bbed from the
vice-like grip of the jiu-jitsu. Chen still breathed hard and his almond
eyes rolled nervously. At last he was quiet again, although the slender
fingers twitched hungrily for a clawing of that dirty neck. Shirley
patted him on the back. Judgment had come to another of the gangsters,
and the criminologist was pleased at the diminution in the ranks of his
opponent.

An examination of his cabinet and dresser drawers showed that the
pillaging had barely begun when Chen popped out of his hiding-place.
It was no wonder that Warren had been so solicitous as to the speeding
time: intuition had once more intervened to interrupt these well-laid
schemes.

The little Jap could tell barely more of his adventure than that he had
opened the door when he heard men walking and talking in the room. Then
the struggle had ensued, with the result already described.

Now, indeed, was Shirley more puzzled than ever at Warren's sudden
departure. It had upset the plans of the conspirators: it was an
unwelcome surprise to their Chief. And furthermore it had interfered
with a little scheme of the criminologist by which he had expected to
craftily imprison his guest for the remainder of the night.

The room was put in order--not much was there to rearrange, for the
tussle had come so promptly. With a final look at his belongings,
Shirley left Chen in charge, not forgetting to slip to him another
reward for his courage.

Then he went downstairs and hurried over to the Hotel California to hold
a conference of war with Helene Marigold.

She was nervous, as she greeted him. Yet a subtle smile on her face
showed that she was not surprised by the visit. Shirley quickly outlined
the occurrences of the dinner hour. When he asked her opinion, for he
had learned to place a growing trust in her quick grasp of things, she
walked silently to her typewriter.

"Here, sir, is a little note which may amuse you."

She handed him a piece of paper. It read:

"Chief: The Monk has turned up at the Blue Goose on Water Street. He is
drunk and telling all he knows. Come down at once to help us quiet him.
Hurry or every thing will be known. You know who."

Shirley looked at the message, and then with tilted eyebrows at his fair
companion.

"What do you know about the Blue Goose?" he asked. "And the Monk? For I
presume that you wrote this out?"

"Your presumption is correct. I remembered hearing Warren ask Taylor
this afternoon after that telep