The Bradys After a Chinese Princess Part 21

It carried no red paper on it now, but a Chinese character painted on the panel.

"What does that say?" asked Harry, pointing to it.

"Flat to let," replied Ah Lung, "but I strongly suspect that our janitor is allowing the Doctor to use it for purposes of his own. Otherwise why should he be going through that door? Still it may have been rented to him for all I know. Anyhow that's where he went. What do you think of it? Shall we attempt to follow him up?"

"By all means," replied Harry. "Let me tell you something. I know this Dr. Garshaski. He is an infamous scoundrel."

Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.

"We meet all kinds," he replied. "They are necessary to make up the world. But you heard what was said; you heard him try to blackmail me.

Do you believe he really knows anything about the princess, or is it all bluff? There was nothing that he said he had not heard from me before."

"I don't believe it was bluff and I do believe he has the princess,"

replied Harry, "and I'll tell you why."

He went on to explain about Alice, and this while he was trying his skeleton keys.

"I believe he has Miss Montgomery a prisoner in the rooms you speak of,"

he declared, "and it would not surprise me a bit if the princess was there too. h.e.l.lo! I've got the door open now. Shall we go exploring and see what we find?"

"Surely. If that is your belief. I am with you, of course," replied Ah Lung. "But lock the door behind you," he added. "We don't want anybody prowling after us."

Harry scarcely saw the necessity of it, but he locked the door.

The long corridor was dimly lighted by a solitary gas jet.

"Why this is strange," said Ah Lung. "I never was in this part of the building before."

"This corridor surely leads in under the next building," said Harry.

"Of course, it does, I never knew of its existence. I shall inquire into this."

"Sure you've got the right door?"

"Positive. Come on."

At the end of the corridor they made the same turns Alice took and at last found themselves up against three doors.

The ones on the right and the left were locked, but the middle one stood slightly open.

Harry pushed it wide open and flashed his light inside, having already drawn his revolver in case of emergency.

The room was entirely unfurnished.

Ah Lung stepped in and looked around.

"Nothing here," he remarked, when the door shut with a bang.

Harry sprang to it, but all too late.

Somebody must have been watching them, for now somebody had bolted that door on the other side.

"Well, upon my word!" cried Ah Lung, "we have walked right into a trap."

"That is certainly what we have done," replied Harry disgustedly, "and the worst of it is here I've been talking. I suppose every word we have spoken has been overheard."

"Every word, Mr. Young King Brady," spoke a voice above them.

"Garshaski, you villain! What do you mean by this?" shouted Ah Lung, recognizing the Doctor's voice.

"Business," was the reply. "You would not accede to my very modest request so I have to do the best I can for myself. So Young King Brady was your deaf and dumb friend in the next alcove, was he? Say, Lung, I'm going to read you a lesson. I'm going to teach you how dangerous it is to muss with me. As for little Brady he knows how I love him and what good reasons I have for my extreme affection. But you are dead wrong if you think the fair Alice is here, Harry."

"Did you kidnap her, Garshaski?" demanded Harry.

"Did I? Why sure I did," was the reply. "Who else? And I bagged your princess, too, my bold Lung. Listen, brother c.h.i.n.k; the plot was all mine. It was I who put up the job with Wung Foo. He brought your little would-be bride over to the boat on the Dover Castle. Same boat we brought that hop on, Lungy, old man! To avoid trouble, for w.a.n.g Foo had to be smuggled in as well as the hop, I drugged your pretty princess and boxed her up. Then in b.u.t.ted the Bradys after their usual fas.h.i.+on, but I watched my chance and got there and, Harry, I got your Alice, too. That pleased me more than all."

From where was the man speaking?

The sound of his voice seemed to be from above.

At the beginning of it Harry shut off his flash light and they had been standing there in the dark, but now he turned it on again and flashed it around.

There was no one to be seen. He could see no opening in the ceiling overhead.

"Hide and seek! You can't find me!" cried the voice with a chuckle.

"Say, Lungy, old man. I know why you were so stuck on marrying Skeep Hup. I know her secret! Did you think I'd sell out for any $5,000? No, not for five times five. I'm out for bigger game."

"Has she betrayed the secret to you?" cried Ah Lung quickly.

There was no answer.

Again and again the merchant repeated the demand, but it was just the same until all at once the voice fairly shouted:

"Now, Ah Lung, I've got you! It was myself who kidnapped your princess!

The secret of Gong Schow's hidden treasure is mine. Now you die!"

As he spoke these ominous words three shots were fired in quick succession through some hole in the ceiling.

Instantly Harry shut off the light.

Probably he was not quick enough to prevent the would-be murderer from taking some sort of aim, for Ah Lung with a deep groan dropped to the floor.

At the same time a violent banging was heard overheard.

Harry held his breath and waited, not daring to turn on the light.

"Lung, are you badly hurt?" he breathed.