The Mandarin's Fan

"Just repeat what you said. I was so faint with the loss of blood that I didn't gather half you said."

Burgh nodded. "You were pretty sick. I'd to help you back to civilization, same as if you were drunk. If I hadn't, you'd have been robbed and killed down that Bowery gangway."

Ainsleigh could not, but acknowledge that Clarence had acted very well. He had saved him from the man who attacked him in the street, and also, it was owing to him that the two had escaped from the gang of Hwei. Finally Burgh had taken Rupert back to the Guelph Hotel in Jermyn Street, when he was rather shaky from the wound. It was much better this morning, but Ainsleigh looked pale, and not at all himself. Still he did not grudge the trifling wound – it was merely a scratch although it had bled freely, – as the knowledge he had acquired, was well worth the trouble. They had left the den in Penter's Alley, some time after mid-night, and had returned safely to the West, where Rupert had acted as host to Burgh. That was Clarence all over. Whenever he did anyone a service, he always took it out of him in some way, and but, for the dangerous position in which he found himself would have quartered his carcase on Rupert for an indefinite period.

"But there ain't no denying that I'm in a fix," said Burgh, as the train drew near Marport. "That is, if you split Ainsleigh."

"No, I won't split on you. But if Forge is guilty he must be arrested," said Rupert decisively.

"But I don't know if he strangled the old girl after all."

"You said he did, last night."

"Well I wanted to know the secret of that fan."

Rupert shrugged his shoulders. "You know that the fan when waved in a certain smoke – of which by the way you learned nothing – reveals a hiding place which contains certain things Tung-yu wants – "

"To ruin Lo-Keong," said Burgh quickly. "So I guess if I can pick up that fan from old Forge, I'll yank in the dollars."

"Aren't you satisfied with what you have."

"This thousand. Oh that's all right. I cashed the cheque before I joined you at the station – got it in gold so I can clear out when it suits me. It's always as well to be ready to git."

"I suppose," said Ainsleigh dryly, "in your varied career, you have had frequent occasions to 'git' as you call it."

"You bet. But git's slang American and good Turkish lingo, so you've no need to sneer old man. 'Say, about Forge. What's to be done?"

"I'll communicate with Rodgers and tell him what you say. If the doctor is guilty he must suffer."

"My eye," said Clarence reflectively, "won't aunty be mad. Well I guess this will square us: she won't play low down on me again."

"Burgh, you're a blackguard."

"I am, that's a fact," said the buccaneer in no wise disturbed. "But don't you say that in public or the fur'll fly."

"Pooh. You know I'm equal to you. But this story – "

"The one I told Tung-yu last night," grinned Burgh, "I'll reel it out now, and you can sort it out as you choose. I believe Forge to be the scragger of the old girl, because he had that tie of yours."

"How did he get the tie?"

"I gave it to him," confessed Clarence candidly.

"Yes – I remember you said so last night. But I forget how you explained the getting of it."

"Huh," drawled Burgh folding his arms. "You might call it stealing old pard. Y'see Miss Pewsey – my old aunty that is – saw Olivia – "

"Mrs. Ainsleigh, hang you."

"Right oh," continued Burgh imperturbably. "Well, aunty saw Mrs. Ainsleigh pass the tie to you, and when you went to the cloak-room she told me. I was real mad not knowing how things were, as I wanted that tie for myself. I'd no notion of your getting things made by the young lady I was sweet on."

"I wish you would leave out my wife's name," said Rupert angrily, and wincing with pain, for his wound hurt him not a little.

"I'll try: don't get your hair off. Well I cut along to the card room – no t'wasn't the card room – the cloak-room, and saw you standing by your coat, just hanging it up again."

"And you saw me put the tie in the pocket."

"I guess not: but I fancied you might have done so. Then I waited outside while you yarned with the Chinese cove and Tidman. After that I cut in and you know the rest."

"Up to the time I knocked you down. Well?"

"Smashing blow," said Burgh coolly, "you can use your hands pretty well I reckon – but a six shooter's more in my line. Well, when you cut, I lay down and saw stars for a time. Then I thought I'd pay you out by annexing the tie."

"You didn't know it was there?"

"Thought it might be," rejoined Burgh coolly, "anyhow there was no harm in trying. I found the tie, and went out with it, thinking you be pretty sick when you found it gone. I went into the card-room where old Forge was cheating I guess, and had a yarn along o'him. He just roared when I showed him the tie, for he hates you like pie."

"What's that?" asked Rupert sharply, "you are mistaken."

"I guess not. That old man would have been glad to see you scragged, Mr. Ainsleigh. He asked me to let him have the tie – "

"What for?"

Burgh shrugged his shoulders. "He didn't say. But I let him have it anyhow. I wasn't in a position to refuse. Y'see Ainsleigh I'm not a holy Bill and – "

"And Forge knows a few of your escapades likely to land you in – "

"Y'needn't say the word," interrupted Burgh in his turn, "t'isn't a pretty one. But I guess Forge could make things hot for me if he liked, so that was why I lay low when I saw the tie round the old girl's throat. I guessed then, Forge had scragged her and boned the fan. I asked him about it, and he lied like billeo. Said he'd lost the tie, and never touched the old 'un. Then he said if I made any fuss, he'd tell the police about – "

"About what?" asked Ainsleigh, seeing the man hesitate.

"Huh," replied Burgh, uncomfortably, "I guess that's my business. I told you I wasn't a saint."

"I suspect you're a thorough paced gaol-bird."

"No, I ain't been in quod. Where I cavorted round, in the Naked Lands, they don't shove a man in chokey for every trifle."

"Such as murder. Eh?"

"I haven't murdered anyone yet," confessed Clarence, easily, "but one never knows. But I told about Forge last night, as I wanted to get this thousand. Now I'll try for the fan, and see if I can't get the fifteen thousand to come my way. If Forge cuts up rough, I'll light out with what I have" – he slapped his pockets – "for Callao," and he began to sing the old song: —

"On no occasion, is extradition,

Allowed in Callao."

And I know a daisy of a girl out there," said the scamp, winking.

Ainsleigh was too disgusted to speak. He felt that as he was as big a ruffian as Burgh, to tolerate this conversation, and he was relieved when the train steamed into Marport station. As soon as it stopped he jumped out, and nodding to his companion, he was about to take his leave, when Clarence stopped him. "Say. You won't round on Forge till I get this fan business settled."