Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 16, 1921 — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

SOME an instant, getting his vision accustomed to the subdued light, he seized Frayne by an arm, so that the latter could not get away from him. When at last he could see with compara- tive clearness he noted that the room was in almost the same condition as when he had entered it on the occasion of his first visit. New lanterns had been swung from the ceiling, and the furniture he had wrecked had been replaced. Several in- mates of the place were watching him. Hamlin had an uncomfortable conviction that the eyes of every person in the room were upon him, with that peculiar, venom- ous hostility he had noticed after he had struck Morrell and the inmates had all seemed—by their actions, at least—to be eager to destroy him. As on the occasion of his previous visit, there were lax figures on bunks and couch- es that fringed the walls; the same odors assailed his nostrils; he felt the same nau- seating weakness. “Wong!” called Frayne weakly. From out of the haze at the rear of the roem a silken-clad figure appeared, crossing the room with the mincing stride peculiar to his race. As the Chinaman came closer, Hamlin saw that the carried himself with an air of authority; that he was a big man, with keen, piercing eyes. ' He halted within a few feet of Frayne and Hamlin and regarded them with a bland, smooth smile. “Mr. Flayne,” he greeted in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. ‘‘ What you wantee?” Frayne grinned evilly. As his eyes met those of the Chinaman he delbierately gave a wink. ‘“‘ My friend, Mr. Hamlin,” he said loud- ly, so that Hamlin had a swift divination that Frayne was purposely attracting the attention of the inmates of the place to him. But Hamlin had considered the dan- ger of entering the Dragon. According to the story told the reporters regarding the knifing of the inmate during the fight, there was no doubt thatthey blamed him. But Miss Alden was a prisoner in a room up-stairs—if Frayne had not lied— and before Hamlin had left Miss Larrabie’s room he had dropped Frayne’s pistol into “MAN! 137 a pocket, anticipating opposition to his at- tempt to rescue Miss Alden. — However, Hamlin meant to rescue her. He had come into the Dragon with his eyes wide open—with a conception of the haz- ards that would confront. him. And he meant to rescue Miss Alden if he had to kill Frayne, Morrell, and a dozen inmates of the place. He had not seen Frayne’s eye close at Wong. Wong had evidently noticed, how- ever, for this smile widened as he looked at Frayne. . “Hamlin,” he said smoothly. ‘“ Muchee fight—eh?” He did not seem to be par- ticularly interested in Hamlin. He turned to Frayne. : “What you wantee, Mr. Flayne?” “The girl that Morrell brought,” an- swered Frayne. ‘“‘ Where is she? Up- stairs—eh?”’ There was an infinitesimal pause, seem- ingly significant of nothing but that Wong was slowly digesting the question and de- bating the advisability of evading an an- swer. His narrowed, slitlike eyes were gleaming like a bird’s, indicating lively mental action; but they held no more ex- pression than ‘the eyes of a dead fish. Frayne winked again; and again Hamlin was ignorant of the action. And now Wong’s smile expanded. “She up-stairs. Mr. Morrell not there. Mr. Hamlin wantee see?” Hamlin nodded. He had noted a con- certed movement on the part of the in- mates; how they had seemed to be interest- ed in the conversation, and how they were slowly edging toward Wong, Frayne, and himself. He had decided that Miss Alden was real- ly up-stairs, and he was determined that if the Chinaman opposed a search of the up- per floor he would make a search in spite of him. However, Wong’s mild quiescence prom- ised a peaceful adventure; and Wong’s ad- mission that Barbara was where Frayne had said she could be found indicated that nothing of a shocking nature had happened to her. Still smiling his bland smile, Wong led the way to the door through which Hamlin Go JOO mn S (C@ S|