Under the Chinese Dragon: A Tale of Mongolia

by F. S. Brereton

  CHAPTER XIV

  Tsu-Hi is Astonished

  For perhaps one whole minute David Harbor stood perfectly still, once hehad slid down the rope from the window above and had gained the floor ofthe room in which he had seen the Tartar under-officer. He leanedforward, still gripping the cord, listening intently for any soundsthere might be, and fancied as he did so that he could hear thesoft-footed slither of some one in the passage.

  'That fellow going along to interview Chang and the deputy-governor.Going to put in a word for himself,' muttered David. 'In that case heshould be absent sufficiently long to let me take a look round. Let mesee. Dick was in the next cell. Right! I'll make straight away for him.'

  He crept across the stone-flagged floor, making direct for the doorway,and thrust his head round the edge so as to obtain a good view of thepassage. It was empty as far as he could see. Almost directly overhead ahuge paper lantern swung in the breeze, emitting a soft light, andcasting its rays on either side. It was possible, in fact, to see as faras the end of the passage in one direction, where it evidently turnedabruptly to the left and swept round the other side of the building. Inthe opposite direction shadow and gloom obscured the passage, but itmade little difference to our hero.

  'Runs along past all the cells into which I have already looked,' hetold himself. 'I don't need to take any notice of it. Now for the one inwhich Dick is imprisoned. It ought to be just here on my right. No harmin searching for him at once. There doesn't seem to be a soul about thispart of the building.'

  He stepped into the passage promptly, and crept cautiously towards thebend where it turned along the other face of the prison. At the verycorner there was a door, and the sight set his heart fluttering. But hedid not venture to touch the bolts before taking the precaution to lookalong the gallery after it had turned. He craned his head round thecorner, caught a view of a second elaborately painted lantern swayinglike the first, for if this building lacked many comforts it was atleast well-ventilated. The winds of heaven had free access to theinterior by way of the unglazed windows, and gusts came sweeping downthe gallery, beautifully cooling gusts which set the lanterns swingingslowly, twisting them upon the plaited ropes by which they weresuspended, till they twirled this way and that, presenting a mostpicturesque appearance. But there were other things to remark on. Thissecond lamp was hung some twenty paces along the gallery, at the foot ofa flight of stone steps, by which, no doubt, the gaoler and the Tartarsoldier had disappeared. David even noticed that the centre of each stepwas badly worn, probably with the coming and going of many people,proving either that the prison was of ancient construction, as wasextremely probable, or that the stone was of a soft nature and readilyworn. But here again was food only for passing interest. A man situatedas he was does not find time for delaying, when his life and that of hisfriend are in the balance. The door just behind him had far moreattractions for David, and at once he turned to it, casting his eye overthe strong bolts with which it was secured.

  'Done!' he groaned. 'The gaoler has the keys. How on earth am I toeffect an entry?'

  Then he suddenly bethought him of the window by which he had made goodhis own escape. Why should he not climb outside again, and creepingalong the roof gain entrance to Dick's cell by way of the window? Heturned to retrace his steps, and then stepping swiftly to the door heexamined the lock. A second's inspection proved to him that the bolt wasnot shot. It was easy to make sure of that matter, for the huge, clumsyaffair, the work of centuries before perhaps, was placed so far from thecatch into which it should glide that one could see at once that it wasnot in order.

  'Good! Then there are only the bolts shot by hand. This lock seems to beout of order.'

