mg.greeneyes-第14章
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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
