mg.greeneyes-第14部分

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　　These　thoughts　were　amazing；　but　more　startling　was　the　knowledge　that　the　strange　shadow　that　had　crossed　his　path　was　real　and　not　imaginary。
　　Cleve　Branch　had　seen　The　Shadow…seen；　him　and　met　him　as　a　living　man！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　VIII　
　　　DARLEY　OFFERS　ADVICE　
　　CLEVE　BRANCH　glanced　at　his　watch。　It　was　five　in　the　afternoon。　One　could　not　gauge　time　without　a　watch；　here　in　Moy　Chen's　upper　office；　for　the　little　room　was　windowless。　Cleve　Branch　was　himself　now。　The　disguise　of　Hugo　Barnes　had　been　discarded。
　　Moy　Chen　smiled　placidly　as　he　saw　Cleve　rubbing　his　shoulder。　The　wound　had　been　a　nasty　one；　but　Moy　Chen　had　shown　himself　equal　to　the　task　of　mending　it。
　　Cleve　had　been　living　here　since　that　eventful　night　at　the　Sun　Kew；　and　now　he　was　ready　to　sally　forth　in　his　normal　guise。
　　〃I　shall　be　back；　Moy　Chen；〃　he　said；　as　he　arose　from　his　chair。　〃I　intend　to　visit　Ling　Soo；　when　the　Wu…Fan　holds　its　next　meeting。〃
　　〃Visit　Ling　Soo；〃　said　Moy　Chen　quietly。　〃But　do　not　go　to　that　place　where　you　did　go…to　the　Sun　Kew。〃
　　〃No；　thanks；〃　grinned　Cleve。
　　Moy　Chen　had　explained　that　the　Sun　Kew　was　a　gathering　place　for　members　of　the　Tiger　Tong…a　secret　society　that　had　often　wreaked　havoc　in　Chinatown。
　　For　some　years；　now；　the　Tiger　Tong　had　been　quiet；　but　its　members　did　not　relish　intrusion　by　Americans；　at　any　time。　That；　to　Moy　Chen；　was　the　probable　explanation　of　the　trouble　Cleve　had　encountered。
　　Cleve　had　mentioned　that　he　had　shown　the　badge　of　the　Wu…Fan。　That；　Moy　Chen　presumed；　had　caused　the　Chinese　ruffians　to　class　him　as　an　impostor。
　　Moy　Chen；　Cleve　had　discovered；　played　a　very　passive　part　in　the　affairs　of　Chinatown；　and　seldom　paid　attention　to　the　business　of　his　neighbors。　As　an　undercover　man；　it　was　wise　for　the　Chinese　merchant　to　avoid　all　conflicts。
　　Since　Cleve　had　signified　his　readiness　to　depart；　Moy　Chen　guided　him。
　　They　went　into　the　passage；　and　at　the　end；　Cleve　found　the　open　door　that　took　him　to　the　head　of　the　obscure　stairway。　He　did　not　enter　the　Hoang…Ho　Cafe。
　　Instead；　he　made　his　way　to　the　side　street。
　　While　recovering　from　his　wound　Cleve　had　lost　all　contact　with　outside　affairs。　He　had　resumed　his　normal　personality　for　the　definite　purpose　of　visiting　Joseph　Darley。　He　knew　that　the　chairman　of　the　Civilian　mittee　was　constantly　feeling　the　pulse…beats　of　Chinatown；　and　through　Darley；　Cleve　might　learn　new　facts　now。
　　
　　
　　HE　arrived　at　Darley's　apartment　shortly　before　six　o'clock。　Cleve　found　Darley　at　home。　The　mitteeman　weled　him。
　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　Darley。　〃I've　been　looking　for　you。　Tried　to　municate　with　you　before　I　went　to　Los　Angeles。　Where　have　you　been？〃
　　〃In　and　out　of　Chinatown；〃　replied　Cleve；　with　a　smile。　〃Browsing　about　the　district。〃
　　〃I'm　going　there　tonight；〃　said　Darley。　〃Why　don't　you　e　along？　We'll
　　have　dinner　at　the　St。　Thomas　Hotel；　then　we　can　head　for　Chinatown。　We'll　see　a　show　at　the　Mukden　Theater。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　agreed　Cleve。
　　This　was　convenient。　As　Cleve　Branch；　the　government　agent　could　visit　the　Chinese　district　with　Joseph　Darley。　As　Hugo　Barnes；　he　could　go　alone　and　attend　the　meetings　of　the　Wu…Fan。　So　the　invitation　for　tonight　was　a　good　one　to　accept。
　　〃You　have　been　out　of　town？〃　inquired　Cleve。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Darley。　〃I　just　arrived　home　this　afternoon。　I　called　you　at　your　hotel。　I　wanted　you　to　go　with　me…if　you　had　been　able　to　spare　the　time。　I　had　a　most　enjoyable　trip；　down　to　Los　Angeles　by　air；　back　by　private　yacht。〃
　　〃An　enjoyable　trip？〃
　　〃Wonderful！　Leo　Frane；　the　movie　magnate；　is　the　owner　of　the　yacht。　He　is　East　at　present；　and　he　ordered　it　up　here　to　Frisco　to　meet　him　on　his　return。
　　We　had　delightful　weather　from　the　time　we　left　San　Pedro。〃
　　〃Frane　is　a　friend　of　yours？〃
　　〃Yes。　I　have　cruised　with　him　occasionally。　He　knew　that　I　was　ing　to　Los　Angeles；　so　he　had　the　yacht　held　there　until　I　arrived。　I　may　go　back　to　Los　Angeles　with　him　when　he　es　West…and　if　you　have　business　in　Southern　California；　I　know　that　you　would　be　a　wele　passenger。〃
