His face was notable only
for its possession of an unusually long jet-black moustache. He
had swooned from loss of blood."
"Why, was he wounded?" exclaimed Jennings.
"His hand had been nearly severed from his wrist!"
"Merciful heavens!"
"I realized the impossibility of carrying him so far as the
hospital, and accordingly I extemporized a rough tourniquet and
left him under a palm tree by the road until I obtained
assistance. Later, at the hospital, following a consultation, we
found it necessary to amputate."
"I should say he objected fiercely?"
"He was past objecting to anything, otherwise I have no doubt he
would have objected furiously. The index finger of the injured
hand had one of those preternaturally long nails, protected by an
engraved golden case. However, at least I gave him a chance of
life. He was under my care for some time, but I doubt if ever he
was properly grateful. He had an iron constitution, though, and
I finally allowed him to depart. One queer stipulation he had
made--that the severed hand, with its golden nail-case, should be
given to him when he left hospital. And this bargain I
faithfully carried out."
"Most extraordinary," I said. "Did you ever learn the identity
of the old gentleman?"
"He was very reticent, but I made a number of inquiries, and
finally learned with absolute certainty, I think, that he was the
Mandarin Quong Mi Su from Johore Bahru, a person of great repute
among the Chinese there, and rather a big man in China.
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