Read Online Chronicles of the Secret Service by Alexander Wilson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alexander Wilson
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the papers discovered there phoney!’
Yumasaki nodded.
‘How is it,’ he ventured, ‘you are so well informed?’
‘Ah! How am I?’ mocked Carter. ‘You sure would like to know, wouldn’t you?’
The Japanese clasped his hands beseechingly.
‘Please do not give me away. After all, if you are in truth an American ship’s officer, it is no concern of yours what is happening in Hong Kong, which is British.’
‘I kinda like the British,’ replied Carter, ‘and I guess I’ve no time for the Japs. And don’t you think I’m some sore about that nice little execution you planned for me?’
‘That was only – only a joke,’ Yumasaki told him hurriedly. ‘Surely, sir, you could not think I would seriously intend any harm to you.’
Carter laughed outright at that.
‘Fruity,’ he chuckled, ‘distinctly fruity! And, of course, this dagger was really meant as a little surprise present for a guest you held in high regard?’
‘How was I to know whether you were trustworthy or not? When the China Doll told me about you, I thought I had better see you, since the information she conveyed to me sounded most ominous. There was the suspicion that you might be a public spy. The dagger was for my own protection.’
‘Sez you,’ jeered the pseudo-American. ‘There’s just one thing more I’d like to know. Did you make inquiries to substantiate my statement that I was the second officer of the Seattle ?’
Yumasaki inclined his head.
‘Directly the China Doll told me about you,’ he acknowledged, ‘I caused Guttierez to telephone the customs office. He was informed that the Seattle was in, and that in spite of the fact that there was diphtheria on board, one of the officers had come on shore. Guttierez was even able to obtain a description which tallied with you.’
Carter smiled. He could trace the forethought of Sir Leonard Wallace in that.
‘Very accommodating customs they must have here,’ he murmured. ‘No doubt, they are anxious to find a man who broke quarantine. Naughty me!’
Yumasaki could not understand this flippancy. He eyed Carter doubtfully.
‘You will get into severe trouble,’ he declared in a tone that implied a certain amount of satisfaction.
‘I will, won’t I?’ agreed the other cheerfully. Then he became stern once more. ‘Look here,’ he demanded, ‘what has the China Doll got to do with this racket of yours? I’m darn sure you haven’t any hold over her to force her to fall into step like Guttierez and the rest.’
‘She is to be my wife,’ explained Yumasaki, as though that in itself was complete reason for the girl to take part in his espionage activities. Suddenly an idea seemed to occur to him. He leant forward, his eyes alight with renewed hope. ‘Listen, my friend,’ he begged, ‘I will make a bargain with you. Forget all you have learnt tonight, give me my freedom, and you can have the China Doll. I will abandon all claim to her.’
Carter shot to his feet, the dagger falling from beneath his arm as he did so.
‘Why, you miserable rat!’ he cried, disgust and indignation mingling in his voice. ‘You worm! I’ve a darn good mind to plug you offhand for that. So that’s the kind of noble lover you are!’
He raised the revolver threateningly. Yumasaki apparently thought he actually meant shooting him without further ado and, either in a desperate attempt to escape the bullet, or with the intention of making a bid for life and liberty, launched himself forward from the chair at Carter’s legs. His action was so apparently unpremeditated and sudden that the Englishman was taken by surprise. He was unacquainted with the tricks of ju-jutsu. Before he could step aside, his ankles were grasped, and the next moment he found himself flying over the prone form of the Japanese, to land with a crash behind him. Immediately,Yumasaki had grasped the dagger, jumped to his feet, and darted to the door. Carter had been badly shaken by his fall, but he had not
Yumasaki nodded.
‘How is it,’ he ventured, ‘you are so well informed?’
‘Ah! How am I?’ mocked Carter. ‘You sure would like to know, wouldn’t you?’
The Japanese clasped his hands beseechingly.
‘Please do not give me away. After all, if you are in truth an American ship’s officer, it is no concern of yours what is happening in Hong Kong, which is British.’
‘I kinda like the British,’ replied Carter, ‘and I guess I’ve no time for the Japs. And don’t you think I’m some sore about that nice little execution you planned for me?’
‘That was only – only a joke,’ Yumasaki told him hurriedly. ‘Surely, sir, you could not think I would seriously intend any harm to you.’
Carter laughed outright at that.
‘Fruity,’ he chuckled, ‘distinctly fruity! And, of course, this dagger was really meant as a little surprise present for a guest you held in high regard?’
‘How was I to know whether you were trustworthy or not? When the China Doll told me about you, I thought I had better see you, since the information she conveyed to me sounded most ominous. There was the suspicion that you might be a public spy. The dagger was for my own protection.’
‘Sez you,’ jeered the pseudo-American. ‘There’s just one thing more I’d like to know. Did you make inquiries to substantiate my statement that I was the second officer of the Seattle ?’
Yumasaki inclined his head.
‘Directly the China Doll told me about you,’ he acknowledged, ‘I caused Guttierez to telephone the customs office. He was informed that the Seattle was in, and that in spite of the fact that there was diphtheria on board, one of the officers had come on shore. Guttierez was even able to obtain a description which tallied with you.’
Carter smiled. He could trace the forethought of Sir Leonard Wallace in that.
‘Very accommodating customs they must have here,’ he murmured. ‘No doubt, they are anxious to find a man who broke quarantine. Naughty me!’
Yumasaki could not understand this flippancy. He eyed Carter doubtfully.
‘You will get into severe trouble,’ he declared in a tone that implied a certain amount of satisfaction.
‘I will, won’t I?’ agreed the other cheerfully. Then he became stern once more. ‘Look here,’ he demanded, ‘what has the China Doll got to do with this racket of yours? I’m darn sure you haven’t any hold over her to force her to fall into step like Guttierez and the rest.’
‘She is to be my wife,’ explained Yumasaki, as though that in itself was complete reason for the girl to take part in his espionage activities. Suddenly an idea seemed to occur to him. He leant forward, his eyes alight with renewed hope. ‘Listen, my friend,’ he begged, ‘I will make a bargain with you. Forget all you have learnt tonight, give me my freedom, and you can have the China Doll. I will abandon all claim to her.’
Carter shot to his feet, the dagger falling from beneath his arm as he did so.
‘Why, you miserable rat!’ he cried, disgust and indignation mingling in his voice. ‘You worm! I’ve a darn good mind to plug you offhand for that. So that’s the kind of noble lover you are!’
He raised the revolver threateningly. Yumasaki apparently thought he actually meant shooting him without further ado and, either in a desperate attempt to escape the bullet, or with the intention of making a bid for life and liberty, launched himself forward from the chair at Carter’s legs. His action was so apparently unpremeditated and sudden that the Englishman was taken by surprise. He was unacquainted with the tricks of ju-jutsu. Before he could step aside, his ankles were grasped, and the next moment he found himself flying over the prone form of the Japanese, to land with a crash behind him. Immediately,Yumasaki had grasped the dagger, jumped to his feet, and darted to the door. Carter had been badly shaken by his fall, but he had not
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