The Bradys After a Chinese Princess; Or, The Yellow Fiends of 'Frisco

by Francis Worcester Doughty

  CHAPTER IV.

  ALICE PASSES THROUGH THE DOOR OF DEATH.

  What then had happened to Alice?

  What did happen never could have happened but for the fog, which it willbe remembered blew in more thickly just about the time she disappeared.

  Alice stood watching the box, never thinking of danger, when suddenly acloth of some sort was thrown over her head from behind, and by a stronghand gathered in about her throat.

  No doubt she had been closely watched previous to this by sharp eyespeering out of the mist.

  The thing was done so suddenly that Alice was taken wholly unawares, andwhen a voice said in Chinese: "There are two revolvers covering you,Miss Montgomery; utter a sound and you will be instantly shot," all shecould do was to submit, especially as the voice added: "And Young KingBrady as well."

  "No shooting," she said. "I yield."

  Her voice was sadly muffled under the big piece of burlap which had beenthrown over her head.

  Her arm was now clutched and she was drawn forward, the hand stillretaining its grip on her throat.

  She was so startled and mixed up that she could not tell in whichdirection she was being led, but they did not take her far.

  Suddenly the clutch at her throat was released.

  "Step up," said the voice. "I am about to assist you into an auto. Becareful. There! All right now. Sit down and behave yourself and you willslip through this trial easy enough."

  Was it a Chinaman who was speaking?

  Certainly the voice was that of an Oriental of some sort, but to Aliceit sounded more like the voice of an educated Japanese, although thelanguage was that of the other race.

  "May I have my head free now?" she asked. "I am stifling."

  "Just a moment," was the reply. "They are bringing the box. When westart you shall be relieved."

  She heard them come; the box was lifted into the car, which seemed to bea long, three-seated affair, as near as Alice could judge.

  Then the start was made, and so noiselessly was it all managed thatthere had scarce been a sound.

  Immediately the burlap was withdrawn from Alice's head.

  The car proved to be a closed one. By the light of its lamps Alice wasable to get an uncertain view of her companion.

  She shuddered as she recognized him.

  "So it is you, Dr. Garshaski!" she breathed.

  "Yes, Miss Montgomery, it is I," replied the man, speaking now inEnglish. "I trust you will pardon this step on my part. It all cameabout by accident. I saw you standing there and I could not resist thetemptation to at once seize upon the opportunity, and the woman of allothers whom I devotedly love."

  Alice's heart sank.

  There were three other men in the car.

  The chauffeur was white, but the two seated on the box, which wascrowded in front of the middle seat, were Chinese in American dress.

  They sat on the seat with their feet on the box, silent and stolidlooking.

  Certainly there was nothing to be hoped for from an appeal to them.

  Did Alice know this Dr. Garshaski?

  She did, indeed.

  Harry's anxiety would have been more intense even than it was could hehave suspected the truth.

  But there was no possible reason why he should suspect it. He believedthis man to be in China or Japan.

  The story is this:

  About two years before it became necessary in a certain case to engage adetective who could speak both Chinese and Japanese.

  Such a combination is much rarer than might be supposed.

  Old King Brady applied to the Secret Service people, for it was on theirwork that the man was needed.

  They had such a person in stock, it seemed, and Dr. Garshaski, born of aJapanese father and a Chinese mother in the city of Shanghai, was sentto New York to co-operate with the Brady Bureau.

  They won out in the case all right, but they got more than theybargained for in this man, who really was a doctor and a graduate of aNew England medical college.

  From the very outset he began making love to Alice, and in the mostextravagant fashion.

  After the case was over he threw up his position as a Secret Servicedetective and remained in New York, pestering Alice beyond endurance.

  Harry threw him out of the office at an early stage of the game.

  He then wrote letters, threatening Harry's life.

  Alice was deluged with silly love epistles; he dogged her in the streetsand waylaid her when she came and went from her rooms on Waverly Place.

  In short, he made himself such a nuisance that Old King Brady had himarrested and bound over to keep the peace.

  His next and last move was to make a pretended attempt at suicide onAlice's door-step.

  Again he was arrested and got the usual penalty.

  Then he wrote a whining letter to Old King Brady, asking help to getout, and promising to go to Shanghai.

  Alice interceded. He was released.

  The Bradys thought they had good reason for believing that he had kepthis word.

  But if he went he must have come back again, for here he was, sittingbeside Alice in the automobile.

  No wonder her heart failed her, but to the doctor's latest declarationof love she calmly replied:

  "Once you told me you were the son of a Japanese gentleman, doctor.Don't forget it now."

  "Never, Alice! Never! I intend that you shall marry me. A man could notact otherwise than as a gentleman towards a woman whom he hopes to makehis wife."

  "Well spoken," said Alice, with a sigh. "Do these men understandEnglish?" she added, trying to speak in her ordinary tone.

  "Not a word."

  "And the chauffeur?"

  "Is a French-Canadian; but he can't hear. Did Old King Brady get thatboat load of opium?"

  "Yes. Are you interested in it?"

  "I am."

  "Did you go to China?"

  "Certainly; I have made two trips to China since I last saw you."

  "What is it about this unfortunate Chinese woman in the box?"

  "That's a private matter. Were you my wife, as you soon will be, youshould know. As it is, I can't tell you--at least not yet."

  "I am afraid she is dead, doctor."

  "Not the least danger, Alice."

  She did not correct this familiar form of speech.

  "Were you speaking to her in Chinese?" he asked.

  "Yes."

  "What did she tell you?"

  "Nothing except that she was the Princess Skeep Hup."

  "That is so."

  "Why have you captured her?"

  "It is not my business. It was done for another."

  "And you are taking her to Chinatown?"

