does anyone think there is _real_ harm in smuggling? No one would call
that an evil deed, although it is punishable by law. I must confess
that it appeals to me enormously; it's like a game, a sort of hide and
seek. If I only had an opening, I feel confident that it is _in_ me to
become a most accomplished professional! There is no injury to anyone,
and it must be so exciting, and if you bring it off, oh, what a
triumph! I did envy a woman I came across with from France. She
landed a twenty-thousand pearl necklace in a hair-pad."

"You needn't go far for smuggling--there's plenty of it in this
country," said Mrs. Pomeroy, in her slow, decided manner. "My husband
says it is on the increase, and is a most serious question--a matter of
vital concern."

"Increase!" echoed Krauss. "No, no, my dear lady, that is nonsense;
don't you believe it. Smuggling isn't worth while in Burma--it
couldn't pay."

"Oh, but it does exist and it pays hand over fist," argued Shafto.
"Why only last week a piano-case full of opium was taken off a Chinese
steamer."

"Opium smuggling!" broke in Fuchsia eagerly. "We know all about that
in the States. Opium smuggling is frightfully bad in 'Frisco. There
are deadly dens in parts of the town, where they say they make away
with people."

"And here people make away with themselves," supplemented Shafto, whose
thoughts flew to a recent suicide.

"Did any of you ever happen to read a story by Frank Norris about a
girl who was lost?" And Fuchsia planted her sharp elbows on the table
and cast an interrogative glance round her audience. "No, I expect
not; but it's perfectly true. Then listen," she proceeded with an air
of genial narration. "A pretty girl and her fiance--both from New
York--were poking round the sights in 'Frisco and, leaving the rest of
their party, pushed on into the worst Chinese quarter, without a guide.
It had such a bad name that even the police gave it a wide berth.
Well, in they went, these two innocents; it looked quite all right,
just the same as other places they had visited, and they found a real
dandy tea-house and ordered tea. Whilst they waited a most superior
Chinaman appeared and invited the young man to come and inspect a
wonderful piece of silk. He said it would not take him a moment to
look at, while the young lady was resting; so the young man accepted
the invitation, examined the beautiful piece of silk, made an offer for
yards and yards, and h