The Mandarin's Fan
"Miss Pewsey came to my house and was very friendly. She wanted me to
marry her, saying she was trying to get Miss Wharf to leave her the
money, that should have been left to you Mrs. Ainsleigh."
"Ah," said Olivia significantly, "so she _did_ work for that. Go on."
The letter went on as follows:--"I didn't like Miss Pewsey who was old
and ugly and evil--much worse than I ever was, in my worst days. But she
haunted my house and I got used to her. I used to smoke opium, and grew
very ill. In fact on more than one occasion I became delirious. Miss
Pewsey came and nursed me. She took advantage of my delirium to learn
the whole story of the fan, and learned also--don't be startled at this
Mrs. Ainsleigh--that through me Markham had lost his life."
"We know that from the Marquis," said Rodgers, "but I suspect Mr. Forge
wouldn't have spoken out had he not guessed the Marquis would tell the
whole yarn. Go on Mr. Ainsleigh."
"Miss Pewsey," went on the letter, "insisted that I should marry her, or
else she threatened to reveal the story to Rupert. I was unwilling that
this should be, as I thought--and very rightly--that I should get into
trouble."
"And he would have," Rupert, broke off grimly to explain, "I should have
shaken the life out of him. However, to continue," and he again began to
read this highly interesting letter. "I therefore agreed to marry her,
but always sought an opportunity of escape. During one of my insensible
fits after a bout of opium smoking, Miss Pewsey took the key from my
watch chain and opening the cabinet gained possession of the fan. I
denied this to Major Tidman at Miss Pewsey's behest, or else Miss Pewsey
would have denounced me."
"Not she," said Rodgers, chuckling, "she would have lost her husband had
she done so."
"She has lost him in any case," said Olivia, "but I can tell you what is
in the rest of the letter, as I see Rupert is tired of reading. Miss
Pewsey gave the fan to Clarence to give to me----"
"To win your favour," said Rupert.
"No. To bring about my death. Miss Pewsey thought if I was out of the
way, she would get Aunt Sophia to leave her the money."
"What a wicked woman," said Lo-Keong, "we have none such in China."
"Well," went on Olivia rapidly, "Miss Pewsey wrote to the Marquis saying
the fan was in England--"
"Here is the letter," said Rodgers nodding towards the epistle.
"Yes. How strange I should see it almost immediately after Dr. Forge
wrote," said Mrs. Ainsleigh innocently.
"Miss Pewsey laid her plans well," said Rupert, looking again at the
letter, "she intended to tell Hwei that Olivia had the fan so that she
should be killed. But Olivia refused the fan, and Miss Pewsey made
Clarence give it to Miss Wharf, so that the poor lady might be killed.
But Miss Pewsey delayed the death at the hands of Hwei by holding her
tongue, till a will was made in her favour. Chance favoured her, for she
got the will altered."
"By learning of our marriage when she played the spy," said Olivia.
"Quite so," said Ainsleigh, "she then read the advertisement and knew
that the two men, Hwei and Tung-yu, were in England. She wrote and told
them that Miss Wharf had the fan. The letter was sent shortly before the
ball, and after the new will was made. Tung-yu, therefore, came down to
the ball to get the fan. This was not what Miss Pewsey wanted, as she
desired Hwei to kill the woman."
"She knew about the god Kwang-ho, then?" asked Lo-Keong.
"I think so, but Forge isn't clear on that point. However, he declared
that he does not know who killed Miss Wharf, nor who has the fan. He was
told by Clarence, how he,--Burgh, had accused him to the Chinamen, and
then grew fearful. Also, he heard that the Marquis was in England, and
so he knew the whole story would come out. As he dreaded arrest, he
fled."
"But he could have prevented Burgh from speaking," said Olivia, "you
know, Rupert, how Mr. Burgh told you that Forge knew things about him."
"I daresay if the Marquis had not come to England, Forge would have
silenced Clarence and fought the matter out. But he knew that the truth
about my father's death would be told by the Marquis, and also dreaded,
lest he should be accused of Miss Wharf's murder. He says that Clarence
never gave him the tie as he says he did, and declares that he was in
the card-room all the evening."
"How does he end the letter?" asked Rodgers.
Rupert read the last words. "So I write you this, Mrs. Ainsleigh, to
show you that I am innocent of the death of your aunt. I see that the
game is up and that I'll never get the ten thousand from Lo-Keong. Also,
if I remain, I shall have to marry Miss Pewsey and cannot bear the idea.
When you get this I'll be far away on the sea on a voyage to a land I
need not particularise."
"Not China, I hope," said the Marquis, "if he comes there again, I shall
have to kill him. He deserves to be punished for having brought about
the death of my friend Markham Ainsleigh. What is to be done now,
gentlemen? We are no further on than before."
"We certainly don't know who had the fan," said Rodgers.
"Or who has the packet," put in Olivia.
"Tung-yu has it I am sure," said Lo-Keong.
"I don't agree with you, Marquis," said the detective. "Tung-yu and Hwei
certainly cleared back to Rotherhithe by that yacht, but if the fan had
been on board Hwei would have spotted it."
"Tung-yu is very cunning," said the Marquis doubtfully.
"Well," said Rupert, folding Forge's letter up, "I suggest that the
Marquis should offer a large reward for the fan with his own name
appended. Then whosoever has the packet will bring it. For of course,"
added Rupert shrewdly, "those who had the fan--if more than one--will
have the packet."
"Tung-yu--Tung-yu," said the Marquis shaking his head, "however, I will
try the advertisement, and appoint a place. I am willing to give a large
sum for the packet."
