"
The woman shrugged her fat shoulders.
"No, hab," she repeated. "You two johnnies clear out. Let me
sleep."
But as I turned to her, beneath the nonchalant manner I could
detect a great uneasiness; and in her dark eyes there was fear.
That Harley also had seen the bloodstains I was well aware, and I
did not doubt that furthermore he had noted the fact that the
only mat which the room boasted had been placed before the joss--
doubtless to hide other stains upon the boards.
As we stood so I presently became aware of a current of air
passing across the room in the direction of the open door. It
came from a window before which a tawdry red curtain had been
draped. Either the window behind the curtain was wide open,
which is alien to Chinese habits, or it was shattered. While I
was wondering if Harley intended to investigate further:
"Come on, Jim!" he cried boisterously, and clapped me on the
shoulder; "the old fox don't want to be disturbed."
He turned to the woman:
"Tell him when he wakes up, Ma," he said, "that if ever my pal
Jim wants a pipe he's to 'ave one. Savvy? Jim's square."
"Savvy," replied the woman, and she was wholly unable to conceal
her relief. "You clear out now, and I tell Kwen Lung when he
come in.
Pages:
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174