“Wonder whether I ought to plug him right now,” thought Chick, fingering the automatic revolver in his coat pocket. “I could wing him, so that he would be helpless, without killing him. Then I could lay out the chink, and——”
“Curse him! It isn’t here!” broke out Professor Tolo, in unmistakable English.
He had opened a recess at the back of the bookcase, behind the place where the removed volumes had stood, and found that nothing was there.
“That’s worth knowing,” thought Chick. “The thing they murdered Mr. Anderton for has got away from them, after all. Now, what will they do? There is one satisfaction I have, and it was worth my coming here to find out—this Tolo is mixed up with the Yellow Tong. I wish——”
Professor Tolo had been hastily replacing the books, and now he turned to the Chinaman standing at the door, to say, in a surly tone:
“Look out and see if everything is clear.”
The Chinaman came from the door, and, as if to make sure there was no one in the room besides himself and the mysterious professor, walked all around it, gazing in every direction.
It was well for Chick that he was in deep shadow, or he must have been discovered, for the Chinaman looked all about him, even to placing his hand on the back of the big leather chair. Chick drew back, and was able only just to hide himself.
The Chinaman moved on toward the window, without seeing Chick. On the other hand, Chick had had a clear view of the fellow’s face, and as he placed his hand on the automatic pistol in his pocket, he murmured excitedly:
“That’s the man. He’s the chink with the scar on his ear, and his finger is still tied up in the white bandage.[Pg 28]”