To-night it would be otherwise. To-night it would be otherwise.
X
THE LACQUERED COFFIN
Durham gently raised the trap in the roof of Huang Chow's
treasure-house. He was prepared for snares and pitfalls. No
sane man, on the evidence which he, Durham, had been compelled to
leave behind, would have neglected to fasten the skylight which
so obviously afforded a means of entrance into his premises.
Therefore, he was expected to return. The devilish mechanism was
set ready to receive him. But the artist within him demanded
that he should unmask the mystery with his own hands.
Moreover, he doubted that an official visit, even now, would
yield any results. Old Huang Chow was too cunning for that. If
he was to learn how the man Cohen had died, he must follow the
same path to the bitter end. But there were men on duty round
the house, and he believed that he had placed them so secretly as
to deceive even this master of cunning with whom he was dealing.
He repeated his exploit, dropping with a dull thud upon the
cushioned divan. Then, having lain there listening awhile, he
pressed the button of his torch, and, standing up, crept across
the room in the direction of the stairway.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68