ids my confessing to you how many of
the spies of Len Yang have been fed to the hungry river since my
arrival.

"You understand, the monster of Len Yang, as I affectionately call him,
must not know of my return. Otherwise he would make me prisoner. This
fat-faced one slipped through the guard lines. There may be others."
He grunted. "They do not dare kill me. For I----" He threw up his
handsome head proudly.

"For you----" encouraged Peter.

"Must hide my identity," finished Kahn Meng with a little laugh. "But
Naradia--they object to her. They have attempted to kill her, so many
times. Naradia, how many?"

"A score of times," she said darkly. "To-night they nearly succeeded.
I am not wanted. I am a half-caste--a Chinese father, a poor French
mother. They desired him to marry of the----"

"Hush!" cautioned her husband, for Naradia was almost hysterical and
was willing to prattle on. Kahn Meng smiled tenderly. "Naradia," he
continued, lowering his voice gently, "now that Peter Moore and I are
at last together, will you excuse us? You must be exhausted, my
dear--after this unpleasant affair. Will you retire? Remember, little
Chaya, in another week this terror will be at an end. Mr. Moore and I
will begin planning instantly."

Naradia laid her hands upon his and smiled sweetly. "Good-night!" she
said, obediently. "Good-night,"--she lifted her brows archly--"Peter
the Brazen! I do hope that you are not a dream!"

They watched the pink silk of her gown flit into the corridor,
whereupon Kahn Meng took Peter's arm companionably and guided him to
the window.

A keen, soft wind, tempered with the fragrance of ripening pepper
trees, came in to them in delicate puffs. A mysterious light twinkled
distantly upon the river. The moon was sinking into a void, and the
night was becoming black.

Kahn Meng was extracting from his satin blouse a gold-and-black
cigarette case. Peter accepted one of the white cylinders and struck a
match. In the flare he found that Kahn Meng was studying him shrewdly,
dispassionately.

"In the first place," began Kahn Meng, "let us settle the important
matter of price. I will promise you whatever you desire. I want you."
He spat into the darkness. "Why are you in Ching-Fu? I believed you
to be in America, but I could not find you. What brings you here?
Surely you were not planning to enter Len Yang again alone?"

Peter shook his head. "I came on another errand, wh