  "Yes; that is where we are going."

  "Speak to her, or let those men speak. I am sure she is in trouble.After the first she would not answer me."

  "She is drugged. I suppose for the moment she came out from under theinfluence. I am surprised that she did."

  "But, doctor, I heard some one say before we captured the boat that ifthey didn't hurry up the princess would die. What about that?"

  "The man didn't know what he was talking about. I am an expert chemist.It is no morphine sleep the woman is in. I have used a Chinese drug ofwhich chemists in this country know nothing. I should hate to have touse it on you."

  "Don't you dare try it, doctor."

  "Listen. We have to leave this auto soon. I warn you, Alice, not toattempt to make me trouble. Just so sure as you do, you will get yourdose."

  Alice was silent.

  She preferred Dr. Garshaski's threats to his love-making. It was arelief to find that he was not disposed to try the latter now.

  They were rapidly approaching Chinatown.

  At last they hit Dupont street and ran on to Washington, where theyturned up the hill, stopping in front of China alley.

  The Chinamen jumped out and stood for a moment.

  "All right, the coast is clear, doctor," one said in Chine
se.

  "Take the box out and be quick," replied the doctor.

  This was done.

  Staggering under their load, the two Chinamen disappeared down thealley.

  "Now, Alice!" said the doctor, when presently they returned.

  "Dr. Garshaski, be sensible and let me go about my business," saidAlice, in her calmest fashion, for she realized that it would be morethan useless to display excitement now.

  "No," replied the doctor. "No, it cannot be. I have begun, and I amgoing to see the thing through. That's all there is about it."

  He got out and extended his hand to Alice, who accepted it and alighted.

  The two Chinks closed in behind her.

  In a few seconds they had vanished down China alley, where there was nohope of rescue, for although the alley is not the dark, mysteriousaffair it used to be before the great fire, it still retains much of itsold character, and is a mighty dangerous place at night.

  They did not have far to go; the doctor retained his hold on Alice'sarm.

  She had heard the click of cocking revolvers behind her, so knew what toexpect.

  Suddenly the doctor turned in at a dark doorway and hurried Alice up anequally dark flight of stairs.

  This brought them to a long hall, which appeared to run through toDupont street.

  Much of this property is now owned by American-born Chinese.

  The new structures erected on it were built to suit themselves.

  Just how true it it we cannot tell, but there are those who claim thatthe underground dens of Chinatown are not wiped out by any means; eventhat some of them have been reconstructed on more extensive lines.

  The doctor halted before a door at what seemed about midway in the longhall and proceeded to unlock it with a key.

  "In with you, Alice," he said, and he pushed her gently into what seemedto be a small elevator.

  Following her, the Chinaman crowded in behind her.

  The doctor clutched the wire rope, and the machine started to descend.

  "You see I'm letting you into all our secrets, Alice," he said with agrin. "I haven't required you to blindfold."

  If this was an attempt to start a flirtation it failed, for Alice madeno reply.

  This elevator descended three stories; they had ascended but one flightof stairs, consequently they must be under ground, Alice reasoned.

  It stopped, and the doctor opened a door.

  Here there was a long passage little resembling the ugly secret passagesof old Chinatown.

  This one was plastered, and from the walls hung Chinese mottoes.

  There were lights at intervals, and many doors opening off from it.

  Alice saw that it must extend through from China alley to Dupont street.

  The doors all had Chinese characters on them.

  These were not numbers.

  Each carried with it the word "door"; each was modified in some way.

  Thus there was the "door of hope," the "door of knowledge," the "door ofwisdom," and so on.

  Alice, who could read the characters, found herself quite at a loss toimagine why they should be thus applied.

  At last they came to one bearing a character which signified the "doorof death."

  Here the doctor paused.

  Determined not to give him the satisfaction of displaying any curiosity,Alice stood waiting for the doctor to speak.

  He pointed to the character and said in English:

  "I suppose you haven't forgotten how to read your Chinese?"

  "No; I haven't forgotten."

  "You see what that says?"

  "Yes; I see."

  "It may or may not apply to you, Alice."

  "I suppose you are about to add, 'all depends upon yourself.'"

  "Exactly."

  "Dr. Garshaski, I tried to treat you well. While another would have leftyou in prison, I induced Old King Brady to get you out. I must say Idon't think you are treating me well to-night."

  "Better than you think for. Another situated as I was when I suddenlymet you would surely have shot your lover, Young King Brady. I sparedhis life."

  "I thank you for that."

  "Waste no time in thanking me. Look at the character on the doordirectly behind us. What does it say?"

  "The door of love."

  "Well, Alice, which door shall it be? It is for you to decide."

  "Nonsense, doctor. Don't be ridiculous. I am in your power. Get aheadand let us end all this."

  "Will you marry me, Alice? I will make you a good husband. What is more,I am in a good paying business now. If my schemes succeed I am in a fairway to become rich."

  "No, I won't. That's final."

  "Once again I ask you, Alice."

  "And once again I refuse!" cried Alice, stamping her foot, for she wasbeginning to lose patience at last.

  The two Chinamen stood grinning at each other.

  If they did not understand English they at least must have had a prettygood idea of what was going on.

  They seemed to be highly amused.

  "And now for the third time I ask you," continued the doctor, "will youmarry me?"

  "Never!" cried Alice. "Not if you were the last man on earth!"

  "Then that settles it, Alice Montgomery!" he said, sternly. "The dooryou enter shall be the door of death!"

  He unlocked it and threw it open.

  Inside Alice could see nothing. It appeared to be just across thepassage.

  But before she had time to think twice about it the two Chinamen gaveher a sudden push.

  The doctor jumped aside and poor Alice went flying through the door ofdeath.