l had decided that to save
him, the amputation of his arm would be necessary, for the dagger which
had cut it had been poisoned.

In the midst of this trouble, Priscilla's absence was discovered, and
Macao was alarmed. Men were sent from the Governor's house in all
directions to search the public houses, the fishing boats, and every
possible place within the small territory. Word was sent to Taipa. While
the officials were thus employed, private parties of searchers went over
the entire peninsula looking among the rocks and copses of the Estrada
and even the Parsee Tower of Silence was examined, but all in vain. The
fan-tan house proprietor told of two unknown women with a Chinese
servant who had visited his house, but when they had left he did not
know. No more was learned though the search still continued, for large
rewards were offered by Dom Amaral as well as by the Governor.

Dom Pedro directed the movements, taking greatest interest in all that
seemed possible to form a clue, and did not rest for nearly forty-eight
hours. Days soon formed a week but no news came, and Macao began to
drowze again. Detectives from Hong Kong came, made the usual fuss and
reached the usual conclusions of their kind, that it was a mysterious
event.

Contrary to all predictions Robert Adams, having become convalescent and
the surgical operation by which he had lost his arm having proved
successful when having heard the awful news, did not have a relapse into
the fever but seemed with a determination to become more rapidly strong,
and in five weeks was able to be about. He, of all Priscilla's friends,
was most hopeful. To his mind vividly came the scene at the Ruins of
St. Paul and that last sound he had heard. Adams' first walk was to the
scene of his attempted assassination and Madam de Amaral, who was much
broken with grief at the terrible event, accompanied him in her chair,
Dom Pedro going with them.

It was the month of May and the heat being oppressive Madam d'Amaral
after viewing the scene was carried home and the two young men walked on
to the Marcos garden. "I have a clue Dom Robert," said Dom Pedro as they
seated themselves beneath a broad banyan tree from which a view of St.
Paul's ruin could be had. "There began your troubles," he said pointing,
"and there this morning I received a paper which will I hope lead to a
solution of this mystery." He handed Adams a bit of Chinese paper on
which was written in Portuguese, "Come