inspector McArthur, however, was far from being satisfled with this statement of the manager and in- sisted on accompanying him to the pressroom and in putting him through a regular third degree, and, evidently to his great annoyance, included his two native assistants in the process. “Where did they spend their night Who kept the keys to the pres Was it not possible for the t ete., quite filled to overflowing with memoranda; then he and the deputy respectfully took their leave. “Well, captain, what do you make out of {t?” he asked when the two officers once more returned to the seclusion of the chief's private “James, sionaries being accustomed to give English names to their employes, especially If they are converts)—are a sly and tricky couple. T think it would pay us to Inquire a little more deaply fnto their whereabouts and various doings. You see, the old gen. tleman will believe anything those fellows tell him, and how does he know but that they have false keys and get into the pressroom at night and work this sort of game while he ix asleep?’ 8o for the next two weeks a careful watch was kept over Charles and James, but their comings and golngs were as innocent as those of any Chinese lambs, and at the end of that time the police were re- luctantly obliged to confess to Harr Wagenpool that they were as much in the dark as at the beginning. “Well, kentlemen,” he said. “you have evi- dently come to the end of your rope. Have you nothing else whatever to offer””’ “Nothing except Wang Foo,” was the inspector’'s reply. Wang Foo? And who is he, pray The famous detective at Hong- kong." “You mean the one who recently recovered the governor's stolen jew- e ‘The same, sir.”" “Please wire for him to come at once. Make him the most liberal offer you please and lel.l him to spare no expens That same evening Old Chang, the gatekeeper at No. 5-5-5 in the Red Cloud alley, handed a piece of yellow paper to his master in the room above. “Tien pok, tien pok, chiu lien kwai, chiu llen kwal (A lightning message, a lightning message, please read quickl The man of mystery opened it, perused it carefully, then rang the bell for the Venerable Grand One and said: “Prepare the honorable baggage—I sail in the early morning for Shanghal * kK K «N\TOW, Doctor,” said Miss Spencer, as she added another lump of sugar to his dainty little teacup, which he held out beseschingly before her, “you really must control your trembling nerves or you will be drop- ping your cup and saucer and decor- ating this hotel verandah with frag- a risk, don't you see " “And where does poor Jack come in on the risk? We couldn’t leave him out, you know.” ‘Oh, he won’t be left out, but he won't have exactly the same kind of a share in the game that you and I ave He will come In Al right'— and he actually did so that very in- stant as he burst into hi¥ room and called out to the verandah to save him a hot cup of tea. “Miss Olivia,” sald the young sur- geon, making a desperate effort to save the last few moments before the brother's appearance from his room, ou really didn't give me time to finish my sentence. What I tried to say to you—in fact, what I have been trying to say to you ever since we Mfirst met, {s almply this: I want you to share my life and my home and my s:}::{eakur JT: and fo take me for er ris| am. Are vill- ing to venture jt?" Joumetw il reb.'é%!:;d not ‘l':llwer at once . over e table, she withdrew the white doyly ':hlt e:oll’: ered the novel and pointing to the X.I‘l::::l:nl':g title onPu-e cover, said. ment: “Pe :10 W:||l to settle the pbe barorod emptin r” He picki the boo! d d the 'Dfdl chlr“E? :v:ll‘;xd""l;l.::{ w.'fln startlingly clear Lottery. of Lie SO D e acl Appearance on the verandah at this moment turned the conv::n- tion into the commonplaces of the day, and after @ few moments the surgeon rose to depart, more deter- mined than ever to mecure the two Rreat prizes of his life, viz, Miss Olivia and the Batavia gold! When the China Merchants' Packet King Loon (or Golden Dragon) di charged her ngers at the Hong Kew whart, among them was a dig- nified native gentleman who created somewhat of a sensation by the fact that both the English captain and the first officer came down from the bridge and shook him cordiaNy by the hand as they bade him good-by. “Here's hoping to have you with us on the next trip, Mr. Wang." “Thank you gentlemen; it is always a genuine pleasure to travel with You.” He hailed a jinrickshaw and also a wharf coolle. “Nan King Loo, Pak Yuln Kal, Tlen