Standing aside, talking with a group of women, was Pembroke. That young man had made no effort to secure a rifle; he had not even offered his services toward the defense.
At the first opportunity Darrin walked aside with his wife.
“Mr. Pembroke came up from Manila with you?” he asked.
“On the same ship, yes,” replied Belle.
“And came up on the same river boat with you?”
“Yes.”
“Did Pembroke go to the mission to live?”
“He was there a part of the time,” replied Belle. “He also lived elsewhere in Nu-ping some of the time. One day, I remember, I saw him on the street with a Chinaman who had a peculiar purple mark on his face under the right eye.”
“Did you know that that same Chinaman, with the purple mark, is here at the yamen now?” Dave asked.
“Why, yes; after we were shut up in the building at the back of the compound, this morning, Mr. Pembroke went outside for a while, and afterwards I saw him talking with that same Chinaman with the purple mark on his face. Why are you asking all these questions, Dave?”