"Having had no occasion for disguise when the portrait was
painted," said Harley, "Lord Ireton appears here without the
beard; and as he is not represented smiling one cannot see the
gold tooth. But the painter, if anything, has accentuated the
slanting eyes. You see, the fourth marquis--the present Lord
Ireton's father--married one of the world-famous Yen Sun girls,
daughters of the mandarin of that name by an Irish wife. Hence,
the eyes. And hence------"
"But, Harley--it was murder!"
"Not within the meaning of the law, Knox. It was a recrudescence
of Chinese humour! Lord Ireton is officially in Africa (and he
went actually after 'big game'). The counsel is not born who
could secure a conviction. We are somewhat late, but shall
therefore have less difficulty in finding a table at Prince's."
TCHERIAPIN
I
THE ROSE
"Examine it closely," said the man in the unusual caped overcoat.
"It will repay examination."
I held the little object in the palm of my hand, bending forward
over the marble-topped table and looking down at it with deep
curiosity. The babel of tongues so characteristic of Malay
Jack's, and that mingled odour of stale spirits, greasy humanity,
tobacco, cheap perfume, and opium, which distinguish the
establishment faded from my ken.
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