"I got them from Clarence--he asked me to come up here, and--oh," she fell back insensible. Rupert thought she was dead and forgetting where he was, cried loudly for assistance. He heard footsteps approaching and Lo-Keong in sober attired entered. The stately Chinaman was roused out of his usual self. He appeared disturbed and his face was distorted. "Rodgers and his men are chasing Tung-yu," said Lo-Keong grasping Rupert's arm, "go after them. Tung-yu has the papers."
"But Miss Pewsey."
Lo-Keong started back. "That woman," he cried, as startled as Rupert had been, "pooh, let her die. She deserves her fate. She has been the cause of the trouble. Go--go, Mr. Ainsleigh--go after Tung-yu."
"But Miss Pewsey!" repeated Rupert, seeing the woman open her eyes, and recognising that life yet remained.
"I'll see to her. I'll get a doctor." Lo-Keong struck the gong near the door. "But get me those papers. All my life depends upon them. Remember--one hundred thousand pounds--go--go. It may be too late. Don't allow Tung-yu to escape."
Rupert was quite bewildered as the Chinaman pushed him out of the door. Then, recognising that he could do nothing to help Miss Pewsey, and that Lo-Keong, for his own sake would do all he could to keep her alive, so that he might learn how the packet came into her possession, Rupert ran out of the house, and found the street filled with screaming Chinamen and chattering Europeans. Some policemen were coming down the alley from the main thoroughfare, and everyone appeared to be alarmed. The ragged mob rushed into various doors, at the sight of the officers, but the Chinamen still continued to cackle and scream. Suddenly Rupert heard a revolver shot, and wondered if the Major had got into trouble. Remembering that Burgh, with Tung-yu in pursuit, had gone down the alley towards the water, he raced in the same direction, and at once, two policemen, seeing him go, followed. There was no time to undeceive them, so Rupert ran on, eager to come up with Burgh. He had the papers, according to Miss Pewsey, and in spite of Lo-Keong's statement, Ainsleigh suspected that Miss Pewsey was right. Else Tung-yu would not be in pursuit of the buccaneers. As Rupert tore down the moonlit alley, he heard the high clear voice of the Mandarin calling on the police to stop. Then the tumult recommenced.
It mattered little to Ainsleigh. As he raced blindly on, he felt a thrill of joy in his veins. It seemed to him that he had never lived before, and that this man-hunt was the climax of life. At the end of the Alley he came on a dilapidated wharf, which ran out into the turbid water, and saw a stout figure dancing on this. At once he hurried down to find Major Tidman, who recognised him at once.
"There was a boat waiting," gasped the Major seizing Rupert's arm. "Burgh jumped into it and pushed off. Tung-yu came after, and as the boat was already in mid-stream he plunged into the water."
"Where is Hwei?"
"Rodgers and his men are after him. I fired a shot, and I believe, I hit Tung-yu, as he was swimming. Who has the papers?"