CHAPTER V.
OLD KING BRADY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.
Harper's Hotel, on Mission street, both before and since the fire wasalways a great resort for Secret Service men.
In fact, the proprietor himself was formerly one.
As it happened, this was one of the few buildings in that part of thecity which escaped the fire, so the public house at which Old King Bradyturned up late that afternoon was the same old Harper's Hotel.
Detective Leggett, disguised as a dock laborer, sat in the cafe playingdominoes with another Secret Service man.
The minute he saw Old King Brady, without waiting to finish the game, hepushed the dominoes aside and made a sign for the old detective tofollow, then leading him upstairs.
"I'm living here just now," he said. "I don't know as you know it."
"No; I didn't know," was the reply. "Have you caught on to anything?"
"I think so. Volckman's a sly one, but I have had a good chance to watchhim. He quit an hour earlier than usual to-night. So did I, and Itrailed him to China alley and saw him go into a crib there."
"Good for you! What kind of a crib?"
"Oh, there is supposed to be about everything that is crooked going onthere. Mock Ting's restaurant is on the ground floor of the Dupontstreet side. There's a fan-tan joint on the third floor. I understandthere are underground rooms. I don't actually know any of them to beopium joints, but I have no doubt that some of them are."
"It's enough that you have tracked Volckman there. What do you propose?"
"It's up to you, Mr. Brady. I have no pull in Chinatown. That is what wewant."
"It surely is. I used to have a lot, but times have changed. I hardlyknow who to apply to now. I hate to ring in a wardman."
"I wouldn't," said Leggett, with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don'tbelieve it would pay. I'm ready to bust ahead with you and take ourchances."
"I have little faith in that, either. Volckman doesn't look like a manwho used opium. He must have had special business to call him there. Butlet us get down there, anyway."
This conversation took place in Leggett's room upstairs.
"Better drop this rig, hadn't I?" he asked.
"I think so."
"If we only had some one who could speak Chinese."
"Get ready," said the old detective, impatiently. "We'll go ahead and dothe best we can."
It was about six o'clock when they reached the House of the SevenDelights.
"We'll take supper in the restaurant as a starter," said Old King Brady."It is not impossible that I may strike somebody I know."
They entered to find the place reasonably full.
The old detective picked out a central table, from which they could seein all directions.
Supper was ordered, and they had almost finished when Old King Bradysuddenly said:
"There's a man I know. Just sitting at the third table on the left asyou come in from the door."
Leggett looked.
"A Jap, isn't he?"
"Half Japanese and half Chinese. Don't you know him?"
"No."
"You will be surprised, then, when I tell you that he was once a SecretService man."
"Is that so? He never operated in San Francisco in my time, then. What'shis name?"
"Dr. Garshaski."
"Is he really a doctor?"
"Yes. I certainly ought to know him. He made me trouble enough. I don'tlike this. I thought the man was in China."
An inkling of the truth dawned upon Old King Brady.
The sight of Dr. Garshaski had stirred him more than he would have caredto own.
"If Alice fell into the clutches of that fellow, then heaven help her!"he thought.
He hardly knew whether he ought to show himself to the doctor or attemptto trail him.
But the matter promptly settled itself.
Dr. Garshaski saw him.
Old King Brady, who was watching him closely, did not fail to note thestart he gave.
He immediately got up, and the old detective thought it was with theintention of leaving the restaurant, but instead of that he came forwardto their table and, putting out both hands, exclaimed:
"Mr. Brady! I am rejoiced! My best friend! My savior, I may say! Well,well!"
Old King Brady shook hands and invited the doctor to sit down,introducing Leggett as a Secret Service man.
"Do you mind if I take my supper at this table?" asked the doctor.
"Not at all," was the reply.
Having come up with the man, it seemed to the old detective that hemight as well listen to anything he had to say.
"I thought you were going to China, doctor?" he began.
"Did go," replied the doctor. "I have been across twice since I saw you.How is Young King Brady?"
"Well."
"In San Francisco?"
"I don't know where he is just now. He is working for a man on a privatematter. It is some little time since I heard from him."
"And--I almost hesitate to ask for reasons such as you--you know, Mr.Brady. How is that loveliest of her sex, Miss Montgomery?"
Old King Brady's eyes were right upon him as he quietly answered:
"I cannot tell you, doctor."
"Cannot tell! Has the partnership been dissolved, then?"
"Temporarily, yes."
"You speak strangely, Mr. Brady. I hope and trust that nothing has gonewrong in that direction. You need not fear to trust me. I have quiterecovered from my mad folly, I assure you."
"Something has gone very wrong, doctor. It is now several days sinceMiss Montgomery disappeared right here in San Francisco."
The doctor threw up his hands dramatically.
"Don't tell me that!" he cried. "Under what circumstances?"
"The circumstances belong to Secret Service business. I cannot statethem. It may be, however, that she has fallen into the hands of yourpeople."
"Now, don't call the Chinese my people. I am the son of a Japanesegentleman, as you well know. You touch me deeply. If there is anything Ican do to help, command me."
