The Bradys After a Chinese Princess Part 19

"He is dead?"

"Yes, and so is my mother. She was a Mexican woman. I was born and brought up in Mexico. I wish I had never left it."

"Listen, Miss Reyes," said the old detective. "You say you need money.

If through your means I can rescue Miss Montgomery from the clutches of Dr. Garshaski, I am going to give you $200."

"And you will arrest him and send him up?"

"I most certainly shall."

"Then I'll help. My aunt told me that the doctor had Miss Montgomery at the House of the Seven Delights, but she did not say he was holding her a prisoner. She lives there herself. She ought to know."

"Where is this House of the Seven Delights?"

"It runs through from Dupont street to China alley," was the reply, and the woman named the block.

"And what is it?" persisted Old King Brady.

"Oh, a sort of club-house. A lot of different Chinese clubs meet there.

There is a big restaurant on the ground floor; there are opium joints and fan-tan joints in it."

"Same place," thought the old detective. "But where are the dungeons of this House of Delights, I wonder?"

"Can you find out in just what part of the house the doctor has Miss Montgomery concealed?" he asked.

"Listen here," replied the woman. "The only thing I can do is to see my aunt and tell her that you have promised to aid me. She hates my husband as much as I do. Still, you know how helpless Chinese women are, so just what she will do I cannot say.

"But we must not be seen together on Chinese alley, Mr. Brady. Where can I find you? Appoint a place."

"How long shall you probably be gone?" asked the old detective.

"Not over half an hour. I will keep on the block on the Dupont street side. Meet me there."

They parted at the alley, Old King Brady pus.h.i.+ng on to Dupont street.

He had scarcely turned the corner when he ran into Detective Leggett.

"Well?" he demanded. "What about Volckman?"

"I haven't seen him since," was the reply. "Evidently he has given me the slip somehow."

"Let him go. I have secured evidence against him which will enable us to arrest him at any time," and the old detective went on to explain.

"I want your help in this new business," he said.

"Right," replied Leggett. "Can't we go it alone, thin?"

"I'm going to try it that way, anyhow. You follow me right after I make the start. If I want you to join me I'll let you know."

They separated then, and for more than half an hour Old King Brady paced the block; finally he was joined by Inez Reyes.

She did not stop to talk to him, but merely said as she walked slowly past the doorway in which the old detective was standing:

"We must not be seen together. You follow me."

Old King Brady fell in behind.

Looking back he caught sight of Leggett on the other side of the street, and made a sign for him to join the procession.

The woman rounded the corner and entered the alley, slipping in at the door of the House of the Seven Delights.

She did not ascend the stairs, but pa.s.sed along the dimly lighted hall till she came to a door under the main stairway. There appeared to be n.o.body but themselves in the hall. Looking sharply up and down, the woman halted and waited for Old King Brady to come up in response to her signal.

"All I could get out of my aunt," she whispered, "is that this door is one way of getting into the private rooms in this building. It is not the way used by the club members; there are several other ways in and out. She says that Miss Montgomery was still there this evening; she is locked in one of the secret rooms. She won't tell me which one nor how to find it. There seems to be some mystery about it all which I can't fathom, and she is evidently afraid to reveal it. But she says that what you tell me is true, Mr. Brady. Miss Montgomery hates my husband.--It is such a relief to know it. I tried every way I knew to persuade my aunt to help up, but she is afraid to make a move. I don't know what more to do."

"There is nothing more you can do," replied the old detective. "Go and leave me to do the best I can. You will probably see a tall man standing just outside the door. Tell him I want him, please. I am staying at the Palace Hotel. Call there to-morrow and I will give you your money in case I succeed. I shall be glad to do what I can to help you in any case."

She thanked him and left; in a moment Leggett joined the old detective who in the meantime had unlocked the door with his skeleton keys.

Three Chinamen came shuffling through the hall from the Dupont street end, evidently diners from the restaurant going out that way.

Old King Brady with his back to the door talked aloud to Leggett on a different subject.

The men, paying no attention to them, pa.s.sed on.

"All the young woman has been able to learn is that this stairway leads down to the private rooms," Old King Brady then explained. "I have managed to unlock the door. Let us push right ahead."

He opened it and a long, dark, narrow stairway was revealed.

"This is probably intended for a way of escape in case of fire," said the old detective. "Shut the door, Leggett, I'll get out my flash light and we will go on down."

"It's mighty dangerous business, Mr. Brady."

"Of course. Come on!"

He led the way and they descended the stairs, ending up at a door covered with sheet iron which had neither lock nor k.n.o.b.

"Balked," breathed Leggett.

"Balked nothing," replied Old King Brady. "This door is controlled by a spring which works in the simplest sort of fas.h.i.+on."

He pressed it and the door flew open.

The long, lighted corridor already described lay beyond.

Old King Brady surveyed its many doors in silent dismay.

"Now we are balked," he whispered. "This is more than a Chinese puzzle.

Which door to choose?"