blankly. “But how—?”
“Faith, I have only meself to blame,” he said bitterly. “You remember how I sent off those two Japs? I ordered ’em to double back, find Schneider, and bring him on here; that I’d go partners with him to beat you. That’s all. The filthy blackguard must ha’ scragged my men and come along on his own. He jumped us last night.”
I lay silent, as comprehension came to me.
Schneider had been discounted, thought out of the running entirely; but O’Grady had made a desperate effort to beat me at the last with his help. Now Schneider had come, and had tied us up while we slept in exhaustion; and O’Grady would be calmly ignored. He had leaned on a rotten reed in trusting Schneider.
“You’ve played hell,” I said. “Where’s Yu?”
“Don’t know. Skipped out, I fancy, or caught asleep.” O’Grady’s features brightened a trifle. “Schneider won’t pay any attention to Yu. He may lend us a hand yet—though from the sounds I believe Schneider has a number of men with him.”
I had no particular hope in Yu, however, at this juncture. Schneider seemed to hold the whip-hand, and now it was only a question of what terms he would propose. Here in this mountain district he could commit any crime with impunity, and there was none to withstand him.
Five minutes afterward, Schneider himself came into the room. With him were two villainous-looking men, who drew knives and slashed rather recklessly at our bonds. Schneider himself drew a pistol, sat down on a pile of mule-trappings, and regarded us with a sleeky benevolent air.
“Sit up, gentlemen, but do not stand, I pray,” he said. One of the Chinese remained at the door, the other disappeared. “Well, well! So glad to see you again, Mr. Breck! And you, Mr. O’Grady! Pleasant day outside, I assure you.”
I sat up. O’Grady, rubbing his chafed wrists, chuckled.
“You’re not goin’ partners with me, Schneider?”
The other laughed softly.
“With you? Not in the least! It was very kind of you to bring me here—”
O’Grady, with absolutely no warning whatever, hurled himself forward. He had caught up the slashed thongs, and flung them into Schneider’s face to embarrass the man’s aim; then he was plunging across the floor with a stupendous display of agility.
The effort almost succeeded, but it was desperate and a fraction too slow. Schneider cursed and fired, fired again, then jerked up his pistol to cover me, a snarl on his lips. By the time the Chinaman from the doorway had leaped into the room, it was over. O’Grady lay motionless.
“Look at him, Breck,” said Schneider calmly: “I don’t think he’s dead.”
I stooped forward above the Irishman. He was not dead. One bullet had ploughed through his scalp, the other had missed. Schneider looked up at two more Chinese who had entered, and in French commanded them to take O’Grady outside, bandage the wound, and bind his wrists and ankles again.
It was done; when we were alone again, Schneider looked at me and grinned.
“Are you going to try the same trick, Breck?”
I shook my head. “No. I’m too sane.”
“Word of honor?”
I nodded. Schneider put up his pistol, lighted a cigarette, and handed me one, which I accepted gratefully enough.
“You observe,” he said, “that I am determined not to be beaten. You and I are now going to come to terms, mon gars! We have all had a, pleasant journey with much incident to enliven it. Now that the cards are all played, you will observe that I have kept my aces for the last.”
He was right enough about that, although it was due to O’Grady that he had won.
“Where are the Frenches?” I asked him.
“Under guard,” he replied coolly. “French tells me he’s already given you the formula for the lacquer. Refuses to sell to me. That right?”
I nodded. He knocked the ash from his cigarette and got up.
“Five minutes to think it over,” he announced. “Give it to me. Your friend Kohler can make all of the stuff he wants—so long as we make it too. Dubonnet & Cie. are not going to be left out in the cold, Mr. Breck, I can assure you!
“Give me the formula, then you and O’Grady can each take a mule and go; not back to the river, but on into the hills. You’ll come out sometime. Refuse, and I’ll tell my men to bring Miss French in here and exert a little persuasion on her—until you yield. So you might as well save her the unpleasant experience. Think it over.”
I half started up, when his pistol swung viciously at me, and I relaxed.
“You damned blackguard!” I said. “You’d not dare to do such a thing!”
He laughed at me. Like most of these sleek, swarthy Latins, he had a strain of cold cruelty close to the surface. As I met his gaze, I knew that he would keep his word to the letter. He knew that I knew it, too, for without answering me, he strode out of the room.
Those five minutes were all to short for their agonized suspense. I knew that Kohler wanted a monopoly on this product, just as he was getting a monopoly on the output of lac itself. If I gave up the secret, the chances were even that Schneider would kill me anyhow, to insure himself a monopoly; but he would also leave Kiuling instantly and strike for the coast.
If I refused, the devil would keep his word and torture Janet French, shame her. Even if I still resisted, he would try the same trick on her brother, who would doubtless give in. A noble rectitude to my employer would gain the girl nothing, and would only cause her untold suffering.
When Schneider returned, I rose to my feet, my mind resolved.
“Well?” he demanded smoothly.
“You win,” I said quietly. I did not add that I intended, if I got away, to circle around and try to catch him before he reached the river. “If I give you the formula, what assurance have I that you’ll keep your word?”
His eyes narrowed on me.
“None, Breck, none. Come outside. You’ll have a mule and a rifle, with cartridges in your pocket. Give me the formula. I’ll read it over to French; I’ll know quick enough if it’s right or not! If it is, you can go, and O’Grady with you. I’ll tell French just why you gave it to me, and he’ll find it to his best interest to tell the truth.”
“Agreed,” I said.
He gestured and I followed him out into the sunlight of the courtyard. We walked toward the hou-feng, or rear building, which was used as a stable. Here were a number of mules, with the bound O’Grady sitting in one saddle and guarded by a Chinese. O’Grady had quite recovered his senses, and greeted me with a wry smile as we approached.
Schneider gave a curt order. Another of his men appeared. An empty rifle was given me and some cartridges were put into my pocket. Then, with the two Chinese holding their guns upon me, lest I try to load and use the rifle in my hand, Schneider held out
