“I’m pretty sure they will be,” remarked Luke. “Though, after all, it isn’t much of a test.”
“Why not?” demanded Neale.
“Because these Chinese laundrymen get all their paper and other supplies from the same wholesale house, and the stuff seldom varies. However, it will do no harm to make the comparison.”
When the two pieces of paper were placed in conjunction, Neale’s laundry check and the strange message left in the apple tree, they were identical, and so was the hue of the ink.
Again Ruth read the message which seemed particularly hers, since the Chinese had sent word to her first that he wanted to see her.
“Korner Hous gals pay Hop Wong 100 dols
Hop Wong mak grat much money gals.”
“What in the world does it mean?” demanded Nalbro, clinging to Hal with a pretty air of proprietorship. “It sounds like a comic opera. What’s that one we went to see in Boston, Hal?”
“You mean the Mikado?”
“That was it. Wasn’t it lovely? Dear Little Buttercup—” and she hummed the air.
“Only that happened to be Japanese instead of Chinese, and ‘Dear Little Buttercup’ wasn’t in the Mikado at all! That’s the only difference,” observed Luke, with a grim chuckle.