The Mandarin's Fan
"The half bead--that is the stump, and see, one of the beads is of
jasper, that might be the copper beech."
"By jove," Rupert jumped up, "I believe you are right."
"I am sure I am, and in the tree drawn at the side of the picture which
you did not observe, there was a white line down the trunk."
"Well," said Rupert pondering, "perhaps whatever is hidden is tied to a
string or a chain and is dropped down the trunk of one of the four
trees--or perhaps in the stump."
"Not in the stump," said Olivia quickly, "for then the line would be
visible, while in the other trees it would be concealed in the thick
foliage. I fancy the line must be down the copper beech trunk, as there
is but one red bead."
"There is but one tree though--one copper beech you know," said her
husband. "I am inclined to think that to make things safer, the hiding
place must be in one of the green trees signified by the jade beads. The
question is, which tree is it?"
Olivia looked at the fan again, and as she did so started. Rupert also
raised his head. They heard the sound of wheels scrunching the gravel
outside, and wondered who was arriving so late. The clock pointed to
half-past ten. The servants had gone to bed, so Rupert followed by his
wife, who was rather nervous, went to the door. When Rupert opened it he
found himself facing a tall handsome man in a fur cloak, and wearing a
strange hat.
"Good evening," said the stranger in the best of English, "I speak to
Mr. Ainsleigh I think, I am the Marquis Lo-Keong."
CHAPTER XX
THE MANDARIN EXPLAINS
"I must apologise for this very late visit," said Lo-Keong, when he was
conducted to the drawing-room by his surprised host, "but I must
explain--"
"Not now, Marquis," replied Ainsleigh, giving his visitor the rank which
he claimed, "you must be weary and hungry."
"No. I am perfectly well, and enjoyed a meal before I left London. If
you will give my servants orders to take up my luggage, and will then
hear what I have to say, you will do everything I desire."
Rupert went again to the hall to tell the two Chinese servants, which
Lo-Keong had brought with him, to take the trunks up to the bed-room
which the Marquis would occupy. Then he went to the back and made Mr.
and Mrs. Petley rise. Both were disturbed when they heard that a Chinese
grandee was in the house. "I do hope he won't bring trouble with him,"
said Mrs. Petley to her husband. "I never could abear them things, since
I saw that creature who brought home the old master's baggage. And,
Missus, as is dead, couldn't bear him either."
"He was a cock-eyed man," said old John reflectively.
"Cock-eyed yourself," retorted the housekeeper who had a better memory,
"he was one-eyed, and a nice ugly thing he looked. Ah well, as I always
says, Abbot Raoul don't walk for nothing, and this Chiner gentleman
coming here, means trouble."
Old John who was much the same way of thinking himself, grew annoyed by
his wife's pessimism and told her to hurry up and come to the kitchen.
Then he went to see after the bed-room which his master had selected for
the untoward guest. Mrs. Petley came down to find her kitchen in the
possession of two grave silent Chinamen who had lighted the fire and
were boiling water for tea. "Well, I'm sure," said Mrs. Petley surveying
both with distaste, "the idear of these furreiners taking
liberties," and she sniffed at the Far East.
Meanwhile, Rupert returned to the drawing-room and found the Marquis
paying attentions to his wife. Lo-Keong was a tall, fine-looking man,
grave and extremely polite. He had admirable manners, and his clothes
were of the finest. Olivia in her rich dinner dress, felt quite plainly
dressed beside this gorgeous gentleman, who wore a jacket of rose-pink,
a coat of grass green satin, pale blue silk trousers, and thick-soled
white green shoes. He also had a glossy pig-tail woven with silk, and
carried a small fan--at which Olivia shuddered. Seated in a deep
arm-chair, he looked a potentate, quite out of place in that sober
English drawing-room. The Marquis was very affable, and deferential to
Mrs. Ainsleigh, who quite overcame her dislike to Celestials after a few
moments converse with this splendid specimen of the aristocracy of
Cathay.
"You are quite sure you won't have some refreshment?" she asked.
Lo-Keong waved his slim hand graciously. "I thank you, no," said he,
"and if you will allow me to explain myself, you can then retire. I am
ashamed of having called at this hour. But," he looked at Rupert first
and at Olivia afterwards, "my excuse is a good one. I have seen
Hwei--whom you know."
Ainsleigh shuddered. "Yes, and I don't retain any very pleasant
recollections of that gentleman," said he.
Lo-Keong laughed quietly, "Hwei is a true devotee of the god Kwang-ho."
"I don't understand about that god," said Olivia.
"I have come to explain," said the Chinaman, "it is a great pity I did
not come before. You would then have had no trouble about this," and he
took up the famous fan which Olivia had tossed on the sofa.
"Oh," the young couple looked at one another, and if they did not say
"oh," the expression of "oh"--an amazed "oh" was on their faces.
Lo-Keong seemed to have his eyes everywhere, and took up the fan as if
it was the most natural thing it should be lying there. "You
understand," he went on in his calm well-bred voice. "I have seen Hwei
and he told me everything."
"About the murder?"
"About the murder, Mrs. Ainsleigh, and about the hunt for the assassin;
also about your husband's visit to London, and full details concerning
the folly of Tung-yu--my enemy's servant, who related how the picture on
this," he laid a long yellow finger on the fan, "could be brought to
light," his eyes wandered to the fragment of the joss-stick within the
fender. "I observe that you have been clever enough to see the picture."
