This solution of the mystery never entered the policeman’s head and he resented the surprise.
“Do yez mean yez’re his valley?” he asked vindictively, refusing to relinquish his suspicion.
“Ees!” and again the Jap grinned.
Phelan read the grin as a distinct insult to his intelligence and he pounced upon the little brown man in an even more caustic tone:
“If yez’re are Mr. Gladwin’s valley, what are ye doin’ here an’ him thousands o’ miles away across the ocean in Agypt an’ Jerusalem an’ the like?”
Now it was Phelan’s turn to grin as he saw the Jap shrink and turn upon him a pair of wildly alarmed eyes.
“Come! Come! I’m waitin’ fer an answer,” The cat had his mouse backed into a corner and mentally licked his chops.
“I no can tell,” stammered the Jap, desperately.
“That’s enough!” ripped out Officer 666, grabbing the Jap by the shoulder and yanking him toward the doorway.
“No––no––wait!” gasped the struggling prisoner. “You no say if I tell you, plees?”