Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

423 ARGOSY code of Confucius, by which he ruled his life—sometimes. Upon the day after Reginald Carefrew arrived in Sabang the estimable Li Mow Gee sat in his private back room, which was hung with Ch'ien Lung paintings, whose subjects would have _ scandalized Sodom and Gomorrah. Li Mow Gee sucked a three-foot pipe of bamboo and steel, and watched a kettle of water bubbling over a charcoal brazier. At the proper moment he took a pewter insert from its stand, slipped it into its niche inside the kettle, and watched the water boil until the pewter vessel was well heated. Then he poured © hot rice-wine into the thimble-cup of porce- lain at his elbow, sipped it with satisfaction, and clapped his hands four times. One of the numerous doors of the room opened, to admit a spectacled old man who was a junior partner of Li Mow Gee in business, but who was also Venerable Master of the local lodge of the Heaven- and-Earth Society. As etiquette demand- ed, the junior partner removed his specta- cles and stood blinking, being blind as a bat without them. ‘As you are aware, worshipful Chang,” said Li Mow Gee after some preliminary- discourse, ‘‘my father’s younger brother _ has become an ancient.”’ Mr. Chang bowed respectfully. A son of T’ang never says of his family that they are Cead. But Mr. Chang had heard that Li Mow Gee’s father’s younger brother had committed suicide, with the intent of send- ing his avenging ghost after one Reginald Carefrew. ‘You are also aware,” pursued Li Mow Gee, refilling the steel bowl of his pipe, ‘that the brother-in-law of my friend Huber Davis has arrived in Sabang for a short visit. As a man of learning, you will comprehend that I have certain duties to perform.” Mr. Chang blinked, and promptly took his cue. “You doubtless recall certain canons of the law which bear upon the situation,’’ he squeaked blandly. ‘‘ It would give me in- finite pleasure to hear them from your lips.” Li Mow Gee had been waiting for this. AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. He exhaled a thin cloud of smoke, and quoted from his exaet. memory of the writings of the Confucian canon: “With the slayer of his father, a man may not live under the same. sky; against the slayer of his brother, a man must never have to go home to seek a weapon; with the slayer of his friend, a man may not live in the same state.” 1.i Mow Gee smoked for a moment in silence, then continued: ‘Thus reads the Book of Rites, most _ venerable Chang. And yet our friend Huber Davis Is our friend.” . “Tf the tiger and the ox are in company,” quoth Mr. Chang squeakily, “¢ let the ox die with the tiger.” ‘“Not at all to the point,” said Li Mow Gee in irritated accents. ‘“ Do not be a venerable fool, my father! I desire that a messenger be sent to my bazaar.” ‘“ Speak the message, beloved of heaven,” responded the elder. ~- ‘In our safe,”’ said Li Mow Gee slowly, “isa three-armed candlestick of white jade, bound in brass and having uppn its three arms the characters signifying chalk, char- coal, and water. It is my wish that this _ precious object be taken to my bazaar and ~ placed there near the door, with a sign upon it putting the price at nine florins; also, that our clerks be-severely instructed to sell this object to no one except Mr. Care- frew.”’ Mr. Chang wet his lips. ‘But, dear brother,” he expostulated, “this is one of the precious obfécts of the Heaven-and-Earth Society.” ‘“‘ That is why I desire your permission to make use of it,” said Li Mow Gee. “ Am I to be trusted or not? Is my sacred honor of no worth in your eyes?” “ But, to be sold to a foreign devil!’’ the junior partner exclaimed. “That is my wish.” Mr. Chang threw up his hands, not with- out a smothered oath. “Very well!” he squeaked angrily.. ‘‘ But when this swindler, this murderer of honest folk, sees it for sale in your bazaar at so ridiculous a price, he will buy it and .take it away, and laugh-at Li Mow Gee for a fool!” COM cloooks. com