one girl in the world who
answered to that description. Eileen Lorimer! She had been captured
again, and brought back to China!

He grabbed for the paper. It was gone. Gone, too, was the
black-garbed attendant, hastening to his master.

Harrison was pawing his shoulder with a skinny, white hand, and making
noises in his throat.

"You lucky fool! He'll give you _cumshaw_. God, you have sharp ears!
Only one man I ever knew had such sharp ears. He always gives
_cumshaw_. _Na-mien-pu-liao-pa_! You must divide with me. That is
only fair. But--what difference? Here you can enter, but you can
never leave. You have no use for silver. I have."

The face of Eileen Lorimer swam out of Peter's crazed mind. Miss Vost,
that lovely innocent-eyed creature, fitted the same description!

Peter stared stupidly at the massive transmission key, and disdained a
reply. Miss Vost--and the red mines! He shuddered.

Harrison was whining again at his ear. "He says yes. Yes! Tell that
fellow yes, and be quick. The Gray Dragon will give him an extra
thousand taels for haste. Oh, the lucky fool! Two thousand taels!
Tell him, or shall I?"

How could Peter say no? The ghastly white face was staring at him
suspiciously now.

While he hesitated Harrison pushed him aside, and his fingers flew up
and down on the black rubber knob. "Yes--yes--yes. Send her in a
hurry. A thousand taels bonus. The lucky devil!"

Out of Peter's anguish came but one solution, and that vague and
indecisive. He must wait and watch for Miss Vost, and take what
drastic measures he could devise to recapture her when the time came.

The pallid lips trembled again at his ear. "Here! You must divide
with me. A bag of silver. _Yin_! A bag of it! Listen to the chink
of it!"

Peter seized the yellow pouch and thrust it under his silken blouse.
He was beginning to realize that he had been exceptionally lucky in
catching the signals of the Szechwan station. He was vastly more
important now than this wretch who plucked at his arm.

"Give me my half!" whined Harrison.

Peter doubled his fist.

"Give me my half!" Harrison clung to his arm and shook him irritably.

Peter hit him squarely in the mouth.

CHAPTER XVIII

As night melted into day and day was swallowed up by night, the problem
which confronted Peter took on more serious and baffling proportions.
His hope of entering the ivory palace was dismissed. It was imperative
f