The Mandarin's Fan
on his amazed face.
"So you are safe," said Miss Pewsey with difficulty, "didn't Tung-yu
kill you."
"I have just arrived," said Rupert, "your nephew has gone out followed
by Tung-yu."
"I hope he'll catch him," muttered Miss Pewsey, "Tung-yu stabbed me.
Clarence snatched the papers and ran away leaving me here to die."
"How did you get the papers?" asked Rupert startled.
"I got them from Clarence--he asked me to come up here, and--oh," she
fell back insensible. Rupert thought she was dead and forgetting where
he was, cried loudly for assistance. He heard footsteps approaching and
Lo-Keong in sober attired entered. The stately Chinaman was roused out
of his usual self. He appeared disturbed and his face was distorted.
"Rodgers and his men are chasing Tung-yu," said Lo-Keong grasping
Rupert's arm, "go after them. Tung-yu has the papers."
"But Miss Pewsey."
Lo-Keong started back. "That woman," he cried, as startled as Rupert had
been, "pooh, let her die. She deserves her fate. She has been the cause
of the trouble. Go--go, Mr. Ainsleigh--go after Tung-yu."
"But Miss Pewsey!" repeated Rupert, seeing the woman open her eyes, and
recognising that life yet remained.
"I'll see to her. I'll get a doctor." Lo-Keong struck the gong near the
door. "But get me those papers. All my life depends upon them.
Remember--one hundred thousand pounds--go--go. It may be too late. Don't
allow Tung-yu to escape."
Rupert was quite bewildered as the Chinaman pushed him out of the door.
Then, recognising that he could do nothing to help Miss Pewsey, and that
Lo-Keong, for his own sake would do all he could to keep her alive, so
that he might learn how the packet came into her possession, Rupert ran
out of the house, and found the street filled with screaming Chinamen
and chattering Europeans. Some policemen were coming down the alley from
the main thoroughfare, and everyone appeared to be alarmed. The ragged
mob rushed into various doors, at the sight of the officers, but the
Chinamen still continued to cackle and scream. Suddenly Rupert heard a
revolver shot, and wondered if the Major had got into trouble.
Remembering that Burgh, with Tung-yu in pursuit, had gone down the alley
towards the water, he raced in the same direction, and at once, two
policemen, seeing him go, followed. There was no time to undeceive them,
so Rupert ran on, eager to come up with Burgh. He had the papers,
according to Miss Pewsey, and in spite of Lo-Keong's statement,
Ainsleigh suspected that Miss Pewsey was right. Else Tung-yu would not
be in pursuit of the buccaneer. As Rupert tore down the moonlit alley,
he heard the high clear voice of the Mandarin calling on the police to
stop. Then the tumult recommenced.
It mattered little to Ainsleigh. As he raced blindly on, he felt a
thrill of joy in his veins. It seemed to him that he had never lived
before, and that this man-hunt was the climax of life. At the end of the
Alley he came on a dilapidated wharf, which ran out into the turbid
water, and saw a stout figure dancing on this. At once he hurried down
to find Major Tidman, who recognised him at once.
"There was a boat waiting," gasped the Major seizing Rupert's arm.
"Burgh jumped into it and pushed off. Tung-yu came after, and as the
boat was already in mid-stream he plunged into the water."
"Where is Hwei?"
"Rodgers and his men are after him. I fired a shot, and I believe, I hit
Tung-yu, as he was swimming. Who has the papers?"
"Burgh. Keep a look out for him. I'll run along the bank," and before
the Major could expostulate, Ainsleigh dashed up the wharf and ran along
the bank of the river.
He did this because his quick eye had seen a black head bobbing in the
water below the wharf. The swimmer was evidently making for the near
shore. Rupert did not know if it was Tung-yu or Hwei, but hurried at top
speed along the bank, in the hope of catching the man when he came
ashore. He sped along a kind of narrow way, for here the old houses of
Rotherhithe came down, almost to the water's edge. There were lights in
some of the windows, but for the most part, these were in darkness. To
Rupert's left, loomed the house, and on his right was the river bank,
shelving down to the glittering water. A few piles ran out into the
stream, and as the river was low, there were acres of evil-smelling mud.
The man was making for the bank and battling hard against the stream,
which was sweeping him down. Rupert shouted, and seeing him on the bank,
the swimmer seemed to stop, apparently dreading the reception he would
get.
Finally he resumed his stroke, and made for a wharf, some distance down.
Ainsleigh ran for this, but was stopped by a wooden fence. He managed to
climb over, and raced on to the wharf; but the swimmer was nowhere to be
seen.
Suddenly, Rupert caught sight of a figure crawling up the bank a little
distance below, and again ran up the wharf to the pathway. The man who
had landed caught sight of him, and leaping on to the hard path, ran
along the river bank, but in a swaying manner, as though his powers of
endurance were exhausted. Considering how hard he had battled with the
current, probably the man's strength had given out and Rupert, feeling
fresh and fit, thought he would have no difficulty in catching up. But
the man ran hard, and then dropped out of sight below the bank.
Apparently he had taken to the river again. Rupert raced down so
quickly, as to overshoot the mark, where the man had slipped down. While
looking round, he caught sight of him again. He ran up the bank and
dodged into a narrow side street. Rupert was after him in a moment. The
man had vanished round a corner--so Ainsleigh thought--but when Rupert
came after, he saw the street in the moonlight was perfectly empty, and
turned back. The fugitive had tricked him, by dodging into a dark
corner, and was again on the bank. He leaped on the wharf, and scrambled
down the piles to a boat which swung at the end of a long rope. While he
hauled this in painfully, and pantingly, Rupert leaped on him. The man
looked up with an oath, and closed with his pursuer. It was Burgh.
