ht light and placed before the Ruby King.

The latter looked steadily at Jack, and Jack returned the stare with
interest. The Ruby King had a huge, gross face, thick-lipped and
evil-eyed. He was dressed splendidly in a rich embroidered jacket of
pink silk, a silken kilt striped in red and white, and a huge pink
_gaung-baung_ on his head; in the front of his head-dress blazed a
magnificent ruby.

He looked long and keenly at Jack, and the latter thought that U Saw
was going to speak to him, but the Ruby King said nothing, and at last
waved his hand. Upon this Jack was led aside by the Malay and made to
sit down upon a large, heavy chair near the right-hand wall. All this
was done in perfect silence, and for some minutes Jack sat there
waiting, while U Saw seemed to forget his presence, and rested upon
the pile of cushions with head bent as if in deep thought.

Suddenly the Strangler, who had been moving to and fro, disappeared
behind Jack's chair. Jack was about to turn his head to keep an eye on
his enemy's movements, when he felt a soft silken band slipped swiftly
over his head and tightened about his shoulders. At the same instant a
couple of attendants flung themselves upon him and held him down
tightly in the chair.

Jack tried to throw them off and wrench himself free, but his hands
had never been unfettered, and he was easily mastered. In a trice he
found himself securely lashed to the heavy chair, and then felt
another broad band of silk drawn over his mouth. Coolly and
methodically the Strangler gagged him in so skilful a fashion that he
could not utter a sound, though he was able to breathe quite easily.
When both bonds and gag were secure he was released from the grip of
the men who had held him down, and the attendants and the Malay
stepped aside.

The next movement puzzled Jack beyond measure. A muslin curtain,
running on a light bamboo rod, was drawn before him, thus cutting him
off from the main body of the apartment. With the exception that he
had been firmly seized and held down while the Strangler bound him,
Jack had not been roughly treated, and he was quite free to turn his
head from side to side and mark all that went on.

In a few moments the Ruby King raised his hand. As if in response to
the signal an attendant struck one deep booming rolling note on a
great gong. Jack looked eagerly to see what would follow. And that
which did follow held him spell-bound with amazement and wonder.

A doo