Seeing that our company was not desirable, we beat a somewhat hasty retreat.

Not wishing to further trouble or unnecessarily alarm poor Sêou Jâe, who seemed very downcast and worried, I did not impart to her the forebodings which began to crowd into my mind.

Strange to say, when we met again that evening, Seou Jae, who lived in a very nice house, with her two female attendants, in the Nankin Road, seemed very dispirited, and like myself, foreshadowed calamity. But I thought it was merely her nervous fancy when she said that two or three repulsive-looking old hags had been watching the house. She seemed quite frightened at first, but after a time I allayed her fears and forgot all about it.

We both tried to cheer one another, but it was a most dismal failure. And when we said good night, neither of us could speak, for anguish has no expression, only most eloquent silence.

Thus we parted, very likely for ever, for years have passed since then. Even such is life!

But in our dreams we meet again once more
And wander there, upon the lonely shore.

During all my subsequent wanderings, I have only met one lady who resembles in manner and appearance, and who strikingly reminds me of poor Sêou Jae, having also her pretty old-fashioned, childish ways and ideas; and she is my devoted little wife, whom I met on the cold northern shores of that vast Empire, but who is a native of the sunny south of China. Of her I shall speak later on.

Next evening I waited for Sêou Jae at the appointed place, but she did not come; and thus for three days I waited in doubt and anxiety. On the morning of the third day, however, I drove over to her house and was met at the door by the two female attendants, who seemed as troubled as I was. From them I learned that she had two days previously received a letter, and had shortly afterwards left the house, saying she was going to see her aunt, but would be back by six o'clock that evening. Since then they had not seen her.

Having listened to this startling news I asked permission to see her private rooms on the floor above, and went up with them;

first into the sitting-room, which looked neat and tidy, and then into her sleeping apartment. Her morning gown was hanging on the back of a chair, beneath which her little embroidered slippers lay. A vase of fresh-gathered roses stood on a table near the window, and her gold bangles and miniature watch lay on the dressing table beside a tiny lace-edged handkerchief which still retained its perfume. Several other knick-knacks were scattered about in profusion just as she had hurriedly left them.

I took a few of the fragrant little white so-hin blossoms which she used to wear in her hair, and wrapping them carefully up in the small handkerchief, kept them in remembrance of her and of my first summer in the Far East.

I drove off at once to the aunt's house. On knocking at the door, she and two rough-looking men opened it and, in answer to my enquiries, said that Sêou Jae had been there, but had left almost immediately, and they were ignorant of her whereabouts. But I felt a great deal too worried and suspicious to pay much heed or place much credence in what they said, and summarily dealing with the men who barred the way, I entered the house. After hastily looking through the three lower rooms, I went upstairs.

Hearing the clink of money and the noisy shuffling of dominoes issuing from the first room on the landing, I opened the door and entered.

Seated at a round marble-topped table were four repulsive looking old hags and three equally villainous looking men, eagerly gambling.

Clawing the stakes up as I entered, they confronted me, two of the men vainly endeavouring to slip behind me, evidently with no very good intention. But I was equal to the occasion, and producing a letter from my pocket, gave them to understand that it was a warrant to search the house, and that by using a whistle my men, who were waiting for me outside, would enter and arrest them for gambling. Whereupon the men slunk away up a ladder which led through a trapdoor to the roof, and the old women followed me from room to room muttering to one another.

But Seou Jae was not to be found, although I now felt certain that she was the victim of some foul plot, and was in the hands

of these wretches, one of whom claimed relationship. I was determined however, to find her if she were to be found, whatever the cost might be.

Having satisfied myself that she was not in the house, I drove off to the Central French Police Station and, sending in my card, obtained an interview with the Chief Inspector who, after taking my deposition, apologetically informed me that under the circumstances he was quite unable to assist me in any way, as the missing lady was a Chinese subject and not my wife. He surmised, however, that she had been kidnapped for the sake of her money, and in order to prevent her from marrying me. Apologizing for having troubled him, I was about to leave when a thought seemed to strike him.

"I regret our inability to help you," he said, "but here is the address of a very clever Chinese detective who has retired from the force. I have no doubt he would be pleased to take up a case like this if well paid for his trouble."

Thanking the officer, I immediately went in search of the man who might prove of inestimable value to me in unravelling this

mystery.

V. WITH A DETECTIVE.

FTER picking my way through a labyrinth of narrow back streets and alleyways, near the walls of the Chinese city, I found the unpretentious residence of the ex-detective.

Fortunately he was at home, and I was shown upstairs to his private parlour, which was filled from floor to ceiling with interesting and suggestive trophies of the chase in the shape of ancient and modern firearms, from a gingall to a Martini-Henry and a matchlock horse-pistol to a Colt'revolver, neatly hung amongst a miscellaneous collection of cross-bars, skeleton keys and queues of beheaded criminals. Each article was carefully ticketed and encased. Gags, short swords, and life-preservers were there in great variety with au assortment of other Chinese instruments too numerous to mention, and the photographs of their owners, methodically classed and numbered for reference.

Ah Shun, for such was this worthy man's name, was strong and powerfully built, and of medium height, possessing a pleasing countenance, in which good humour, intelligence, and a fair amount of pluck and determination were discernible. His dress was of the simplest, and his manner was easy, and decidedly jocular-in fact, he always seemed to smile when he ought to have looked serious. Before going into the case he stated his terms-three dollars a day, and all expenses paid. I agreed to this, as it was not unreasonable, and judiciously bestowing a few compliments as to his reputation, and backing them up with a ten-dollar note, I enlisted him in my service.

I now stated my case, placing him in possession of the minutest.

details bearing upon it. He smilingly listened to all I said, occasionally giving a grunt or some other manifestation of his interest or capacity for grasping the situation. He was chary, though, about giving an opinion on the matter until he had made inquiries; but he considered it quite possible that she had been kidnapped. He felt perfectly sure, however, that she would not be kept at the aunt's house, although it seemed more than probable that this relative was implicated in her abduction. He considered it a very interesting case, and well worthy of his attention, especially as several wealthy ladies had disappeared within the past two years under somewhat similar circumstances, only one of whom had been found.

He then accompanied me to a small shop close by, where I could obtain a disguise for myself. Acting under his advice, I ordered two complete suits of Chinese clothes to be made-one of very common material, as worn by the lower classes, and the other of silk, to wear when impersonating a native gentleman, and shoes to match.

Before parting, he told me to hold myself in readiness to be called at any moment of the night or day; and to be prepared to risk or defend my life or hers if circumstances demanded it; as it was a very dangerous case-such a large sum of money hanging in the balance, and perhaps very dangerous criminals being employed by her abductors. So I took the precaution of buying an extra revolver. I could hardly bear to imagine poor Sêou Jâe in the hands of such people, and work or rest were alike quite out of the question.

I went home, and nothing worthy of mention happened until the fifth night after this at 11.30 p.m. I was then retiring to rest, when the quietude of the house was suddenly disturbed by a succession of slight but rapid knocks on on the back-door, or servants' entrance. Soon afterwards the boy announced the arrival of "my friend, Mr. Tom, from Canton," who wished to see me immediately.

Who my nocturnal visitor could be puzzled me considerably. Mr. Tom, alias Ah Shun, the detective, had, unknown to the servant, crept upstairs after him, and now, without further cere