Adventure, June 1911 — page 172: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

358 he departed for Pekin, and we started home by way of India and Suez. “Upon my return I questioned my daugh- ter and was amazed and horrified to learn that she bore toward Mr. Ashton a feeling almost of aversion. I explained to her about the promise and at my earnest request and almost at my command she wrote to Mr. Ashton, agreeing to abide by my wishes in the matter. That was six or eight months ago, and I heard nothing from him until two days ago, when he telegraphed that he had arrived in England and would come to see me at once.” Cee) “HIS story, as he related it to me a last night, was like an adventure : from the ‘Arabian Nights.’ He arrived in Ping Yang one evening at dusk, disguised as a Buddhist pilgrim monk with shaved head. and staff in hand, and at once proceeded to the temple with an offering of flowers and prostrated himself before the shrine in prayer. ‘‘ Ashton continued in his place, muttering his prayers and pretending to be in great agony of spirit, until one by one the wor- shippers departed. He pretended to be suffering from some sudden illness, and lay upon the floor moaning pitifully. As the old priest bent over him in inquiry Ashton sud- ‘denly seized him by the throat and with his powerful hands choked him into silence. He then gagged him and, taking the keys of the small shrine, proceeded to abstract the coveted Emerald Buddha. “By the next morning Ashton, with his servant, was miles away, journeying peace- ably toward Pekin as an English traveler. His escape, however, was not to be so easily effected. After progressing toward Pekin for two days they became aware that they were being followed by a numerous party of Chinese upon horseback, armed with pikes, bows and arrows, and some muskets. Swerving from the main road, they aban- doned their horses, and while Ashton hid in the underbrush, his servant procured at a near village a set of Chinese clothing which Ashton donned. From here on his adventures were exciting and varied, but they at last succeeded in reaching the coast. , “The rest of the story you know. God knows what influences have been at work in his taking off! As for me, I know no more about it than you do.” Adventure twSs : ( AS MAJOR TEMPLE concluded his story, he gazed at Sergeant 3 McQuade and myself in turn, then passed his hand nervously over his fore- head, as though the strain of the tragedy had begun to tell upon him severely. Bid- ing him good-night, McQuade and I left the room, leaving him sitting dejectedly in his easy chair, patting the head of his great mastiff, Boris. CHAPTER IX THE ORIENTAL PERFUME Tue nema. held the following day in tHe billiard-room, was a brief affair. The surgeon testified toa simple fracture of the skull, not necessarily sufficient to produce death, although capable of doing so when combined with nervous shock or a weakened condition of the heart. That one or both of the latter agencies had combined with the result of the blow was evidenced by Ash- ton’s almost instantaneous death and the look of horror which was upon his face. There was nothing for the jury to do but render a verdict stating that Robert Ashton had come to his death through a blow upon the head, delivered with some sharp instru- ment by a person or persons unknown. I spoke a few words to Sergeant McQuade at the close of the inquest and he informed me that he intended going up to London early that afternoon to interrogate the twa Chinamen detained there since the preced- ing day, and upon my volunteering to ac- company him, he seemed rather to welcome my suggestion. I knew perfectly well that until the mystery was solved, not only my- self, but Major and Miss Temple and Li Min, as well as the other servants in the house would all be more or less under police surveillance, and I wanted if possible to stay with this case to the end—a feeling that became intensified whenever I thought of Muriel Temple. If I could do anything to help her, I would, cost what it might. I hastened to my room, therefore, and for a time busied myself in arranging my lug- gage. AsIdidsoI thought I heard a slight sound in the green room across the hall, the one in which the tragedy had occurred, and glancing into the mirror of my dresser, I saw Li Min. He was evidently searching for something. Now if he, or any of his con- federates had killed Ashton, they certainly COnmiclbooks (C@