s for the refuge for homeless
ones and informing her of the whereabouts of the cattle and the remaining
gold, he dashed from the room. Armed with his automatic, he went at once
to the heart of the most treachery-ridden city in the world. Where was he
to search for her? He had not the remotest notion. Suddenly, thinking of
the telegrams she meant to send to Hong Kong ordering rice and sweet
potatoes and of the visit she had meant to make to the owner of the
unoccupied hotel, he decided to attempt to trace her steps at these
places.

At the telephone station, the agent, referring to his reports, established
the fact that she had sent the telegrams. At the office of the owner of
the hotel she was unknown. No American woman had been to him to rent the
hotel. That much then was settled; somewhere between the telegraph office
and the hotel owner's place of business she had been spirited away.

Johnny began tracing out the course she would probably have taken. A
narrow side street offered a short cut. Being familiar with the city and
in a hurry, she would take that. Half way down this street, Johnny came
upon a familiar door. It was that of Wo Cheng, the Chinese costumer. He
had had dealings with Wo Cheng during his sojourn in this city as a
soldier. Here was a man he could trust. He paused by the door and gave the
accustomed signal of those other days.

In answer to his rap, the door opened a crack.

"Oo-we! Johnny!" grunted the Chinaman, opening the door, then closed it
quickly as Johnny entered.

"You come buy?" he rubbed his hands together.

"No come buy?"

"Wanchee cum-show?"

"No wanchee cum show. No wanchee money."

"Oo-we!" grunted the Chinaman again.

Johnny's eyes were restlessly roving over the array of garments that hung
on either side of a narrow aisle. Suddenly he uttered a low exclamation
and sprang to a corner and examined a woman's dress.

"Wo Cheng," he demanded almost fiercely, "where you come buy this?"

"Oo-we!" squealed the Chinaman. "Can't tell mine, not savvy mine."

"You woncha savvy!" Johnny hissed between tight set teeth.

"Mebby can do," murmured the Chinaman hurriedly. "No see. Mebby now see.
See Jap man, this one, velly small Jap man. This one think mine."

"Good," said Johnny. "Now perhaps you can tell me what kind of a dress he
took away?"

"Mebby can do." The man, fumbling among his garments, came upon a plain,
Russian, peasant type of dress.

"Take look, see," he murmured.