  Up went his hand to the topmost bolt, and very slowly he drew it out ofits socket, shivering lest the grating which was inevitable with such arusty affair should be heard along the passage. Then he suddenly leapedround the corner of the gallery, for his ears had detected a sound. Itwas the slip, slip, slip of a native footstep, the slither of acotton-padded sole coming down the flight of stone steps. Theperspiration started to David's forehead, his heart beat against hisribs as if it were a sledge hammer, while the blows dinned into his earstill he felt deafened. And his eyes almost bulged from their sockets ashe stared in the direction from which the sounds were coming. For thoughonly the legs of the oncomer were as yet visible, they were sufficientlydistinctive. The high boots, with their thick, white soles, could belongonly to the Tartar under-officer. The colour of the garment coming intoview was the same as that worn by the soldier, while, as the man'sgirdle came within David's vision, he saw the hilt of his sabre, heardthe rattle of the scabbard as it dragged on the steps, and then caught aglimpse of the revolver which the ruffian carried. Yes, of the revolver,for if China to-day still lags behind western nations in much whichappertains to learning and commerce and a host of other matters, therehave been outside influences at work giving her subtle advice, andurging her to arm her soldiery not as before, with swords and lances anduseless bows and arrows, but with modern rifles, with revolvers, andwith the latest cannon. In that particular at least the efforts of somewestern nation have been successful. Careless of those of her own colourwho in days to come, days perhaps very close at hand, may findthemselves arrayed against the celestial nation, they have forced amarket here for the surplus output of their arsenals, and have gatheredChinese gold for modern weapons which may well be employed to slaytheir own people. But here was only a single illustration. David hadremarked when entering this walled city of Hatsu upon the modern riflesof the Tartar-guard. His sharp eyes had detected the weapon carried bytheir under-officer. And here it was again, proof positive that the manwho was descending the last few steps was this very individual, thanwhom he would have rather encountered any one. What was he to do? Rushback into the cell and clamber up the dangling rope?

  'No,' he told himself promptly, though he retraced his steps at once anddarted into the cell. 'There's no time for that. He'd catch me half-wayup, and besides, even if he didn't I couldn't get the rope hauled out ofsight before he entered. I might slip along the passage, but I should beno better off, for still he would see the rope. I'll chance a meeting.'

  As if it were the old days at school, and he were about to engage in atussle with the gloves on, he gripped at the baggy sleeves which weresuch a constant nuisance to him, and folded them up near his shoulders,leaving his arms exposed. Then he stood stiffly upright behind thehalf-closed door to listen, holding his breath, trying vainly to stillthe beating of his heart. Suddenly as the Tartar's steps were heardoutside the cell, David became as calm as he had ever been in his lifebefore; for after all, he was by no means different from many men of thesame temperament as himself. To worry before trouble came along, as Dickwas so fond of saying, was only natural to our hero. He was by instinctcautious and careful, and as is the case with many of similardisposition, there was always a tendency to fluster and unusualexcitement prior to a struggle. David had been all of a tremble beforenow, although he had acquitted himself right well when blows wereactually falling. And the same thing had happened here. Like the man whoenters an action with his knees knocking, and who readily admits that heis nervous, David had prepared for this inevitable meeting with afast-beating heart, with trembling limbs, and with a forehead from whichthe moisture was dripping. One who did not know him might almost haveaccused him of cowardice. But now that the struggle was about to beginhe was a different individual. His eyes were bright, his mouth fastclosed, and his muscles braced and ready. Not the smallest sound escapedhis attention. He heard the Tartar enter the cell, then saw his fingersclose on the door and caught the creak of the rusting hinges. Then hestepped forward.

  'Silence!' he commanded sternly, placing his back against the door andpushing it to with a bang. 'Not a word, or I will kill you.'

  Utter astonishment was written on the man's face; the soft rays of theswaying lantern falling on his features showed that he was entirelytaken aback. The corners of his mouth
drooped suddenly, his eyes startedforward, while his fingers clutched at his clothing. But it was only fora moment. An apparently unarmed man stood before him, the youth whom hehad so lately helped to capture. Promptly his hand sought his revolver.

  'Dog! It is you, then? You are my prisoner.'

