The Bradys After a Chinese Princess Part 13

She was dressed in a fancy Mexican costume.

To the old detective she looked as if she might be of mixed stock, Mexican and Chinese, or Mexican and j.a.panese.

But as none of these things interested the old detective, he returned them to the trunk and closed it.

Scarce had he done so when there came a knock on the door, which had not been locked.

Of course, this could not be the doctor.

Thinking that it might lead to some further discovery, Old King Brady slipped into a closet and remained on the watch through the crack of the door.

Again came the knocking, a little more insistent, and then the door opened and a young woman very stylishly dressed walked into the room.

A glance was sufficient to identify her as the original of the photograph the old detective had just been looking at.

She stood peering about as if expecting Dr. Garshaski to jump out at her from the closet or under the bed.

Then suddenly she made a rush for the chiffonier, seized the gilt frame, pulled Alice's picture out of it, spit on it, tore it to pieces, and stamped it under her feet, her eyes blazing with jealous rage and hate.

It was easy now to see that the girl--she was little more--was a Mexican-Chinese half-breed.

"Ah ha, my lady!" thought Old King Brady, "I see how the case stands!

It's to be hoped that you speak English. You may prove a very valuable ally. I'm glad now that I came here."

He stepped out into full view.

The young woman gave a scream and made a bolt for the door.

"Stay, daughter! A word with you," the old detective said.

CHAPTER VI.

HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN DELIGHTS.

Harry did not have long to wait before Ah Lung got up and came to him.

His brother Wun, making a few remarks in Chinese, excused himself and left.

"You will pardon me, Mr. Brady, for making it necessary for you to follow me here," said the merchant. "I wanted to find out whether the G.o.ds were propitious to our undertaking, as you would say. I have been so busy to-day that I got no chance until now."

"And the result?" asked Harry.

"We shall win out in the end, but not without trouble."

"Yon believe in your joss sticks, I see, Mr. Lung?"

"Firmly; and why should I not? For untold ages my people have employed them to predict the future."

"Does it always come out true as they say?"

"By no means. Just about as often as what is told us by people in this world comes true."

"Of what use to consult them then?"

"Listen! If you have a friend upon whom you rely, who you have known for years, and who has never lied to you, then you unhesitatingly believe him, do you not?"

"Most a.s.suredly."

"It is precisely the same with me. I believe that the movement of the joss sticks in my case is controlled by the spirit of my dead father. He never lied to me living. Why should he do so now that he has dropped the body and is living in the world of spirits?"

"It is too deep for me. It would seem, though, that you must be a spiritualist."

Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.

"I know very little about your American spiritualists," he replied, "but we will not continue the subject. I am ready."

"Where do we go?"

"We will talk of that outside."

"Am I made up to suit you?"

"Yes, yes. As I look at you I fail to see how any one could see through your disguise."

They pa.s.sed out of the joss house and walked down Jackson street hill.

"One thing," said Harry. "You must pretend to talk to me with your fingers deaf and dumb fas.h.i.+on when we come into the presence of others."

"Oh, I can actually do it," replied Wun Lung. "I have a sister who is deaf and dumb. We were able to put her through the deaf and dumb school.

She knows only English. I am the only one who can talk to her. But I suppose you cannot do the deaf and dumb finger speech?"

"Indeed I can," replied Harry, with his fingers.

"Then let us begin now," responded Ah Lung in the same fas.h.i.+on, "for we are liable to be seen by some one whom we may meet in the House of the Seven Delights."

"And what may that be?"

"A sort of club. A secret society. But I must say no more. You promised not to press me, you know."

"All right. I am in your hands, but I just want to ask have you spoken of the princess to any of the members of this club?"

"Why yes, to one or two whom I can trust."

Harry shook his head.