"Yes," said Rupert, quite amazed at this penetration, "but how do you
know that?"
"Very easily. Hwei told me that he came to the cloisters one night to
see that all was well----"
"He knew of the hiding place then?" asked Olivia, eagerly.
"Certainly. I have always trusted Hwei, but Tung-yu did not know, and
hence his desire to procure the fan. Hwei was here on the night poor
Miss Wharf was killed, and dropped the joss-stick. You have been clever
enough to make use of it. Well, now you both know where the packet is?"
"The packet?"
"Of papers which mean my life--papers connected with the Boxers, which
the Mandarin Hop Sing would give much to possess."
"We know that the packet is hidden in a tree," said Rupert, "but which
tree we cannot guess."
"Ah," Lo-Keong slipped the beads through his fingers, "here is a piece
of jade with a gold band round it."
"The third bead----"
"Consequently the third tree. We will look for the packet, as soon as I
explain myself. The packet must be safe, as you have the fan, and I
know, Mr. Ainsleigh, you are my friend, as I was the friend of your
father before you."
"What," Rupert threw back his head. "I understood from Dr. Forge, that
you were my enemy."
Lo-Keong frowned. "Ah! he goes as far as that," said he, then paused a
moment. "I will explain."
Olivia would have interrupted, but he threw out a long arm in an
imperious manner, and began his story without further preamble, playing
with the fan all the time.
"My name," said the Marquis, "is Lo-Keong, and I am a native of the
province of Kan-su----"
"Where the mine is," murmured Rupert.
"Exactly, Mr. Ainsleigh. My native town is on the Hwei River, and not
far from the mine your father bought----"
"Along with Dr. Forge."
"Pardon me, sir, but Dr. Forge did not buy it. He was merely a servant
of your father's. The mine was owned by your father alone. I conducted
the negotiations on behalf of the owner of the land."
"But Forge says----"
"I can guess." Lo-Keong waved his hand coldly. "He blackens my name to
you, and lies about the mine. Always bad--always foul, always a
liar--that man must be killed. I have spared him too long."
Olivia shuddered. "No Marquis," said she, "I beg that there may be no
more murders."
"Not in England, but when this Forge comes again to China," here the
Marquis smiled in a cruel way, but made no further remark. The young
people shuddered. He smiled benignly on them, and went on with his story
in a calm level voice.
"My respected parent was a merchant," said he calmly, "and he gave me a
fine education, of which, as you know, we think greatly in the Middle
Kingdom. I secured the Hanlin degree, which is very high, and so became
greater than my friend Hop Sing, who failed. That success made Hop Sing
my enemy. I returned home, and Hop Sing made trouble. It is not
necessary to explain how," added the Marquis with another wave of his
hand. "But the trouble resulted in my leaving my parental roof, and
becoming a soldier with the Boxers who then conspired against the
Empress Dowager. But before I left my native town, I acted as the middle
man between a respected resident and Mr. Markham Ainsleigh who desired
to lease a gold mine on the Hwei River. I left him in full possession of
the rights to work the mine, and Dr. Forge assisted him."
"Not as a partner?" asked Rupert breathlessly.
"By no means, Mr. Ainsleigh. Forge was a good doctor, but he knew
nothing about mining. He doctored the coolies, and attended to minor
matters. Your father looked after the mine personally. I understand he
learned how to do so in California."
"Yes--He was there before I was born, but--"
"Permit me to continue, Mr. Ainsleigh. Well then, I left your father in
possession of the mine, and joined the Boxers. I rose to be a leader,
and afterwards returned to see my parents. At that time the
rebellion--for that it was--proved unfortunate, so it was necessary that
I should conceal myself, I took service with your father as a foreman of
the mine, and I can safely say," said Lo-Keong with a certain show of
emotion, "that your father saved my life. I consider myself indebted to
him, and now I am indebted to his son."
"It is very good of you," said Rupert. "I need a friend."
"You have one in me," said the Marquis courteously. "But to proceed, as
the night grows darker. I was your father's friend, Hop Sing was his
enemy, and Forge sided with Hop Sing."
"But why did he do that?" asked Ainsleigh impetuously. "Forge was at
college with my father--they were great friends--"
"So Mr. Markham Ainsleigh thought. But Dr. Forge was greedy and wished
to have the mine to himself. Hop Sing, who had some influence at the
Imperial Court, promised to help Dr. Forge to get rid of your father and
secure the mine provided I was ruined."
"And Forge acted this base part."
"He did," said the Mandarin quietly. "I may tell you Mr. Ainsleigh that
I was completely in your father's confidence. He made a great deal of
money out of the mine, and I arranged for it to be turned into safe
investments through a third person whose name need not be mentioned. A
large sum was placed out at interest and all these many years the
interest has been accumulating. You will receive a handsome sum I assure
you, Mr. Ainsleigh."
"But," broke in Olivia perplexed. "Dr. Forge told my husband that the
whole amount was eighteen thousand, of which ten thousand belonged to
him and eight thousand to Rupert."
"Dr. Forge places the money obtained from the mine at a low figure,"
said the Chinaman smiling, "what the amount is, I shall tell you later.
Meanwhile I must explain the intrigue which led to your father's
murder----"
"Ah," Rupert leaped to his feet, "then he _was_ murdered."
"He was--by the emissary of Hop Sing. Be calm, Mr. Ainsleigh, and be
seated. Your father died quietly enough by strangulation----"