And when Rodgers heard the story, he blamed Ainsleigh, as much as he blamed himself for not having risked an arrest on suspicion.
"But you know, sir," said he, huffily, "Burgh really didn't give himself away. I could do nothing to him--or to the Captain of the Stormy Petrel either on what evidence I hear. As to those Chinamen--"
"Ah," said Lo-Keong, "you must let me deal with them Mr. Rodgers."
The Mandarin drew down the corners of his mouth. "I think so," said he, "it is my belief that he has the papers."
Lo-Keong, seeing it was absolutely necessary to make things plain, if he wanted to secure his precious packet, related almost word for word the story he had told on the previous night. "So you see," he observed, "Tung-yu probably strangled Miss Wharf as formerly he strangled Mr. Markham Ainsleigh. I discussed this with Hwei, and he, knowing that Tung-yu had betrayed him once, was much of the same opinion."
"But if Tung-yu has the papers, why did he write to Tidman?" argued Rupert, not inclined to take, this view.
"Probably to throw Hwei off the scent. Tung-yu knows well enough that if he started for China, Hwei would suspect he had the papers, and would follow him to get them."
"Probably," said the Mandarin indifferently, "and after all sir, why not? Tung-yu killed your father and Miss Wharf. Hwei is watching him, and if he can make sure that Tung-yu has my parcel, he will kill him--with my approval," ended Lo-Keong calmly.
"Wait a bit," said Rodgers also coolly, though the speech astonished him not a little, "when you talked to Hwei, you did not know that the papers had been stolen."
"No. But he who has the fan has the papers. Hwei and I both thought that Tung-yu had the fan, and therefore Hwei watches him. I came down unexpectedly last night instead of waiting, so that I might assure myself that the packet was safe. But only a short time before, Mr. Ainsleigh found the fan. Tung-yu must have come down and taken the papers."
Rupert nodded. "Certainly. Without doubt he was the ghost Mrs. Petley saw, and when she came on him suddenly, he dropped the fan and fled. He must have climbed the wall of the park in spite of the spikes."
Lo-Keong smiled sourly, "I do not think anything--spikes or otherwise would have kept Tung-yu from gaining possession of those papers. And of course he knew the way to make the picture visible."