Page:Pacific Monthly volumes 9 and 10.djvu/135



THE MYSTERY OP LO WAN SEE

85

Hi Suie Long evidently had a deal of money back of him.

There was no counter at all. Tea was kept in lacquered chests which stood upon low shelves against the wall. At the back of the room there was a heavy partition with doors. Over the doorway was a rich satin hanging, yellow in color, with a huge dragon on it in blue silk embroidery, a dragon swallowing a blood-red sun — in fact, it was a sort of modified Chinese imperial ensign.

Over this splendid establishment pre- sided Hi Suie Long, still silent, phleg- matic, but always available. It was generally known that he had come over intending to open a store somewhere in British Columbia, but that he had not thought the trade could meet his demands. He was looking for an Amer- ican agent, so he said.

In the course of time, Margaret Fol- som visited the store of the Sou Chong Company. She had received a card ask- ing her to a private view of some rare embroideries and jewelry, once the property of the late Empress of China. She came alone.' There were a great many people in the store, but Margaret did not see anything in the way of a special exhibit.

She addressed Hi Suie Long:

"May I ask where the imperial relics are?" she said.

They had belonged to the mother of Prince Lo. She wondered if she should be able to buy some sort of a souvenir.

"Please give your name, lady," said Long, opening a little red book. "All visitors names here!"

Margaret gave her name and address. She heard the ringing of a little Chi- nese gong, and in a moment there was a sleek young Mongolian wearing the imperial livery at her elbow. Margaret uttered a pleased expression. It re- minded her of Pekin and — and of other things. She greeted him with n few words of Chinese, and he was rcadv to

kiss her little boots. "This way, lady," he said, with much elaboration of ges- ture. **You know China? You see velly beau'ful tMng!"

He lifted the yellow portiere with his slender hands. Hi Sine Long called out sharply something which Margaret could not understand, but the Chinese usher stepped back quickly and drop- ped the folds of heavy satin as though he had heard an imperial order. The blue dragon went on attempting to swallow the blood-red sun for the en- tertainment of a shop full of people, who came and went continually. Mar- garet had disappeared behind the heavy doors, which closed upon h^ charm- ingly gowned figure. But no more vis- itors were admitted to see the jewels of the Empress that afternoon.

The apartment in which Margaret found herself was very beautiful. It was fitted up in the most gorgeous panoply of a Buddhist temple. In one end of the room stood a splendid shrine, over which a large image of the Lotus God presided with as much serenity as though it had received the adoration of centuries of devotees. The soft light of opalescent lamps illuminated the room. The skylight was screened with draperies of brilliant Chinese silk.

Margaret looked about her, charmed beyond expression. For the moment she fancied herself back in Pekin ; she fancied — ah, did she fancy?

of my soul!" whispered a soft voice in her ear, and
 * Light of my life! Soul

Margaret felt a pair of strong young arms about her, her lips were warmed by the kiss of an impassioned lover.

"At last— at last!" he murmured. "I have found you, my heart's treasure!"

Her arms were about his neck in an instant. Tremulous, wondering, but full of joy, she cried:

"Dearest! Oh, when did you come? How is it you are here?"

The lights in the opal glass lanterns burned discreetly low. The bronze Bud- dha looked down cyigi^Uig^^jg^^I^