Loo Miao, Hongkong Lan Tze Poo!” (Up the Non King road and the White Cloud alley to the Shrine of the Heavenly Gong and the shop of the Hongkong basket maker.) After a cordial greeting from his old fellow-townsmen and a quiet night's rest under their hospitable roof, he started out early the next morning to find his friend, Inspector McArthur, and from him and the deputy he heard the full story of the double ticket and the consequent loss of the third grand prize of $10,000. He also had lengthy interviews with Harr Wagenpool and with Miss Spencer and Jack and the surgeon, and then he and the depart- ment went out with a dragnet to try find the criminal. By the end of the week their mutual investigations seemed to point more and more directly to the combination of Charles and James at the Mission Press. There was no doubt that they were skilled workmen and perfectly capable of lithographing a duplicdte tick but the difficulty was to es- tablish the proofs of this particular crime. Nor had any trace whatever been found of the mysterious person by the name of Ting Bang who had actually taken the money away from the bank. Scores heelbarrow cooli had been arrested and ques- tioned, but none could give any ac: count of the appearance of the treasure. At last the mi g link in the chain was discovered, and this is how {t happened: Late one night Wang Foo was returning from head- quarters, and being worn out with the work of the day. he fell asleep on the seat of his jimrickshaw and anly awoke when the coolie deposited him the door of “The Enchanted Bask- et” in the Ho Nan road. “I told you to take me to ‘The Temple Basket.” in and goin, of many-colored "(erl and white skirts filled the s romantic river with a jous movement and color, in default of more picturesque and mysterious attire. But the most beautiful spectacle for which the old castle grounds fur- nished the setting was the Thursday dansant which the English lessees gave to the notabilities of the neigh- borhood. The latter came each week from the nearby manors and villas and even from the more distant town. It was a reunfon of poor country squires and rich industrials, to the latter of whom an invitation from Lady Ellivan represented almost a patent of nobility. * * % % ADY Ellivan, the grandmother of the family, understood, in spite of the rigid Protestantism of her race and family, that youth must be amused, and also that the best place to amuse it is at home. Nothing was 8o gay as the Thurs- day entertainment at the chateau, yet nothing was in better form. On this particular Thursday — the first of the autumn—the guests were just seating themselves about the tea table when they were surprised to see the Larvois family enter— father and mother, two daughters and son. For weeks they had been absent, and every one within five miles knew the reason. Marguerite de Larvols, the elder daughter, was on the poin of leaving home to er a convent, having been destined from early youth to be a Carmelite nun. The appearance of this beautiful young girl, vowed to the church, in- terrupted all conversation. “Can she have renounced the con- vent?" they all thought. But the young girl, with perfect poise, shook hands all around, and smiled at everybody. Her melancholy eyes seemed more beautiful than ever. The luxuriousness of her white gown astonished the company. After a few minutes the fete re- sumed its usual animation. The guests presently left the tables and the mu- sic began. Marguerite de Larvois took a seat beside her mother. Her sister and brother joined the dancers, but she held aloof. It goes without saying that the tango was unknown in Lady Ellivan's house. The waltz and the Boston were still modern enough for her. The piano and the violin blared forth. The waltsers, in blue, rose. mauve, pale yellow and white, - with black splotches made by the men's smoking jackets, flitted past Marzuerite de Larvois. But she remained eni| mntic and calm. Then sha saw some one anproach and stretch out his hand as if inviting her to dance. It was the blond Pat- rick Ellivan, a dreamy looking young man whom women thought heautiful, and whn was #o, in fact, in tha sense in which certain types of Englishmen are, “Thev are going to dance.”” many of the onlookers whispersd to ona an- other. And a* once the conclusi was drawn: “It will ba a match Then. raturally, eama the eriticiem: “To talk from childhond about he- coming a. nun and to end bv marrving —that is going it a little par very * ok ok k DUT they didn’t dance. Side