  The revolver was more than half out of the girdle by now, and in anothersecond would be at David's head; but the latter was watching the Tartarlike a cat. His sharp eyes caught every movement, and at once, with aswift movement, he was on the man. His right arm went back quickly, andthen jerked out like a flash, the fist striking the Tartar hard and fullbetween the eyes. The result of this telling blow, so far as the Chineserascal was concerned, was disastrous. He was knocked clear from hisfeet, for the youth who had struck was no chicken. David had weight andstrength behind his arm, and, moreover, a desperate man finds addedstrength on such occasions. The blow, in fact, tossed the Tartarbackward, causing him to perform a half sommersault, and to come to theground with an alarming crash, his head being the first portion of hisanatomy to come in contact with the stone flagging. And in a secondDavid was on him, gripping him by the neck.

  "IN A SECOND DAVID WAS ON HIM"]

  'Silence! Not a word,' he repeated, while his hand went to the man'srevolver and drew it from his girdle. But the Tartar did not wince whenthe cold muzzle was thrust in his ear. He lay inert, his eyes closed, aslistless as a sleeping baby.

  'Stunned! Knocked out of time. Not used to an Englishman's fist,' gaspedDavid. 'Let's make quite sure that he isn't foxing.'

  He leaned over the man, and placed his ear close to his mouth. Yes, hewas breathing--breathing loudly. In fact there was considerable stertor.David lifted a limp arm, and when he released it it fell back with ahollow thud to the ground. He tilted back the eyelids, and though he hadbut little knowledge of such matters, he could not help but remark thatthe pupils were equally dilated. There was little doubt, in fact, thatthe unfortunate but scheming and pugnacious Tartar was stunned by theterrific blow which he had received. It was altogether a revelation tothe young fellow crouching beside him. He kneeled close by the man,staring into his face and wondering. He could hardly believe that amoment before he had been face to face with extreme danger anddifficulty, and that one sudden movement on his part, one strong blow,had set aside the trouble.

  'But has it? There are other people in the prison who will have to bedealt with. There is Chang; there is Tsu-Hi, the dishonestdeputy-governor who has so far forgotten himself, and the honour towhich all decent-minded Chinamen cling in their belief that, come whatmay, hospitality to a guest should never be abused. Yes, there isTsu-Hi, who has shown the utmost treachery.'

  David told himself sternly that they must be dealt with. He stood up,still with his eyes on the fallen Tartar. But he was not thinking of hislate enemy; he was thinking of the arch-schemer hired by the man inEngland who should have been as a father to our hero. He was thinkingalso of the difficulties still before him, of the opposition still to beset aside before he and Dick and Jong could set foot outside the city.Then his face became sterner than ever; the eyes were half-closed as hestared at the Tartar. The scheme which he had first happened on whenclambering along the ledge of the windows came back to his mind withredoubled force.

  'Yes,' he said, 'they must be dealt with, those two men. First torelease Dick, and then we'll talk to them.'

  But even now he did not venture out of the cell. He pulled the door openquietly and peeped round into the passage, to find it deserted. Therewas not so much as a sound, save the gentle rattle of the stiffenedpaper streamers attached to the lantern swaying overhead.

  'No one about. Goaler gone to bed, and the rest of them upstairs where Isaw them with the Tartar fellow who is lying stunned in here. Butsupposing some one were to come along, I should be spotted in a minute.I must have some disguise, I----'

  His eyes swung round to the figure stretched on the floor, and for alittle while he stared at the fallen under-officer. A keen light cameinto his eyes, and once more he closed the door of the compartment.Then, swiftly and full of his purpose, he stripped the man of hisclothing.

  'Just about my size,' he told himself. 'Anyway, I've got to get into histhings, whatever happens. Wish there was a glass here; but, as thereisn't, I must make the most of it. Ah, boots fit to a T. Cap ditto. Thisbig cloak fits only where it touches, so that don't matter. Now for thegentleman himself. Won't he have a headache in the morning!'

  Quickly he pulled off his own garments, coiled his pigtail up on top ofhis head, and jammed the Tartar's cap on top of it. Then, having donnedall his garments, which were voluminous, to say the least of them, hetied the frayed, silken girdle round his middle, attached the clankingsabre, and pushed the revolver home. When he stood up he was by no meansa bad copy of the truculent individual who had first greeted him at theentrance of the city.

