kin with one of fawn skin, she finally laid aside the latter. Then she
attacked the pile of fur trousers. At the bottom she came upon some
short bloomers, made also of fawn skin. With another little gurgle of
laughter, she stepped into these. Next she drew the spotted fawn skin
parka over her head, and stood there at last, the picture of a winsome
Eskimo maid.

This done, woman-like, she plumed herself for a time before a murky
mirror. Then, turning briskly, she slipped out of the garments and back
into her own.

"You wanchee cumshaw?" she asked, handing the furs to the Chinaman to be
wrapped.

The Chinaman grinned.

From somewhere on her person she extracted bills, American bills. Johnny
was not surprised at that, for in these uncertain times, American money
had come to be an undisputed medium of exchange. It was always worth as
much to-day as yesterday--very often more. The thing that did surprise
Johnny was the size of the bills she left with the dealer. She was
buying those garments, there could be no question about that. But why?
No one in this region would think of wearing them. They were seldom seen
five hundred miles north. And this woman was a Japanese. There were no
Japanese men at Khabarask, five hundred miles north, let alone Japanese
women; Johnny knew that.

But the door had closed. The American looked at his watch. It was one
o'clock. The train went at four. He must hurry.

He was about to move out from among the furs, when again there came a
rap, this time loud and insistent, as if coming from one who was
accustomed to be obeyed.

"American officer!" Johnny stifled a groan, as he slid back into hiding.

"Wo Cheng!" he cautioned again in a whisper, "my wanchee you keep mouth
shut; you savvy?"

"O-o-ee," mumbled Wo Cheng, his hand on the latch.

CHAPTER II

THE MYSTERIOUS RUSSIAN

Johnny's jaw dropped, and he barely checked a gasp, as through his
screen of furs he saw the man who now entered Wo Cheng's den of
disguises. He was none other than the man of the street fight, the short
one of the broad shoulders and sharp chin. Johnny was surprised in more
ways than one; surprised that the man was here at all; that it could
have been he who had given that authoritative signal at the door, and
most of all, surprised that Wo Cheng should have admitted him so
readily, and should be treating him with such deference.

"Evidently," Johnny thought to himself, "this fellow has been here
before