ee Fu shook his head. 'No, Captain, he is amply protected. What could
I accomplish in your courts with this fantastic tale, and for witnesses
a coolie and a sampan man?'

"I continued to pace the floor, thinking dark thoughts. There was a way,
of course, between man and man; but such things are no longer done in
the heart of civilization, except in sudden passion or jealousy.

"Pacing rapidly, and oblivious to everything but the four walls of the
room, I nearly ran into Sing Toy coming in with a message from the outer
office. He whispered a word in Lee Fu's ear.

"'Ah!' exclaimed Lee Fu sharply. I started, whirled around. His voice
had lost the level, passive tone; it had taken on the timbre of action.

"'Send him in,' he said in Chinese to Sing Toy.

"'Who is it?' I asked breathlessly.

"'The man we have been speaking of.'

"'Wilbur? What the devil does he want?'

"'Nothing,' answered Lee Fu, speaking swiftly. 'He merely came to make a
call. So he thinks; but I think otherwise. Beware of word or glance.
This chanced by arrangement. We are on the threshold of the gods.'

"Lee Fu remained standing as Captain Wilbur entered the room. His
hurried admonition still rang in my ears: 'Keep silence--beware of word
or glance!' But I couldn't have spoken intelligibly just then. To beware
of glances was a different matter. I stood as if rooted to the floor,
gazing point-blank at Wilbur with a stare that must have made him wonder
as to my sanity.

"'Good afternoon, Captain Wilbur,' said Lee Fu blandly. 'I think you are
acquainted with Captain Nichols, of the bark "Omega"?'

"'Oh, how-do, Nichols,' said Wilbur, advancing down the room. 'I've
missed you around town for a good while. Glad you're back. I suppose you
had the usual assortment of adventures?'

"I drew back to escape shaking his hand.

"'No,' I answered, 'nothing like the adventure that awaited me here.'

"He settled himself in a chair, directly in range of the light, smiled,
and lifted his eyebrows. 'So? Well, I can believe you. This office, you
know, is the heart of all adventure.' He bowed toward Lee Fu, who had
resumed his seat.

"'You honor me, Captain,' replied the Chinaman. 'Yet it is only life
which may be called the heart of adventure--life, with its amazing
secrets that one by one transpire into the day, and with its enormous
burden of evil that weighs us down like slaves.'

"Wilbur laughed. 'Yes, that's it, no doubt. Good, too, Lee Fu, plenty o