by side they mounted some steps which led to a sort of terrace, from which there was a clear view across the country to the western horizon. They could be seen leaning shoulder to shoulder on the balustrade, talking together, while their gaze was lost in the infinite spaces above the park, now golden in the sunset. But who among the curious throng below could have suspect what they were talking about? “I believe I understand why you came today.” said Patrick, in his per- fect French, with just a charming tinge of accent. “This 80 well what she meant by “that. “Yes,” he sighed. “And that is why 1 envy you—I who am attached to the death to my own religion. The cloister—it is really a dream.” They were silent. Below the elec- tric lights were being turned on and the waltz had stopped. The sound of laughing voices came up to them. Turning away again they leaned on the balustrade and watched the dis- appearing sun “Tomorrow,’ farewell. She answered, with exaltation: “God will aid us in our task.” They looked at each other search- ingly. There was nothing more to be said. They had reached an under- standing beyond the need of words. ‘Seraphic, intoxicated, they felt ready to fly away together on wings invis- ibly opened. That is why, as the music began again, they descended to the whirl below and danced. Their waltz, in truth, had nothing human about it. Like that of the oriental dervishes, it reproduced the rhythm of the stars— “the movement which pleases God. Now, who knows, if in this mys- tical moment, misunderstood by the &candalized onlookers—who knows if the breath of love, of divine human love, didn't touch them, stirring an unavowed regret, as wrenching as it was magnificent, for & happiness which was almost theirs? (Copyright, 1921.) —_— In the Highlands. A Army officer sald the other day: ‘Armchair critics of military and naval matters are as ignorant, usual- 1y, as an old lady. “A shell shock victim went to the highlands of Scotland for his health. He rented lodgings from an old ludy in a remote village, and the first day of his stay the old lady served him boiled eggs for breakfast, bolled eggs for dinner, and boiled eggs for sup- per. So after supper he went out and bought a pound of sausage in skins. “Ho returned and slapped the sausage down before the old lady. “Here, I'm tired of eggs’ he said. “Cook up this sausage for my break- *Vara goot,’ said the old lady, ‘but hoo will I cook it ““Why, fry it like fish’ said the shell shock victim. In the morning, when the old lady appeared with the sausage, the poor fellow nearly had a relapse. 1 hope ye'll like yer breakfast this mornin’,’ she said, ‘but there ain't much in these things when they're all cleaned out. Scientific Salesmanship. ((SCIENT]FZC salesmanship,” said a raconteur at a club dinner, “may be carried too far. “In a hardware shop the other day 1 was buying & wrench for my car when a morbid-looking chap came in and ‘Quarter's worth of carbolic adid, please.” S “The scientific salesman smiled and shook his head regretfully. ““This {s & hardware shop, not a drug tore,’ he cooed, ‘but I8 there nothing we can do for you in the razor, revolver or hemp rope iine® " —_— A National Fault. GToXTRAVAGANCE,” sald a senator at a dinner. “is at the root of most of our ills. We Americans he sald, softly, as if in are the most extravagsnt people on earth,” The senator smiled. “How many of us,” he went on, like the young new-weds at heart? “Young Mr. and Mrs. New-wed are in a dreadful predicament,’ a chap said at a club. Yes? How 50?7 said another chap. ““Why, you see, they paid so much for their going-away outfits that they can't go away, are “THEY WAS A PLUMBER RESTING IN OUR HOUSE THE OTHER DAY, AND I ASKED HIM TO LET ME SEE A $30 BILL FOR A et e, sures to bard on Mr. Harding to appt. me to one of the cabinet positions and it don’t matter which one though I would prefer secy. of the treasury or one of the 3 others that I been after, but he don’t pay no tension to me, namely secy. of state or agriculture or post master gen. * % K X In the past few wks. I have give the public some idear of my quali- fications for the last 3 named port- follos and it will not be necessary to go over them again, so at present I will content myself with & few words in regards to the treasury dept. In the first place the dutys of the secy. of that dept. now days is different than former yrs. when he was just supposed to see that they wasn't no money stole|oll‘xl ;f‘nlhte l;ellury. 