He would have liked nothing better than to be rid of the affair,
provided he could throw up the case with a clear conscience. But
when presently he parted from the attractive Eurasian, and
watched her slim figure as, turning, she waved her hand and
disappeared round a corner, he knew that rest was not for him.
He had discovered the emporium of a Shadwell live-stock dealer
with whom Ah Fu had a standing order for newly fledged birds of
all descriptions. Purchases apparently were always made after
dusk, and Ah Fu with his birdcage was due that evening.
A scheme having suggested itself to Durham, he now proceeded to
put it into execution, so that when dusk came, and Ah Fu,
carrying an empty birdcage, set out from the house of Huang Chow,
a very dirty-looking loafer passed the corner of the street at
about the time that the Chinaman came slinking out.
Durham had mentally calculated that Ah Fu would be gone about
half an hour upon his mysterious errand, but the Chinaman
travelled faster than he had calculated.
Just as he was about to climb up once more on to the sloping
roof, he heard the pattering footsteps returning to the
courtyard, although rather less than twenty minutes had elapsed
since the man had set out.
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