Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE REFLECTOR dark shape, vaguely resembling a human form, loomed up. Casey pressed himself against the wall and waited. The shape slowly raised the window, stepped inside the room, and moved toward the desk. At that moment Casey leaped. He landed atop the form, which he now discerned as being that of a man, and bore him to the floor. A brief scrimmage fol- lowed, during which Casey felt a sharp edge slash through his clothing into his shoulder. He gained an advantage over his adversary just as two policemen came into the room and switched on the light. The policemen, who had been alarmed by the sounds of violence which had come down to them from above, grabbed the struggling stranger. Casey rose to a sitting position and surveyed the scene before him. Between the two burly policemen was a quivering Chinaman. XVho are you? What do you want? questioned Casey in a trem- ulous voice. Shaking in every limb, the Chinaman replied, Me Sam Long. I lookie Ah Sen's telegram. Take him down and lock him up, boys. I'1l see him later. But wait! Take his coat and shirt off, I want to see his left shoulder. Ha, just as I thought. Thereis another one of those little green serpents. Set him down and watch him, boys. I want to question him now.., The Chinaman was placed in a chair facing the inspector, and one policeman stood on each side of him. He hastened to replace his clothing, as though he wished to cover the tattoo. 'QNOW listen, Chink, you had better tell me the truth or it will go hard with you for breaking this window. Yes, insplector, I tellie tluthf' Does thatf' asked Casey, pointing to the Chinaman's shoulder, uin- dicate that you belong to some secret organization?,' Yes What's the name of the organization? The Ancient and Honorable Order of the Serpentf' Are you and this man we picked up acquainted? Yes, What's his name? Ah Sen. Are you two the London represenatives of this organization? Yes, W7hat does your organization specialize in doing?,' Smuggling dope into the United States. Was that what Ah Sen was to take to someone on the Vulcania? Yes.,' Where did he have the dope concealed? The dope was secleted in box that held snakef, Who was he to give it to? Ronald Hope, in Stateroom 7S6.,' Who's Joe Carver in New York? Thirty-on

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THE REFLECTOR LUIAH. JOIN BOB TREMONT. CAN SAIL SURE SUAVE MAT- TER BEARER. ALL STAND. NOW TELL MOWER. YELL YOUR THRAT BARK. FRED SOWED BARLEY. OMELET BREAD FED VEGETABLES STEER STEAKS. SWATISCA. TEN CHAINS CREAKED. SWIM HERE FOR REAP HARVEST EN- TWINED GUILLOTINE. He then collected the letters and they formed this message: TAKE IT TO S. S. VULCANIA. TELEGRAPI-I JOE CARVER AT NEW YORK FOR ORDERS. THE SERPENT. I've got something here, Dunn. It makes sense except for the last part. Listen while I read it. He read the message eagerly. That must be right, Casey. I got the Hrst sentence the same as that. But what is the 'it?' Maybe it's the snake. And what is the Serpent? I think maybe that's the name of the leader of a gang. He may be in China. That reference to Joe Carver in New York makes it look like an international affair. I'm going to send a follow-up cable to Nanking, asking if any gang with a leader by that name has been working there. Come to think of it, Casey, that Chink had a little green serpent tattooed on his left shoulder. Maybe it's the sign of some secret organiza- tion. Casey sent the cable, adding that the serpent might be the insignia of some organization. He then had an inspiration. l'Listen, Dunn, I think Iill send a telegram to this Joe Carver in New York and sign it Ah Sen. I can tell him to send the return to one of the Constable's houses. I'l1 try and squeeze as much information as pos- sible from him without exciting his suspicions. XVe might discover some- thing, and I don't think much can be lostf, Following this, Inspector Casey dispatched a telegram to Joe Carver, asking for further instructions. He also asked whom he should give the snake to on board the Vulcania. This message was sent in the same code as the one which was found on the Chinaman. Guess that's all for tonight, Dunn. I want to have a look at that Chink first thing in the morning. Those telegrams ought to be here by that time with some information. Casey locked up his safe and the two men departed for their re- spective homes. It was about ten o'clock when Casey arrived home. He went straight to bed, hoping to get a good night's rest. The fates destined otherwise, however, and he lay restlessly in bed for two hours. Finally he decided to go back to the ofhce. The telegrams might be there, and if so, he could plan his course of action before morning. Casey entered the building, spoke to the officer in charge of the desk, and went up to his office. He entered and, as he was about to switch on the light, his attention was drawn to the window by a slight sound. A Thirty

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THE REFLIICTOR rc He,s our New York agent. Has your organization any chief in China? Yes, he called the Serpentf, Has your organization any enemies who try to ruin your trade?,' Yes, the Twayondsg they tly to kill us by poison. I think that's what Ah Sen got. He must be dead by now. Tell me, where is he? 'lNever mind about Ah Sen. You'll see him later. Did you ever see anyone who had been poisoned like this? Does it leave any mark? The man is usually poisoned in the hand by a needle. It leaves a little markf' W'as Ah Sen left-handed? Yes u zz ee uThat's all for now. Ah Sen,s in the police hospital. I want you to go with me to see him in the morning. His mind has been affected and he does not talk coherently. Maybe if you speak to him in Chinese he'll give us some information. You better stay here until morning. The boys downstairs will fix you up. With a wave of his hand Casey dismissed them. He turned to his desk just as the telephone rang. It proved to be the constable whose ad- dress Casey had given to Joe Carver. The constable, who had been told beforehand that he would receive a telegram which would not make sense, told Casey that the telegram had come. Casey asked him to read it, being careful to tell him whenever a period occurred. Casey took down the message, used the same method as before, and got the following message: TAKE SNAKE TO RONALD HOPE IN STATEROOM SEVEN FIFTY SIX. THEN YOU AND SAM LONG GO TO PARIS TO SIXTY FIVE RUE CHATEAU. YOU WILL MEET THE SER- PENT'S FIRST ASSISTANT WHO NVILL TELL YOU OF OUR NEXT JOB. JOE CARVER. uWell, this proves one thing, that the Chink has been telling the truth. I think from this that we'll be able to get the whole gang. Casey took up his telephone. He spoke to the officer at the desk, ordering him to arrest Ronald Hope, in Stateroom 756, S.S. Vulcania, as soon as possible. A knock came at the door. Come in, called the inspector. A policeman entered, bearing a telegram. He handed it to Casey and left the room. Casey tore open the envelope and took out the blank. It was from Nanking. It stated that Chang-sha was the headquarters of a gang which has a serpent for an insignia. Five years ago Ah Sen, a member of the Royal family which has one brown and one blue eye, was captured by this gang because he tried to interfere with their plans. He has not been heard from since. The telegram stated further that the members of the gang have a small serpent tattooed on their left shoulder, and that many men with this marking had recently been killed by a native poison called Paga, which is injected through a needle. Plans were afoot, Thirtyatwo