The Devil's Admiral

the awnings pulled down to keep out the heat of the blinding sun, making it quite dark. But I was bound to capture th

d in front of me, and we went sprawling into the corridor below. It was a nasty spill, and I shot out on the matting

sitting on a crumpled mat and propped up with his arms behind him, while his pith helm

my pursuit of the redheaded man were significant of more than an accident, and that Meeker and the other were spyi

t certain that I have sp

njured m

ting to my feet. "For my part, I am sat

g at me, his goggles bobbing on a rubber string made fast to a

imentary to him and his soul. Brushing my soiled ducks, I started to move

have some information which I desire to impart, and, strangely enough, I was seeking you when this unfortunate tumble

ar had undoubtedly escaped, and I knew that in Mee

ifficulty and holding his back with one

njury and decrepit bearing

ding the Kut Sang" he cackled,

talk. I am sorry for what has happened here, but I trust that you are not incapacitated. Anyway,

eyeing me craftily. "I was seeking you to tell you when

e sailing has been delayed. I know all

d, pretending surprise, but being p

s he or some one acting for him who had attempted to mislead me about th

at you wante

his pockets for something, a trick to g

I did, he wanted to take credit for setting me right; and if I didn't, he wanted me to miss the Kut Sang. So, knowing his game, I came to the conclusio

mistake," I told him, as if I had not found anything pecu

I heard you say she was delayed. That is just what I was going to tell you-there is no truth in that report. Some person, who I cannot say, also gave me misinformation regarding the

passengers, and I hope you will pardon my throwing you dow

ou see him so that you can give a compreh

atching him closely. "Did you see hi

le of laughter, and slapped his knees

fin with me, Mr. Trenholm,

an opportunity to study him, especially at his own suggestion, and I made up my mind that before the lunch was over I would have solved the mystery of who or what the

red-headed man?" I ask

of mental conflict between us, and knew that I would have to guard agai

ope he did not actually steal anything, my dear Mr. Trenholm. I am quite sure you mu

ear my door in the hall

o R

justice, for I sent him up to see if you were in your room, and after I had give

s to talk with me when h

bly startl

who i

ent to Bilibid Prison. Much of my work is in prisons, and I took charge of him when he got out and sent him to the Sailors' Home, sure that he would be able to get a ship again. Th

d to some errands for me, but he fears the police and cannot get out of his habit of skulking about, and, as the detectives have hounded him, he is suspicious of everybody, and ready to go

soup, and I let him run on. As he talked his eyes were roaming over the room, and he scanned every

ept close watch upon me. Neither had he explained away the fact that he had told me I could not buy a ticket in the Kut Sang, which I did; nor the fact that he had his own ticket when he told

. It occurred to me that Meeker was the author of the false message, and that he was really on his way to visit me to learn if I had discovered the falsity of it when he met me rushing down the stairs. But he had sent Petr

been able to stop and report what he had heard, so Meeker fished for the information from me, ready to co

ng in the Kut Sang, determined to make friends with me and disarm whatever suspicions I might have regarding him. It seemed a tenable theory,

ad done their best to keep me from sailing in the Kut Sang. That it was the Rev. Luther Meeker there could be little doubt, but the mystery lay in what his m

atters, and we were well into the curried lamb and getting along famously when he asked a quest

but I saw in an instant that he had been paving the

ked, although I kne

it of surprise that I did not know the letter he r

ck. "Perhaps it was my fault, my dear sir, in speaking to you when I picked it up, and I certainly wan

e talking about," I said lightly, and prof

the sentence at me, although his voice was low and h

e an idea that I was rather gruff at the time, and not at all inclined to appreciate the service

tion it, I assure you. I tr

ker's attentions to me! And, instead of being a newspaper correspondent, to Meeker I was a Rus

anely. "It was only an errand for a

chalance regarding the letter, for, as I cut off what I was saying, he held his fork poised over

roat, and mentally cursing my stupidity in telling my friend's private busines

u leave it?"

no qualms of conscience about telling him a falsehood. I did not regard it as any of his affair where I had del

eing a sign over the teller's window, which stated that the bank was a branch of a Russian financial house. What could be more natural

me for the Japanese, and it was probable that the cable-agent in Saigon was in the servi

bankers, were watching every ship and every stranger. So it was not strange that I, coming from French Indo-China, with a dispatch

ardly be playing fair with my friend in Saigon. If he knew the truth he might abandon his trip to Hong-Kong in the Kut Sang, and I would be ri

as leaving in a few hours, I anticipated but little more trouble from him or the redheaded man. Besides, I saw an op

f, Mr. Trenholm-an exhaustive life of the saints, a shilling in paper covers, four shillings in cloth, with gilt t

severe standards, but I am told they are regarded as marvels of piety and sweetness. I ma

l the schemes I intended to put into play to convince him I was rea

and made out that I was dreadfully upset

ised the Russians as brave and pious. When I expressed satisfaction at his views in order to prove my

self agreeable, and after the meal I escaped from him on the ple

Calle Rosario, where the Chinese merchants keep themselves in grateful shade with miles of

member on account of the picture of a frigate painted up

LAGSH

. I joined the knot of people and pressed forward to see what was holding their attention, and saw the b

blacker for the ghastly pallor of his cheeks. He had been stabbed in the back, and the spect

" demanded a khaki-clad polic

n, who leaned out of the door. "Drank whiske

a man with the appe

p a watch-cap, and held it so we could see letters wrought in it with gi

Sang, bound out to-day for

Hong-Kong for him

the policeman. "Didn't y

umb? You, there in the

en somebody slipped a knife in him. I was at the other end of the bar-never saw a thing

the murderer to be pointed out to us; but the boy meant that he had seen the man running a

it was," volunt

k up-nobody here going to bite you, my ma

you mean, officer. I didn't see no knife-play,

with a show of asperity. "Never mind w

navy-cap, and 'air red a

nna