CHAPTER XXXI
THE RESCUE
"Lord," McKelvie muttered low, as we set Lee down upon the lowest step."He's evidently in the game, too. No wonder he was so obliging aboutletting us pass, since there probably is no outlet yonder," and hejerked his head toward the top of the stairs.
He pulled out his gun and leveled it at the Chinaman. "Now then, Hi, orwhatever your name is, just raise your arms above your head and backinto that room, or you'll get a taste of this," and he tapped hisrevolver menacingly, but the Chinaman only continued to regard usplacidly, with no change of expression on his yellow countenance.
McKelvie spoke to me in an undertone. "He knows darn well I won't shoot,damn him, since it would bring the house about our ears. I have a betterplan. I'll take Lee on my back and you can give yonder Chinaman a punchin the jaw. Then we'll make tracks for the door. Once we get outsidewe'll be fairly safe, for these Chinamen don't want a row with thepolice if they can avoid it."
He slipped his automatic back into his pocket, and while he slung Leeover his shoulder, I swaggered up to the Chinaman.
"Better let us pass, bo," I said roughly in character, to gain time."You might get hurt, Chink."
Again that stolid indifference, as though to him we did not exist, whichmade my blood boil and gave my arm an added impetus. The next moment theChinaman was sprawling on the ground and we had gained the other room.With my cap pulled well over my face I was making tracks for the door toget it open for us to pass, when I heard a yell from McKelvie.
"Duck!" he cried, and as I obeyed I heard something whizz over my headand a hatchet buried itself in the wall ahead of me. I turned sharplyand grappled with a lithe, yellow-clad figure that had sprung at me fromthe side of the room.
In tense silence we struggled, each striving to reach the other'sthroat, and as we fought I caught a glimpse of some heavy metal objecton a stand near one corner of the room. Warily, inch by inch, I forcedmy adversary back until he fell against the stand, losing his balanceand almost carrying me with him. With an effort I kept my feet, freeingmy arm with a sudden movement, and as he swayed clutching at me, Igrasped the metal candlestick and brought it down upon his head. Hisfingers loosened from my arm and he went down with a sickening thud.
Then, panting, I turned to look for McKelvie. He was standing in theopposite corner, shielding Lee's unconscious form, with his gun coveringthe old Chinaman whom I had first knocked out and who had succeeded injoining the fray again, and now stood as stolidly as ever beside a thirdChinaman, who lay prostrate on the floor.
I advanced to McKelvie's side and as I did so I glanced again at theprostrate Chinaman. To my horror he was not as insensible as I had atfirst supposed. One arm was drawn back and he was on the point ofhurling a murderous looking hatchet at McKelvie's head.
"Look out," I yelled, but McKelvie had seen him too.
There was a spat from McKelvie's gun, the hatchet went flying backwardsand the Chinaman rolled over, howling with pain and rage. The momentarydiversion, however, had served the other Chinaman in good stead. BeforeI could reach him he had glided to a counter, lifted a clapper andstruck upon a gong. The next moment the Chinks came pouring in about uslike rats from their holes.
I managed somehow to reach McKelvie's side before the onslaught began,and together we kept our backs to the corner where Lee lay huddled. ThenMcKelvie raised his pistol and deliberately shot out the light. Afterthat, confusion reigned. I could hear the scuffle of feet, an occasionalflash from McKelvie's gun, and a scream of agony as the bullet tore itsway through soft flesh, followed by a quick report from my automatic,which I had drawn even though he had given me no leave, then again theshuffle, shuffle of feet, while we warded off blows and tried to keepour unseen enemies at a distance.
And then into the midst of this turmoil a high pitched voice cut like aknife. It was not a Chinaman's voice. It was a refined, cultivated, butdistinctly American voice, and it seemed to me that I had heard itsintonation before at some time.
Querulously it demanded a light, and as someone lighted the gas theChinamen fell away from before us. We were battered and bruised,McKelvie and I, but otherwise unhurt, and we still stood with our backsto Lee Darwin, protecting him from the assault of his foes.
In the flickering light of the one poor burner I could see that the roomwas filled with Chinamen, or perhaps I mistook shadows for the reality,since though they remained inactive they shuffled about in thebackground, passing and repassing each other continually. Then a manstepped forward into the limelight and I saw the owner of that cuttingvoice.
With arms folded and head thrust forward, he stood and glaredmalevolently at McKelvie, and I beheld with astonishment the bent oldfigure and the white hair and beard shining like silver in that light.Though he took no notice of me, still I could feel his antagonism andwished for a moment that he would cast aside the heavy blue glasses hewore and give me a chance to see his eyes.
"So," he said, in that high-pitched voice, sarcastically strident in itsintonation, "you thought to get ahead of me, eh? You thought I was sucha fool that I wouldn't prepare for your visit, eh? There are a fewpeople still left who have more brains than you think, Mr. McKelvie."
