The Beautiful White Devil

E DE

furnace-doors of Sheol. Benwell, of the Chinese Revenue cutter Y-Chang, and Peckle, of the English cruiser Tartaric, stripped nearly to the buff, were laboriously engaged upon a hundred up; while Maloney, of the San Francisco mail-boat, and I, George De Normanville, looked on, and encouraged them with sarcasms and utterly irrational advice. Between times

nd miles removed from Costerdom. But the wail of the music had quite a different effect.

ul bonnet, feather

a fringe

the neatest, pret

he wide, w

rs. 'Awkins, Mr

or to nam

st Monday, so to

ots the d

r Eliza! If you

have yours

Eliza-de

wkins is a fu

of sampans alongside the wharf, out to where the red and blue funnel boats lay at anc

r Eliza! If you

have yours

za! Dea

wkins is a fu

ed amid a burs

-three," repeated the

return to business, for I'll be hanged if I'm going to let myself be beaten by the

way of explanation, "Our friend Peckle, gentlemen, chowed last nig

ocket, potted his opponent into the right-hand middle, by

sly. "I'll bet you a dollar I--Hullo! who's this? Poddy, by all th

t eyes, large ears, and almost marmalade-coloured hair. He was in a profuse perspiration, an

m critically. "Better prescribe for him, De Normanville. Ah, I forgot, you don't know one another. Let me

is cue. "If you don't tell us soon, we shall be sorrowfully compelled to postpone

ace," began Mr. Vender

ddy. A dashed g

minstrel a chance. Now, my Bl

ow that the

chief officer, Bradburn, otherwise the China Sea Liar

assistance. Gunboat went down post haste, and, like most gunboats, arrived too late to be of any use. Apologies, Peckle, old man! Skipper and ten men shot, chief officer dirked, first saloon passengers of i

grac

unks we

dy kn

ight under our very noses. C

White Devil aga

d the papers will take it up, and-well, if I know anything of n

Navy I'd be dashed if I

hat. Now for your

you gentlemen of England, who sit at home in ease, to sneer. If you only knew as much as

will stand a good deal, but, believe me, they'll never swall

t was time

hite Devil-Beautiful White Devil. Tiffin at Government House, Colombo-Beautiful White Devil; club chow, Yokohama-Beautiful White Devil; flagship, Nagasaki-Beautiful W

rted in to explain. I he

be merciful," I crie

r, and held it until I had obtained a light. Then, throwing myself

oasts the most prolific imagination.

e made her first appearance in Eastern waters in Rangoon, July 24, 18-. Got hold of some native prince blowing the family treasure and blackmailed him out of half a million of dollars. A man would never have come out of the business alive, but she did, and what is more, with the money to boot

r connecting the Beautiful W

hers. Signals passed between them, and when the money

ight.

jumped at the chance, and off they sailed. Out at sea they were met by a white schooner. I believe Vesey was in the middle of protesting his undying love, and all that sort of thing, you know, when my lady clapped a revolver to his head, and bade him heave-to. A boat put off from the stranger, and both lady and friend boarded her. The long and the short of it was, when Vesey was released he had signed a cheque for fifty thousand pounds, and, by Jove, the money was paid on the nail. Chinese Government have a score against her for abducting a Mandarin of the Gold Button. They tried to catch her but failed. English cruiser went after her for two days and lost her near Formosa. Silence again for three months, then new Governor and wife, Sir Prendergast Prendergast, were coming out here on the Ooloomoo. Her ladyship, whom you know was mix

. Has anybody

a, Vesey, Native Prince, and all the peopl

tion do they

ar cut as a cameo-exquisite complexion and rippling golden hair-a voice like a flute, fi

ittle man's getting

nthusiastic about? By Jove!

erican, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese fleets

yacht seen near Singapore to-day-copper-coloured off Macassar on Thursday-black with white ports nea

I'd like t

t is certain that she has agents everywhere, and that she's in league with

believe that it's possible for a woman to

iption of the yacht and its appointments. He used to make us creep when he told us how this woman would sit on deck, looking him through and through out of her half closed eyes till he began to feel as if he'd hav

man without

h good sound common sen

I said before, I'd

ied before long. They're simply bound to catch her; th

e that she should h

ok up his

t want to go to sleep in that chair, turn out and finish th

, and the match was once more getting under way, when the swing doors opened and an elderly man entered the room. He was dressed in white from top to toe, carried

you tell me where I can find a

n!" I said, risi

, "but if you could allow me the honour of five m

plea

re he stood, and signed h

to consult you is of a highly important and confidential na

I answered. "We shall be quit

excellently. L

nt with me. The man was so mysterious, and yet so palpably desirous of pleasing, that I wa

passers-by, the rattle of rickshaws, and the chafing of sampans alongside the wharf. I remember, too, that the moon was just rising over the mainland, and to show how unimportant things become en

I offer you some refreshment?

swered. "I think I will take

of the door. A s

ng two wh

said: "Do you smoke? I think

uriously through his nose. Presently the pegs were forthco

ng Kong, I believe, Dr. D

East generally," I answered. "I am out on a tour

cess in your profession, I believe.

an that from this time forward I began to look upon my compa

continued, "but how long do you c

almost fancy another six weeks will find

will your time be ver

think not. So far as I can tell a

ess. To put it bluntly, have you any o

ugh. "What man would have? Provided, of co

ble attention upon the treat

f two small-pox hospitals

siness, in which a thousand pounds is to be earn

me to take c

hat I am commissio

is the

not te

at's rather stra

with your permission I will

odd

small-pox on the following terms and conditions: The remuneration shall be one thousand pounds; the doctor shall give his word of honour not to divulge the business to any living soul; he

's a most extraord

t is a chance that few me

n undertaking it

rrange th

e to return f

back in the same

n must h

delay. Say twelve

early el

me, Dr. De Normanville, are

at to say. There is so

ely, that i

yet, supposing there were some treachery lurking behind it, that, in my innocence of the East, I could not fathom-what then? Moreover, the adventurous side of t

lf the money down before I start, as a gu

will even me

ocket-book. From this he took five one hundred p

have half

st beg your pardon for a

horoughly. You are not to divulge a detail of the

you my word

iged to you. Can you arrange to meet

ail. And now tell me something of the

of which quite fifty have proved fatal. Your position wil

e me, I will go out and endeavour to obtain

ed to. To prevent any suspicion arising from your asking for such a

. I will meet yo

e o'clock precisely. F

and umbrella, and disappeared down the stai