"And I am prepared to arrest the person who brings the packet as the
murderer of Miss Wharf," said Rodgers, "you leave the thing to me
Marquis."
"Come with me to London my friend," said Lo-Keong, "and we will write
the advertisement. I shall reward you largely, if you get this packet
back again."
"And what will you do, Rupert?" asked Olivia eagerly.
Her husband looked up. "I shall hunt for the packet on my own account."
"Good," said Lo-Keong in his stately manner, "we will see who is
fortunate enough to bring me the packet and earn," he looked at Rupert
impressively, "one hundred thousand pounds."
CHAPTER XXII
AFTER-EVENTS
Rodgers went to London with the Marquis Lo-Keong that very day, and
Rupert wanted to go also. But Olivia objected to this, she feared lest
her husband should be wounded again. "I don't wish to lose you darling,"
said Mrs. Ainsleigh coaxingly.
"But the money," said Rupert dubiously.
"You mean the hundred thousand pounds," said Olivia. "That will be paid
to you by the Marquis. It is rightfully your own."
"Humph! It seemed to me that Lo-Keong hinted he would pay the money to
whomsoever brought him the packet. In that case Rodgers--"
"Nonsense," said Olivia quickly, "I am quite sure that the Marquis means
well to both of us. No doubt he will reward Rodgers largely, should he
get the packet: but he will give you your father's money."
"All the same I should like to hunt for the packet on my own account,
Olivia," said Rupert obstinately.
"Let those hunt, to whom the packet is of value."
"But I don't believe that this advertisement will bring forth anything,"
argued Ainsleigh frowning "if Tung-yu has the packet, he certainly won't
pass it along to Lo-Keong. If Burgh stole it, he will be afraid lest
Hwei, who is in Lo-Keong's pay, should kill him. As to Tidman--"
"You thought he was guilty," said Olivia smiling.
"And I still have my doubts," rejoined her husband, "so I'll call at the
Bristol and have a talk."
This conversation took place the day after the Mandarin had departed and
Rupert was worrying about the exciting chase for the packet, which he
foresaw would take place. However, as Olivia insisted, he should not
risk his life again with Asiatics, he interested himself still in the
case by talking it over with Major Tidman. On arriving at the Bristol,
he was shown up at once to Tidman's room, and found the Major spick and
span as usual, but greatly excited.
"I was just coming up to see you," said the Major, "look here?" and he
handed Rupert the morning's copy of the _Daily Telegraph_.
Ainsleigh looked at the place indicated by the Major, and saw the
advertisement asking for the return of the fan, on delivery of which the
sum of five thousand would be paid. "I see that the Marquis has lost no
time," said Rupert throwing down the paper, "he and Rodgers must have
inserted the advertisement at once."
"Oh," said the Major staring, "so you know."
"Yes. Lo-Keong and Rogers were with me yesterday."
"Lo-Keong. Why that is the man who owns the fan?"
"Exactly. He is a Marquis, and high in the service of the Empress
Dowager of China. As to the fan--" Rupert rapidly detailed how it had
been found in the cloisters and related also the subsequent discovery,
that the box attached to the chain in the tree trunk, was empty. "And
the man who took the fan from Miss Wharf's dead body stole the packet,"
said Rupert, "so it is not likely he will risk arrest by coming forward
to give the papers to Lo-Keong."
Tidman sat down astounded at these revelations. "I wish I had been
present," said he, "I was always curious about the fan's secret. A very
ingenious device, Ainsleigh."
"Very," assented Rupert dryly: then he cast a side-long look on the
Major, and spoke to the point. "You had nothing to do with the stealing
of the fan I hope, Major."
"I," cried Tidman bouncing from his seat like an india rubber ball.
"Well you see," went on Rupert, "we met on the beach after eleven, but
it is just possible in spite of Forge's evidence, that Miss Wharf may
have been killed before then."
"And you believe that I killed her. Thank you Ainsleigh."
"My good friend," rejoined the young man calmly, "Lo-Keong believes that
Tung-yu broke his oath before the god, and strangled Miss Wharf. But I
disagree with him, as Tung-yu could have procured the fan by milder
means, the next day. Hwei could not have strangled the woman, as he was
haunting the Abbey grounds to see if the packet was still safe. Forge,
in a letter to my wife, insists that he never got the tie, and certainly
did not kill Miss Wharf, so--"
"So you have narrowed it down to me," cried Tidman in a burst of
indignation, "it's too bad of you, Ainsleigh. I am not a thin skinned
man by any means: but I do feel this very deeply. I swear," the Major
flung up his hand dramatically, "I swear that I never possessed the tie,
and I never killed Miss Wharf and I never took the fan and--"
"That's all right," interrupted Rupert, "if you did not take the tie,
you certainly could not have strangled the woman. After all, perhaps I
have been too hard on you, Major."
"Ah," said Tidman angrily, "you are prepared to take my word for it now,
unsupported by other evidence. Your accusation can't be made seriously,
Ainsleigh."
"Well upon my soul," said Rupert passing his hand through his hair, "I
really don't know what to think or say. This case seems to grow more
mystical at every step. I admit that, as you deceived me at the time, we
discussed the advertisement--"
"You think I deceived you again. Well I did not. That was my one and
only deception. I wanted the fan in order to procure money I admit: but
the danger of being killed by Hwei instead of being rewarded by Tung-yu
was too great. I dropped the matter."
"Then who do you think is guilty?"
"Clarence Burgh. Oh I am sure of it. He admits that Miss Pewsey told him