  'And now to get rid of him and my own clothes. Ah! I know. Into the bedwith him. Shy the clothing out of the window.'

  He was not the one to waste time when the minutes were flying swiftly,and when there might be an interruption at any moment. David bundled theunconscious Tartar on to the _kang_, covered him with a faded quilt, andtied his own discarded clothing into a bundle. A dexterous heave sent itthrough the window, and if only he had known it, caused the faithfulJong the greatest consternation.

  'What dat?' he asked, standing back in the dense shadow which hid him.'Something come plump from de window. Not likee de look of him at allee,not at allee. Heart go plippee-plappee when ting like dat happen.Suppose I go over and have a look.'

  He was in the very act of stepping out on to the white highway, whichgleamed in the pure rays of the moon, when his sharp ears caught asound. Some one was treading the narrow path which ran beside the road;some one was approaching. Jong lay flat in the shadow, hugging the wall,and stared out into the open. Presently a man's figure hove in sight--aman dressed in elaborate military costume, his flowing robes blowingabout his feet, the flat cap on his head surmounted by a wide button.Nor did it want two glances at the stranger to disclose the fact thatthis was Tsu-Hi, the deputy-governor of the walled city of Hatsu, anofficial with absolute powers for the moment of life and death; one who,discovering Jong where he lay, could, with one single nod, condemn himto instant execution. No wonder, therefore, that the Chinaman shivered,and squeezed his body still further into the shadow, wishing that theground might rise in a friendly manner and cover him. He scarcely daredto breathe, while, so terrified was he, that his teeth almost chatteredtogether. Then, quite by accident, his hand touched the hilt of theknife he carried in his belt. The sudden contact seemed to bring himcourage. Jong gripped the weapon and drew it, his eyes fixed all thewhile on the figure of Tsu-Hi.

  'He is alone; he is the cause of all this trouble,' he whispered. 'Lethim show that he has seen me and I will send him to join his ancestors;yes, to join them with treachery in his heart.'

  But the official made no sign. He came stepping down the path slowly, asif deeply engaged with his thoughts. His hands were tucked into thebaggy sleeves he wore, while his eyes were dropped on to the roadway. Hepassed the spot where Jong was secreted, advanced slowly to the stepswhich led to the door of the prison, and lifted a hand to summon thosewithin. Jong heard the clang of a gong somewhere in the distance. AndDavid heard it. He was at that very moment about to slide back the lastof the two bolts that secured the door of the cell in which he imaginedDick to be when the deep, musical note of the gong sounded down thepassage, coming from a spot somewhere above, at the top of the flight ofsteps down which he had watched the Tartar descending. And then he hearda sharp rapping in the opposite direction.

  'A visitor; perhaps Tsu-Hi,' he thought. 'What's to be done now? Who'lladmit him?'

  For one instant the mad idea occurred to him that he himself would go tothe door and let the deputy-governor in.

  'I could overawe him at once, and bring him in here,' he told himself.Then he shook his head emphatically. 'Might spoil everything. I w
anthelp before I move any further; I must have Dick beside me.'

  Clang! The gong sounded again, the note ringing down the passage, andthen there was silence. No one answered the summons; there was not somuch as a step to be heard. David reflected that the gaoler was in bed,and fast asleep in all probability.

  'While the fellow outside will be getting impatient, he'll make more andmore noise, and we shall be having some of the Tartar soldiers. Thatwon't suit my plans. There! he's hammering. I'll do it; I'll chance thewhole thing. In for a penny in for a pound, isn't a bad motto on someoccasions.'

  He made up his mind in an instant, and pulled the door open. Listeningfor a few seconds, and hearing no sound from the interior of the prison,he hurried along to the left, where he guessed the door must be. And atthe far end of the gallery, where the shadows lurked, he came upon it,and stood for a while listening to the rat-a-tat-tat of the impatientofficial outside.

