They were standing beside the lacquered coffin upon
its dragon-legged pedestal. Durham stifled an exclamation.
One end of the ornate sarcophagus had been opened in some way!
Now, to the watcher's unbounded astonishment, Ah Fu placed the
birdcage in the opening, and apparently reclosed the trap in the
end of the coffin. He made other manipulations with his bony
yellow fingers, which Durham failed to comprehend. Finally the
birdcage was withdrawn again, and as it was passed before the
light of the lantern he saw that it was empty, whereas previously
it had contained a number of tiny birds all huddled up together!
The light gleamed upon the spectacles of Huang Chow. Watching
him, Durham saw him take out from a hidden drawer in the pedestal
a long, slender key, insert it in a lock concealed by the ornate
carving, and then slightly raise the lid which had so recently
defied his own efforts.
He raised it only a few inches, and then, taking up the lantern,
peered into the interior of the coffin, at the same time waving
his hand in dismissal to Ah Fu. For a while he stood there,
peering into the interior, and then, lowering the lid again, he
relocked this gruesome receptacle and, lantern in hand, began to
mount the stair.
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