　　They　left　the　apartment　for　the　hotel。　Darley　found　a　secluded　table　in　the　corner；　and　ordered　a　sumptuous　repast　for　himself　and　his　guest。
　　To　Cleve；　after　his　recent　adventures；　the　luxurious　hotel　seemed　a　strange　contrast　to　Chinatown。
　　Within　walking　distance　of　this　fine　hostelry；　where　wealthy　guests　appeared　in　evening　dress；　lay　the　region　cut　by　bizarre　streets；　where　the　intrigue　of　the　Orient　lay　deep。　It　seemed　incredible　that　these　two　contrasting　districts　did　not　overlap。
　　Chinatown；　true　enough；　had　adopted　the　mechanical　inventions　of　America。
　　Had　social　San　Francisco；　in　turn；　succumbed　at　all　to　the　intrigue　of　the　Chinese　quarter？
　　As　Cleve's　thoughts　dwelt　on　Chinatown；　Joseph　Darley's　conversation　turned　to　that　very　subject。　Leaning　across　the　table；　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice。
　　〃I　had　almost　forgotten　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　had　information　for　you…that　time　I　phoned　to　your　hotel。　Something　that　I　had　learned　shortly　after　I　gave　you　my　report　on　the　Wu…Fan。〃
　　〃Which　was…〃
　　〃That　the　Wu…Fan　has　encountered　the　open　enmity　of　the　Tiger　Tong…an　organization　that　has　caused　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　the　past。　It　is　rumored　that　the　Tiger　Tong　has　been　active　against　members　of　the　Wu…Fan。〃
　　Darley's　statement　was　intensely　interesting。　It　explained　something　that　Cleve　had　found　perplexing。　He　realized　now　why　the　displaying　of　the　Wu…Fan　emblem　at　the　Sun　Kew　had　brought　on　the　sudden　attack。
　　But　the　Bureau　of　Investigation　agent　carefully　refrained　from　giving　indication　of　his　extreme　interest。　He　had　his　own　plans　to　follow。
　　
　　
　　THERE　were　matters　which　Darley　should　know　and　matters　which　he　need　not　know。　Facts　about　Moy　Chen　belonged　in　the　latter　class。　So　far　as　any　one　except　Moy　Chen　was　concerned；　the　connection　between　Cleve　Branch　and　Hugo　Barnes　must　remain　unknown。
　　〃That　was　all　I　had　to　tell　you　before　I　left；〃　continued　Darley。　〃Today；　at　the　office；　I　found　another　report　on　the　Wu…Fan　and　the　Tiger　Tong。　With　it　was　a　letter　from　Ling　Soo。〃
　　〃What　did　he　have　to　say？〃
　　〃I　only　glanced　over　the　papers。　Tomorrow　I　can　let　you　see　them。　I　think；　however；　that　I　can　give　you　the　general　facts；　right　now；　from　memory。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　hear　them。〃
　　〃It　appears；〃　said　Darley；　〃that　the　Tiger　Tong　made　it　known　in　no　uncertain　terms　that　it　did　not　like　the　Wu…Fan。　So　Ling　Soo　sent　a　delegate　to　talk　with　a　leader　of　the　Tiger　Tong；　who　makes　his　headquarters　at　a　dive　called　the　Sun　Kew。〃
　　This　was　illuminating！　The　delegate　must　have　been　the　man　who　said　he　would　not　go　again！
　　〃The　delegate；〃　continued　Darley；　〃encountered　some　sort　of　trouble。　So　Ling　Soo　ordered　three　men　to　go　there　instead。〃
　　〃They　waited　until　late　at　night；　because　the　riff…raff　of　the　Tiger　Tong　are　usually　around　the　Sun　Kew　in　the　evening。　When　the　delegates　arrived　there；　they　found　the　police　in　possession。　There　had　been　a　riot　at　the　Sun　Kew。〃
　　〃What　caused　it？〃　asked　Cleve。
　　〃The　police　could　not　find　out；〃　declared　Darley。　〃But　it　was　in　reference　to　that　riot　that　Ling　Soo　wrote　to　me。　He　believes　that　the　Tiger　Tong　lured　a　few　members　of　the　Wu…Fan　to　the　place　and　attacked　them。
　　〃Whether　or　not　Ling　Soo's　followers　rendered　a　good　accounting　and　escaped；　is　a　matter　of　speculation。　It　seems　evident；　however；　that　the　disturbance　was　made　by　the　members　of　the　Tiger　Tong　themselves。〃
　　〃It　happened　in　their　bailiwick；〃　agreed　Cleve。
　　〃Yes；〃　resumed　Darley；　〃and　it　would　be　extremely　unlikely　that　Ling　Soo　would　have　ordered　an　attack　at　that　place。　The　Wu…Fan　is　not　admired　by　the　other　tongs。　If　the　Wu…Fan　should　start　trouble　with　the　Tiger　Tong；　it　would　place　itself　in　a　very　dangerous　position。〃
　　〃This　may　be　important；〃　said　Cleve。
　　〃It　is　important；〃　declared　Darley。　〃Important　to　you　as　well　as　to　me。〃
　　〃Why　to　me；　particularly？〃
　　〃Because　it　proves　that　any　member　of　the　Wu…Fan　is　in　danger。　It　settles…in　my　mind…the　question　of　Stephen　Laird's　death　on　the　Mountain　Limited。〃
　　〃Y