Rubbing his hand over his face, Cleve was pleased to find that his new visage would stand the test. He had heard of Moy Chen’s ability in forming new features. He had witnessed it now, in himself.
“You say that Ling Soo has seen you,” declared Moy Chen. “He has seen the man named Branch. He has not seen this man. You may go to see Ling Soo. He will not know. That I can say — and I mean — sure.”
Cleve reached in the pocket of his vest and produced a wallet. It was a special one that he always carried with him. It contained cards and other identifying articles that bore the name of Hugo Barnes. He showed these to Moy Chen. The Chinaman nodded.
MOY CHEN led the way through a series of passages and down two short flights of stairs. They arrived in a little ground-floor office, coming through a door that slid back to form a portion of the wall.
Seating himself at a desk, Moy Chen carefully wrote out a list of names. These were Chinese businessmen whom Cleve — as Hugo Barnes — was to visit.
“You must have money,” declared Moy Chen. “You must show much money to those who are the right people. The Wu-Fan likes those who have much money.”
The Chinaman produced a stack of bills from a desk drawer, and tendered them to the newly created Hugo Barnes.
“It is from here you must go,” declared Moy Chen. “It is to here you must come back, while you are Barnes. When you should wish to be Branch again, you must go away by the door through which you came when you did see me first.”
“I understand.”
“You come here, when you wish,” added Moy Chen, “because you have found great interest in those goods which I sell. It is because of that I bring you in this room. Here I bring those who mean good business.”