Had Moy Chen continued to watch, he might have seen a sneaking Celestial pick up the trail. For the mark on the forehead of Cleve Branch was now visible on Hugo Barnes, whenever he walked by a lighted spot along the street.
Moy Chen, however, did not wait. He had remembered Cleve’s last admonition. In approximately a half hour, Hugo Barnes would be at the entrance to the Mukden Theater. Others must be there, too.
Upstairs ambled Moy Chen. His thoughts, somehow, reverted to that blood-red spot on the forehead of Cleve Branch.
As he considered it now, Moy Chen felt sure that spot meant danger. For though, because of his undercover work, Moy Chen had avoided close contact with the Wu-Fan, the pretended merchant at least knew the sinister ways of Chinatown. People did not appear adorned with crimson spots unless there was a reason. That was Moy Chen’s sound conclusion.
Reaching his windowless room, Moy Chen went to the desk and unlocked a drawer. From it, he produced a small telephone. It was connected with a special, outside wire.
By this phone, Moy Chen communicated with Bureau of Investigation agents. One or more could always be reached, at a special address in San Francisco. Time and again, the undercover man had brought government agents, seemingly from nowhere, to spoil the well-laid plans of the Chinese tongs.
For the first time, now, Moy Chen was using his informative weapon against the Wu-Fan. Tong leaders had never learned this secret. Ling Soo, whom Moy Chen had never thwarted, could not possibly know it.
So thought Moy Chen. But Moy Chen did not know the meaning of that mark on the forehead of Cleve Branch!
Moy Chen clicked the receiver. He leaned close to the telephone in order to speak clearly when the operator responded.
This message was important. There would be just time for men to reach the Mukden Theater. The headquarters which Moy Chen was calling was less than ten minutes from the border of Chinatown, where the Mukden Theater was situated.