  'Open!' he heard the man call, angrily. 'Open for Tsu-Hi. Do not keep mewaiting out here where folks may see me.'

  David pulled the bolts back swiftly, and tugging at the door dragged itopen, keeping himself well within the passage.

  'Dog! Why do you keep me so? Sleeping, eh? Sleeping when you should beon duty? Have a care. Though the governor is away from the city onimportant business, there are yet powers in the hands of his deputywhich may make a servant sorrow. A head has been chopped for an offenceeven less than this.'

  If he had expected an answer Tsu-Hi was disappointed, for David stillheld himself in the background, kow-towing as he judged the gaoler woulddo, and saying not a word.

  'Mustn't open my mouth or he'll see that I'm not a Chinaman, nor eventhe Tartar officer. If he don't move in precious quick I'll take him bythe neck and drag him into the passage.'

  Our hero's teeth were set fast together, while he was fully ready forany emergency. Now that matters had gone so far favourably for him, hewas determined that this treacherous deputy-governor should notoverthrow all his plans. That it was Tsu-Hi a swift glance had told himwithout error. His hands itched to get a grip of the ruffian, andsilence him, but still he bent low, kow-towing humbly; and perhaps itwas his silence and his apparent humility which appeased the governor.He stepped into the passage and waited there, his hands tucked out ofsight again, while David pushed the door, and shot the bolts home.

  'Now lead me to the room occupied by this Chang, who came sounexpectedly to the city.'

  To say that David was in a serious dilemma was hardly to describe thesituation correctly. He was desperate, for he judged that Tsu-Hi musthave some knowledge of the prison, and was it likely that he wouldexpect to discover Chang, a man considered already to be of someimportance, in a cell abutting on this dreary passage? Surely there mustbe guest chambers, guest apartments for the few who came to such a placeas a prison for any other reason than to fill the cells?

  'Can't help it if there are,' muttered David. 'He's got to come with me,and if he thinks that the place in which I found the Tartar fellow isnot good enough, well I can't help it. I'll give him a crack that'llknock the wind out of his body.'

  He lifted the scabbard of his sabre, fearful that its clanking mightarouse the suspicion of his visitor, and then stepped in front of himdown the passage. At the open door of the room he had just vacated hecame to a halt, kow-towing in that direction.

  'In here! Why, fool, this is not a guest chamber.'

  'In here, Excellency,' David murmured. 'He wished to be near hisprisoners.'

  Would the governor detect the broken accent? Did he already suspectthat his companion was other than he imagined? For Tsu-Hi stood stillregarding the man who had admitted him. Something about the accentundoubtedly attracted his attention. But he was thinking more of Changthan of anything or any one else, Chang and the foreign devils whomthey, between them, had so cleverly captured. Then he put back his headand laughed, an almost silent laugh, in which there was a ring oftriumph.

  'He, he, he! So as to be near his prisoners,' he gurgled, opening a widemouth between the thin lips of which an uneven and irregular row ofyellow fangs were displayed. 'To be near his prisoners, as if he wouldtake a tender farewell of them and see as much of their faces aspossible before their hour comes. He, he, he! This Chang is a wittyfellow.'

  'What an old ruffian!' thought David, still, however, kow-towing.'Little tenderness we may expect from him, or from Chang either. In amoment I'll make him laugh on the other side of his ugly mouth. Here,Excellency,' he murmured once more, pushing the door a little wideropen. 'Enter.'

  The gorgeously dressed official was still shaking with suppressedamusement as he passed under the doorway. His hands were buried in hissleeves, and he was actually hugging himself.

  'A right merry fellow, this Chang! Who is he? Whence does he come withsuch a timely warning? He will be an excellent fellow with whom to chatand pass a few hours while others are sleeping. And then, when thisthing is finished, he will go. The Government will send urgent ordersfor his arrest, while I shall have already despatched men to search forhim, men who are led by a blind officer unable to find the right track.'