"You are very kind. And your address?"
The doctor produced a card.
The address it bore was a number on Stockton street.
"I have a room in that house just at present," he said.
Leggett sat quiet through all this.
Still engaging the doctor in conversation, the old detective trod on histoe.
The signal was returned.
Old King Brady felt that he had been understood, when the Secret Serviceman suddenly arose and said:
"Will you excuse me, Mr. Brady? I have to keep that appointment withHoles."
"Go on," said Old King Brady. "You are a bit late for it now."
He left himself as soon as the doctor's supper was served.
Going around on to China alley, he found Leggett somewhat disguisedwatching the rear entrance to the house of the Seven Delights.
"That man must be shadowed," he said. "It is useless for me to undertakeit other than in a general way. He has worked for me and knows mymethods of disguising. He is as keen as a razor. Some time ago he fellmadly in love with Miss Montgomery, and we had all kinds of trouble withhim. I am afraid he is at the bottom of her disappearance."
"I'm on the job. Where shall I lay for him? Here or in front?"
"In front."
"Will I do as I am?"
"It's the best you can do at short notice. Listen. You saw him give mehis card. I am going to his room on Stockton street. If I can get in Ishall not hesitate to give it a good overhauling. I must be quick. Dothe best you can for me, Leggett."
The Secret Service man gave his promise and Old King Brady hurried away.
The Stockton street house proved to be a four-story brick tenementfilled with Japanese.
There was a bell-board with names on it, but that of Dr. Garshaski didnot appear.
Old King Brady had just finished studying the names when a Jap came outthrough the open door.
The old detective showed the doctor's card.
"Know him?" he asked.
But the man appeared to be short on English.
"No know," he said. Then pointing inside he made the old detectiveunderstand that he was to inquire at the last door on the right, whichhe did.
This proved to be the janitor, whose English was quite understandable.
"Top floor," he said. "He only hire room of 'nother man. Las' doorleft."
Old King Brady traveled up the stairs.
He felt that he was running every risk of discovery by the doctor.
Encountering no one in the upper hall, he knocked lightly on the door.
There was no answer.
Producing his skeleton keys, he easily mastered the lock.
It was only a bedroom. There was but little furniture.
On the top of a chiffonier was Alice's picture in an elaborate giltframe, which did not bear out the doctor's assurance that he had gotover being love-sick.
Without losing an instant the old detective opened the drawers of thischiffonier and began disturbing things as little as possible.
It was not until the lower drawer was reached that he found anything tointerest him.
The first was a bunch of three letters fastened by a rubber band.
There were other letters, some in Japanese and some in Chinese.
These, however, were in English, and when Old King Brady caught thesignature, "R. Volckman," he knew that he had made a discovery.
This letter was brief enough. It read:
"DEAR SIR: Yours receipted. I shall be ready for you at 2 thirty. All serene. R. VOLCKMAN."
"This settles it," muttered the old detective. "Volckman has beenstanding in with these opium smugglers all right, and the doctor is inthe deal. I shall arrest the man on sight."
He ran over the other letters.
All related to the landing of the smuggled opium.
In one Volckman agreed to furnish boats to the Chinese smugglers, withmen to take charge of them.
The other was a demand to know when and where he could meet Dr.Garshaski.
There was no mention of the Chinese princess nor of Alice.
Old King Brady pocketed the letters and proceeded to examine a trunk,which he opened with a skeleton key.
Here he found other letters and photographs of several Chinese andJapanese women.
All the letters appeared to be in these languages, as the old detectivehastily ran over them.
There was one photograph of a very peculiar looking young woman who wasnot altogether unhandsome.
She was dressed in a fancy Mexican costume.
To the old detective she looked as if she might be of mixed stock,Mexican and Chinese, or Mexican and Japanese.
But as none of these things interested the old detective, he returnedthem to the trunk and closed it.
Scarce had he done so when there came a knock on the door, which had notbeen locked.
Of course, this could not be the doctor.
Thinking that it might lead to some further discovery, Old King Bradyslipped into a closet and remained on the watch through the crack of thedoor.
Again came the knocking, a little more insistent, and then the dooropened and a young woman very stylishly dressed walked into the room.
A glance was sufficient to identify her as the original of thephotograph the old detective had just been looking at.
She stood peering about as if expecting Dr. Garshaski to jump out at herfrom the closet or under the bed.
Then suddenly she made a rush for the chiffonier, seized the gilt frame,pulled Alice's picture out of it, spit on it, tore it to pieces, andstamped it under her feet, her eyes blazing with jealous rage and hate.
It was easy now to see that the girl--she was little more--was aMexican-Chinese half-breed.
"Ah ha, my lady!" thought Old King Brady, "I see how the case stands!It's to be hoped that you speak English. You may prove a very valuableally. I'm glad now that I came here."
He stepped out into full view.
The young woman gave a scream and made a bolt for the door.
"Stay, daughter! A word with you," the old detective said.
The Bradys After a Chinese Princess; Or, The Yellow Fiends of 'Frisco Page 5