McKelvie returned his empty gun to his pocket very coolly, and thenlaughed softly.
"Stand aside and let Hi Ling take that boy. Then I will settle with you,Mr. Detective," went on the old man, unfolding his arms and thrusting ahand into the pocket of the long coat he wore.
McKelvie laughed again. "Come and get him, you murderer," he said,quietly.
With a snarl of rage the man flung out his arm and fired. I saw McKelviedraw aside quickly and then bite his lips as his left arm fell limply athis side. With a curse I leaped forward, but McKelvie pulled me backjust as there arose a banging on the outer door and a shrill whistlesounded clear and loud outside.
There was a cry of "Police, the Police" and with an oath the old manfired again, at Lee, and then he shot up tall and extinguished thelight. Pandemonium was let loose. There was a scurry of feet, thebanging of a door, yells and execrations, hoarse cries, men's voicesshouting loudly, and then something struck me on the head. I fellheavily to the ground, and as I did so a flash was thrust into my faceand I heard Jones' voice exclaim as from a great distance, "Mr. Davies,by all that's holy," and then blackness descended upon me.
I came to myself with the sensation that someone was pouring red-hotliquid down my throat. I sat up, gasping, to find Jones bending over mewith a brandy flask in his hand.
"All right?" he asked.
Recollection swept over me. "Where's McKelvie?" I managed to reply.
"Yonder." Jones nodded his head toward the chair where McKelvie sat,grinning like a Cheshire cat.
His clothes were torn, his face was smeared with blood, and his left armhad been recently bandaged, but he wore the expression of a conqueror,as he commanded the doctor to cease fussing over him and to look afterLee, who was still unconscious.
Then I realized that we were no longer in the curio shop, but inMcKelvie's living-room, and that Lee was lying upon a couch, asmotionless and rigid as a corpse.
The doctor ordered that the boy be put to bed, and McKelvie told Jonesto ring for Dinah. When she came in presently, wrapped in an old kimonaand with her woolly wig more belligerent than ever, McKelvie asked herto get a room ready. Then the doctor and Jones carried Lee from theroom.
"What happened after I went down?" I asked, feeling the lump on my head."I remember hearing Jones, and that is all."
"I'm ashamed to acknowledge that when I knew that the police wereactually in the room, I fainted," he replied with a grin. "When I cameto myself, those Chinamen who could get away had vanished, and with themthe old man. I'd have given ten years of my life to get a glimpse of hiseyes behind those glasses. I have a feeling that once having seen them Ishould never forget them."
"So he got away," I said.
"Oh, yes, Jones of course knew nothing about him, and when I was in acondition to explain, th
e fellow was far away. The police searched forhim, but without avail. So I told them not to bother and ordered Jonesto bring us here." He sat back with a smile, but I could see that hisarm was giving him pain. "It was a great fight and the best part wasthat we were able to rescue Lee."
"Yes," I replied. "I should very much like to hear his story. By theway, that vindictive old man didn't shoot him, did he?"
"No, I don't believe he more than grazed him, if he hit him at all.Naturally he was trying to prevent us from taking the boy away fromthere."
"He had no trouble recognizing you," I continued. "Has he seen youbefore?"
"Doubtless. A man of his caliber would acquaint himself with hisadversaries for safety's sake. He saw me the night we chased him in thestudy, and what is more, I made no attempt to disguise myself to-nightwhen he stood there looking at me. That's why he tried to kill me. Iread his purpose though and waited until he had flung out his arm tofire, and then I moved aside, but not quite out of range, as you saw,"and he glanced at his arm. "But here is Jones. What does the doctorsay?"
"He'll pull him around. That black woman of yours is certainly a trump.She's making him some broth. The boy's starved," answered Jones, then helooked at us and grinned. "It's a good thing for you fellows that Ihappened to be at Headquarters to-night, when your man called us, Mr.Davies. I twigged what was up and had the dope in a second, so I wasable to get to you in time."
"I'm eternally grateful to you, Jones, and so is Mr. Davies," returnedMcKelvie, holding out his hand, which Jones accepted with a sheepishsmile. "But for you we might be occupying the river by now."
"Don't say any more," expostulated Jones, as I added my share ofgratitude. "It's all part of the job. Well, doctor?"
"He's coming on fine. He's got a good nurse. I'll be around in themorning to have another look at him," said the doctor. "And now myadvice to you, sir," turning to McKelvie, "is to get to bed and let thatarm have a chance to recover. That was a nasty flesh wound you got. Comealong, Jones."
"I'll be around again, too," said Jones, "to hear that young man'sstory. I don't know what all this has to do with the murder, but histale should be interesting, to say the least."
We agreed and then went upstairs, where we got rid of our rags and had agood wash. Then McKelvie loaned me a pair of pajamas and a bed, whichhad never been more welcome to my throbbing head.
The Mystery of the Hidden Room Page 31
