The Mandarin's Fan

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."

"Tell me your story," said Rupert imperatively, "I want to get back to Penter's Alley to see your aunt."

"Oh, I guess she's a goner by this time," said Burgh easily, "Tung-yu knifed her."

"You mean Hwei. I found him wiping the knife."

"No. Tung-yu stuck her, and dropped the knife. Aunty was just passing the packet to Hwei, when Tung-yu stabbed her. I reckon he intended to grab the packet, but I was too sharp for him, and caught it away from his hand. Then I raced out and he after me. Hwei stayed behind to clean the knife, I reckon."

"No, he followed you two almost immediately."

"Then both Chinamen will be here soon. You'd best cut."

"Not till I learn the truth."

"I've told you the truth," snapped Burgh, in a weary voice. "My old aunt strangled Miss Wharf. Yes. Aunty told me of the tie, and asked me to get it for her. I didn't know what she wanted to do with it, so I did. I took it out of your pocket when Dalham was out of the room. Then I gave it to aunty. She told Miss Wharf that Tung-yu wanted to see her on the steps, after eleven. Miss Wharf went there and then aunty followed and sat down beside her on the steps. I guess she kept her in talk and then slipped the tie round her old throat and pulled with all her might. And she's strong, I can tell you," added Clarence confidentially. "She nearly broke my arm one day twisting it. Miss Wharf hadn't time to call out, and was a deader in two minutes, for aunty froze on to her like death."

"Death indeed," murmured Rupert with a shudder.

"Well then aunty bucked up round by the front of the hotel with the fan in her pocket and left the tie round the neck of the old girl, so that you might hang. All went well, but the next day I went to aunty and asked for the fan. She was very sick, as she intended to sell it that day to Tung-yu. But Tung-yu had cut along with Hwei in the yacht, both thinking they might be accused of the murder. They thought that old Tidman did the biznai," grinned Burgh, "and I let them think so, having my own game to play with aunty."

"Well," said Ainsleigh shortly, "and what did you do?"

"I told aunty I'd split if I didn't get the fan, so she passed it along to me. Then I learned about the secret from Tung-yu – the waving in the smoke you know. I found out the kind of smoke from Forge – "

"And repaid him by a lying accusation."

"That's so," said Burgh coolly, "there ain't no flies on me. But let's heave ahead. It's cold sitting here."

"Go on then," said Ainsleigh sharply.

"Well I learned about the picture, and guessed about the abbey. The picture was plain enough. I came that day you found me, to see the place."

"And stole the packet then?"

"No, I waited till night and rigged myself up as the Abbot. I knew it would make anyone sick who saw a monk about at that hour."

"Not me," said Ainsleigh, "if I had caught you – "

"Well you very nearly did," confessed Burgh candidly, "I came at night and climbed all four trees before I nipped the box. Then I prized it open and climbed down leaving the box, so that Lo-Keong might get sold when he came to look. Just as I got down, that old housekeeper of yours screeched, and cut. I was startled, and dropped the fan. Not wishing to leave that behind, I began to look for it. Then you and the butler turned up and I lighted out sharp."

"What happened next?"

"Well I wanted the money, but not knowing the days of Hwei and Tung-yu, thought I might get stabbed, instead of the money. So I took the packet to Aunty, and asked her to go up, telling her Tung-yu would give her the money. She fell into the trap."

"But she knew that Hwei – "

"It wasn't Hwei's day," said Burgh, "at least it turned out so, though I didn't know it at the time, and so sent on Aunty to get the cash. I intended to pull the dollars out of her when she did get them, or leave her to die if Hwei knifed her."

"You blackguard."

"Go slow," said Burgh coolly, "aunty was no friend to you. I say, do you know why aunty wanted me to marry Olivia. It was because I'm married already and if – "

He got no further. Rupert knocked him backwards into the mud. Burgh leaped to his feet, and suddenly cried, "Look behind." Rupert did so very foolishly, and Burgh flung himself forward. But all the same Burgh was right to warn Ainsleigh. A man was staggering along the wharf. He was in Chinese dress.