say that old Bainbridge gave eighty thousand
pounds for a unique string of stones, emeralds, diamonds, rubies and
sapphires which belonged to the old Sultan of Turkey, Abdul Hamid, and
which were sold in Paris six months ago."

"Yes. I've always heard that the old fellow has money to burn. Wish I
had!"

"So do I, Charlie. But, after all, money isn't everything. What shall
we do to-night?"

"Let's dance later on--shall we?" he suggested, and she consented
readily.

They sat by the fire together for half an hour chatting, while she
told him of her doings in Paris after he had left. Then she rose and
made an inspection of his bachelor room, examining his photographs, as
was her habit. Ten years ago a girl would hesitate to go to a
bachelor's room, but not so to-day when women can venture wherever men
can go.

On that same afternoon Sir Polworth Urquhart, returning home to Mount
Street at six o'clock, found among his letters on the study table a
thin one which bore a Hong Kong stamp. The superscription was, he saw,
in a native hand. He hated the sly Chinese and all their ways.

On tearing it open he found within a slip of rice-paper on which some
Chinese characters had been traced. He looked at them for a few
seconds and then translated them aloud to himself:

"Tai-K'an has not forgotten the great English mandarin!"

"Curse Tai-K'an!" growled Sir Polworth under his breath. "After ten
years I thought he had forgotten. But those Orientals are slim folk. I
hope his memory is a pleasant one," he added grimly as he rose and
placed the envelope and the paper in the fire.

"A very curious message," he reflected as he passed back to his
writing-table. "It's a threat--because of that last sign. I remember
seeing that sign before and being told that it was the sign of
vengeance of the Tchan-Yan, the secret society of the Yellow Riband.
But, bah! what need I care? I'm not in China now--thank Heaven!"

As he seated himself to answer his correspondence, however, a curious
drama rose before his eyes. One day, ten years ago, while acting as
Deputy-Governor, he had had before him a criminal case in which a
young Chinese girl was alleged to have caused her lover's death by
poison. The girl was the daughter of a small merchant named Tai-K'an,
who sold all his possessions in order to pay for the girl's defense.

The case was a flimsy one from the start, but in the native court
where it was heard there was much bribery by the fri