  It made him hug himself the harder when he considered how cunning hewas, and how he would hoodwink every one; for the deputy-governor was acunning rascal. Still smarting under the severe reproof he had hadadministered on a former occasion when Europeans were molested in thiswalled city of Hatsu, and by the loss of dignity which had resulted, theman, like thousands more of his countrymen, bore a lasting grudgeagainst foreign devils. He was one of the many jacks-in-office who stillhelp to sway the affairs of the celestial empire, clinging tenaciouslyand with great stubbornness to old methods, for a Chinaman is nothing ifnot conservative. The views his ancestors held are good enough for him,their education fills his needs, while the ancient system whereby a fewlive in luxury, and the vast majority in grinding poverty is a model ofall that is required. Some there are, and their numbers are steadilyincreasing, who have gained much by contact with the outside world, forwhom travel has relieved them of much arrogance. But the knowledge theypossess of the superiority of western nations in many things is lost inthe sea of ignorance, of bigotry, which is prevalent throughout thekingdom. One swallow does not make a summer. One enlightened mandarindoes not result in the rising of a mighty nation, in the break-up of allits cherished customs, in its advancement in the paths followed byothers privileged to live under wiser government.

  'To-morrow this Chang shall go. I myself will direct him, and also thosewho shall set out in pursuit in the opposite direction. Greeting, myfriend.'

  Tsu-Hi stalked majestically into the room and stood beneath the swayinglantern, his eyes blinking in the light as he searched for the man hehad come to visit. He had half-expected him to be there before him,kow-towing to the ground, for this jack-in-office loved humility inthose who served him. Then he caught sight of the figure huddled beneaththe patched and stained quilt spread over the _kang_, and chuckledloudly.

  'He sleeps, worn out with his efforts to warn us, but he will welcomethe deputy-governor. I will rouse him.'

  He stepped across to the kang, and touched the figure lying there. Hepulled the quilt back with a sharp jerk, disclosing the face of theTartar under-officer. But even then he did not realise that this was notChang, the man whom the Tartar had brought so secretly to him thatevening. It was only when, hearing the door bang, and turning slowly hediscovered the figure of the Tartar who had admitted him advancingswiftly that Tsu-Hi became alarmed.

  'Insolence!' he cried. 'What is this? Who bade you follow in here?Begone at once, else----'

  Even then he had not penetrated the disguise of the youth before him,though his alarm increased seeing that David did not halt, but came ontowards him. But, of a sudden, he grasped the real truth, for a revolveralready grinned within two feet of him. He started backward against the_kang_ and fell upon it A second later he was up again, and runningtowards the door like a startled rabbit, but David stopped him in amanner to which this very important official must ha
ve been a strangersince his earliest boyhood. He gripped Tsu-Hi by the shoulder, and witha heave tossed him heavily into the corner. Then he dragged him to hisfeet again, and pressed the muzzle of his weapon hard against his head.

  'Silence! Make a sound and you are a dead man. Strip off your garments.'

  How Jong would have giggled had he been able to see what was passing,for he would have enjoyed to the full the terror of this mandarin.Tsu-Hi's eyes indeed threatened to start from his head, while he shookso violently that his limbs would hardly support him. But the revolvergave him some sort of strength, that and the threatening looks of thishated foreign devil. Rapidly, as if he longed to be rid of them, hedragged off his gorgeous garment.

  'Boots, too,' commanded David fiercely. 'Now lie down on that _kang_.You can push the man farther over. Not a sound, mind, or I'll rid thiscity of a deputy-governor.'

  Little more than ten minutes later David emerged from the cell, leavingTsu-Hi trussed like a fowl, bound hand and foot with strips torn fromthe quilt, and nicely muzzled with a ball of the same wedged between histeeth and secured in position. He pulled the door to, shot the boltshome, and strode along the passage.