The Bradys After a Chinese Princess Part 12

The address it bore was a number on Stockton street.

"I have a room in that house just at present," he said.

Leggett sat quiet through all this.

Still engaging the doctor in conversation, the old detective trod on his toe.

The signal was returned.

Old King Brady felt that he had been understood, when the Secret Service man suddenly arose and said:

"Will you excuse me, Mr. Brady? I have to keep that appointment with Holes."

"Go on," said Old King Brady. "You are a bit late for it now."

He left himself as soon as the doctor's supper was served.

Going around on to China alley, he found Leggett somewhat disguised watching the rear entrance to the house of the Seven Delights.

"That man must be shadowed," he said. "It is useless for me to undertake it other than in a general way. He has worked for me and knows my methods of disguising. He is as keen as a razor. Some time ago he fell madly in love with Miss Montgomery, and we had all kinds of trouble with him. I am afraid he is at the bottom of her disappearance."

"I'm on the job. Where shall I lay for him? Here or in front?"

"In front."

"Will I do as I am?"

"It's the best you can do at short notice. Listen. You saw him give me his card. I am going to his room on Stockton street. If I can get in I shall not hesitate to give it a good overhauling. I must be quick. Do the best you can for me, Leggett."

The Secret Service man gave his promise and Old King Brady hurried away.

The Stockton street house proved to be a four-story brick tenement filled with j.a.panese.

There was a bell-board with names on it, but that of Dr. Garshaski did not appear.

Old King Brady had just finished studying the names when a j.a.p came out through the open door.

The old detective showed the doctor's card.

"Know him?" he asked.

But the man appeared to be short on English.

"No know," he said. Then pointing inside he made the old detective understand that he was to inquire at the last door on the right, which he did.

This proved to be the janitor, whose English was quite understandable.

"Top floor," he said. "He only hire room of 'nother man. Las' door left."

Old King Brady traveled up the stairs.

He felt that he was running every risk of discovery by the doctor.

Encountering no one in the upper hall, he knocked lightly on the door.

There was no answer.

Producing his skeleton keys, he easily mastered the lock.

It was only a bedroom. There was but little furniture.

On the top of a chiffonier was Alice's picture in an elaborate gilt frame, which did not bear out the doctor's a.s.surance that he had got over being love-sick.

Without losing an instant the old detective opened the drawers of this chiffonier and began disturbing things as little as possible.

It was not until the lower drawer was reached that he found anything to interest him.

The first was a bunch of three letters fastened by a rubber band.

There were other letters, some in j.a.panese and some in Chinese.

These, however, were in English, and when Old King Brady caught the signature, "R. Volckman," he knew that he had made a discovery.

This letter was brief enough. It read:

"DEAR SIR: Yours receipted. I shall be ready for you at 2 thirty.

All serene. R. VOLCKMAN."

"This settles it," muttered the old detective. "Volckman has been standing in with these opium smugglers all right, and the doctor is in the deal. I shall arrest the man on sight."

He ran over the other letters.

All related to the landing of the smuggled opium.

In one Volckman agreed to furnish boats to the Chinese smugglers, with men to take charge of them.

The other was a demand to know when and where he could meet Dr.

Garshaski.

There was no mention of the Chinese princess nor of Alice.

Old King Brady pocketed the letters and proceeded to examine a trunk, which he opened with a skeleton key.

Here he found other letters and photographs of several Chinese and j.a.panese women.

All the letters appeared to be in these languages, as the old detective hastily ran over them.

There was one photograph of a very peculiar looking young woman who was not altogether unhandsome.