"The papers--the papers," gasped Rupert, "you give them up."
"I'll kill you first," said Burgh setting his teeth, and, exhausted as
he was, he struggled with preternatural strength. The two men swung and
swayed on the edge of the wharf, till Burgh tripped up his opponent and
both fell into the water. Rupert still held his grip, and felt the body
of Burgh grow heavy. He rose to the surface, dragging at the buccaneer,
and, as the two had fallen into shallow water, Rupert staggered on to
the evil-smelling mud. He was obliged to let go Burgh, who, apparently,
had been playing possum, for he rose to his feet and made a feeble
attempt to climb the bank. Seeing this, Rupert, who was almost exhausted
himself with the long pursuit and the cold douche, struck out, and
Burgh, with a cry of rage fell flat into the mud. The next moment Rupert
was kneeling on his chest. "The papers, you scoundrel," he said between
his teeth.
"Haven't got them. Tung-yu----"
"You lie. Give me those papers, or I'll tear your clothes off to find
them."
Burgh tried to utter a taunting laugh, but the effort was too much for
his strength. He stopped suddenly, and with a sob closed his eyes. The
body became inert, and as Rupert could see no wound, he concluded that
the buccaneer had fainted. At once he removed his knee, and began his
search. He went deliberately through the pockets of the insensible man,
and finally came across a packet bound in red brocade. It was in Burgh's
breast, next to the skin. Rupert, with this in his hand, rose with a
gasp of relief. He had the papers after all, and now, could hope to get
the money from the Mandarin. He slipped the important packet into his
pocket, and then producing a flask of brandy, he forced a few drops
between the clenched teeth of his antagonist. He did not wish the man to
die, and moreover, he was desirous of questioning him. In a few moments
Burgh opened his eyes. "You," he said, as soon as he recovered his
scattered senses, and he made an effort to rise.
"No you don't," said Rupert pushing him back, "you'll try and reach for
your revolver."
"Go slow," muttered Burgh, lying on his back in the mud. "I give in,
Ainsleigh. You've won."
"I've got the papers, if that's what you mean. They shall be given to
Lo-Keong."
"And you'll get the five thousand."
"I'll get one hundred thousand," said Rupert, keeping a watchful eye on
his late opponent.
"Huh," said Burgh with a groan, "what luck. And all I have got, is a
ducking. Let me up and give me some more brandy. Remember, I saved your
life from Forge, Ainsleigh."
"Quite so, and you tried to kill me just now," said Rupert dryly. "I
think we are quits. However, here's the brandy, and you can sit up. No
treachery mind, or I'll shoot you," and Rupert pulled out his Derringer.
The buccaneer gave a grunt and sat up with an effort. "I'm not up to a
row," he gasped. "There's no fight left in me. Great Scott, to think I
was so near success. I'll be poor for the rest of my life, I guess."
"You'll be hanged for the murder of Miss Wharf, you mean."
Burgh took a deep draught of the brandy, which put new life into his
veins. He actually grinned when he took the flask from his lips. "I
reckon that's not my end," said he. "I never killed the old girl. No
sir--not such a flat."
"Then who did kill her?"
"Find out," was the ungracious response.
"See here, Burgh," said Rupert, swinging himself on to a pile of the
wharf. "I mean to get to the bottom of this business, once and for all.
The papers shall be given to the Marquis and then, I hope, we shall hear
the last of this fan business. But I must know who killed--"
"There--there," said Burgh with a shrug, and after another drink, "I
cave in: you've got the bulge on me. But I guess, if you want to keep
those papers, you'd best clear out, Tung-yu will be along soon looking
for them. I leaped into a boat and pushed out, but that Chinese devil
swam after, and when I got into trouble with the oars, he climbed on
board with a long knife. I jumped over-board and made for the bank,
where you raced me down. But I guess Tung-yu will bring that craft of
his ashore, and he's hunting for me like a dog as he is."
"Rodgers, and Hwei, and Lo-Keong, and a lot of policemen are hunting for
Tung-yu," said Rupert coolly, "so you need give yourself no further
trouble. Tell me why you killed Miss Wharf?"
"I didn't, confound you," growled Burgh.
"Then you know who did?"
"Yes--it was Forge."
"That's a lie. Forge wrote to my wife, and denied that you gave him the
tie."
"Then Tidman killed the old girl."
"No. He was with me on the beach. Come now, you shan't get off in this
way. Tell me who is guilty?"
"If I do, will you let me go?"
"I make no bargains. Out with it."
Burgh looked black, but being tired out and at the mercy of Rupert's
revolver, he growled sulkily, "It was Aunt Lavinia."
"Miss Pewsey--that frail little woman--impossible."
"Frail," echoed the buccaneer with scorn, "she's as tough as hickory and
as wicked a little devil as ever breathed. Why, she learned about the
fan from Forge when he was delirious, and gave away the show to Lo-Keong
in China--"
"I know that. And she wished Olivia to have the fan, that she might be
killed."
"That's so, you bet. But old Wharf got it, and so, was killed."
"But not by Tung-yu, or Hwei."
"No." Burgh took a final drink, and having emptied the flask, flung it
into the river. Then he took out a cigarette, which was dry enough to
light. When smoking, he began to laugh. "Well this is a rum show," said
he. "I guess you've got all the fun. I'm sold proper."