1t that was all he o do job would be a good deal like the man thatykicks goals from touch- downs at’ Yale. Dame Rumor hath it that the treasury is as clean as ‘Washington's record in the world se- rious and the vaults in the treasury bldg. is like a poker me in the press club—full of 1. O. L So the secy. don watch dog just now 1 don't see no sel Gen. Dawes to this portfolio, as with all due respects to the Gen. he has always worked in a bank that had money in it, and stick him in the treasury and he would be a lost soul Just like the Phillies signing up Bill Donovan as mgr. because he can han- dle ball players. -The man tha needed as head of the treasury dept. now is not the man that is ‘use to takeing care of money but the man that is use to being without it. Brothers, I am that man. Now I don't want nobody to think from that remark that I don't pay my bills some way another, because generally always man: to ecrap up enough to tend to them when they fall due, like for inst. our plano which we bought it on monthly in- stalments and I haven't missed a pay- ment in 18 yrs. ‘That is just the pt. I am trying to make, namely tha Gen. \wes has probably alway: a few berrys in his kick, why they's whole wks. at a time when I don't half Yo take nothing out of my pants pock- ets nights but my comb and brush, but just the same my creditors alw: jeaves my door satisfied, provided they come with 5 or 6 mos. rations. Some times we half to borrow last June's wages back from the cook lady and half to be a in_appointing got other times the mall man happens to come along with a check that I just write down my name on the back of it and hand it to whoever has been standing longest in line, which once in a wile reachs way out in the front yard and people going by thinks we are having a big funeral or something. But as 1 say, T get it when I to have it to pay my debts and I would get it a whole lot easier to pay the country’s debts because they's a way & govt. can get money that if & private citisen done it he would go south for several winters, and that is what I will explain in a few wds. * ok ¥ Of coarse ms far as the U. 8. is conserned, borring is out of the ? as they's mobody to borrow off from. ! 1 1 f MINUTE.” ment just like it was in a magazine or_a newspaper. Like for inst. on a $1.10 bill on the side where they usually have a pic- ture of Cleveland or somebody. I would have a picture of a man that only gets $1.10 per hr. like a U. ator or a window wipper or . On the other side they would be & plcture of a man getting a shave in th hotel, an order of spinach and whatever else you oan buy for 1.10 which I can’t think of nothing just now. txxs On one side of the $5.50 bill would be a picture of & $5.50 per hr. man, say a plasterer or a man that puts up screens. On the advertising side they would be pictures of a ticket to the Follles, five lumps of coal, & lower berth from one town to another like Minneapolis to St. Paul, a safety rasor. and ete. $22 bill would show on one side a skilled labor that earns §23 per hr. like a hat check boy. The other de would have pictures of a silk shirt, a pair of nno-& and etc. And so on up to the big bills like the $5,000 bill whioh I would have on one side of it a ilnmr- of one of the White Sox that has involuntarily retired from baseball and the other side would be all margin, an ad of some brokerage firm. Advertising rates would be more on the smaller bills on acct. of the dif- ferents in circilation, but where could they be a better medium especially when _the public begins to pay premi- ums for the bills that has pictures of their favorite ball player or plumber? And don’t forget that my sutograph would be on every bill as secy. of the tressury. Thu?ll the kind of ide“rn 1 """_'."l 2505t you want thess kind of brains an u wanf e8e in nn.t’dowL o: any other du:.‘ ‘vrlutl-‘ t r nearest co \im %o _get busy in my behalt. And it Mr. ing asks him what kind 13 an 1 am personly, tell him to :-y.m?ohndinv’:t rect Neok 18 an essle 3. NG W. LARDNER. Long’s 1sland, Jan. 21. Poor Willie. TELEGRAPH ocompany offioial said at a luncheon:. “Some of these new small nations are going to have a dificult time ef A it, I fear. It will be like the case of D “*It's up_ te = “Well, hol his mother. “So they waded on, and yretty seon lie quavered: . up to my nedk now. be sure ang don’t let go hand,’ sald his pa. “Again they waded on, and sud: 1y ‘the mother looked all round cried: 5 has (DY Scodness, where Oh, 1ie disap) toY’. ‘Willle’p all right.’ “Tve ot nod of Bis nfl.’mn Knows s S