Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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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

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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 the message said, to raid the stronghold of this gang at Chang-sha and cap- ture the chief, called the Serpent. Suddenly Casey felt dizzy. He glanced down at his shoulder and saw that the arm of his coat was saturated with blood. He rose to his feet and stumbled down stairs to secure aid. The policemen fixed up his wound and laid him down on a cot. Casey went to sleep, and when he awoke, sunlight was streaming through the Window. He rose hastily and went out to a restaurant to have his breakfast. While he was eating, he passed the preceding events through his mind. When he arrived back at the station he found out that Ronald Hope had been arrested. He Went up to his office and found another telegram on his desk. It was from Nanking. It stated that the gang stronghold had been raided and by much torture, it had been learned from the sub- ordinates that Were arrested, that their leader was traveling in the West under the name of Ronald Hope. Immediately, Casey realized that he had the solution of the mystery at his fingertips. He gave up the idea of going to Paris to arrest the French agents, and sent a telegram instead, requesting that the Paris gendarmes detain all people found at 65 Rue Chateau. At this time Sergeant Dunn arrived. He was quickly informed of the night's happenings and Was dispatched to the police hospital, to- gether with Sam Long, to see if any information could be procured from Ah Sen. After Dunn had departed Casey ordered Hope brought up. He proved to be a Chinaman, but very much better educated than Sam Long. He was accompanied by two policemen, who stood guard over him while he was being examined. Are you called The Serpent, the head of The Ancient and Honor- able Order of the Serpent? Yes, sir.', it Are Ah Sen and Sam Long in your employ? Yes, sirf' Do you smuggle dope into the United States? Yes, sir.', .Q u What do the Twayonds do, besides making war on your gang? They do nothing. The leader of the Twayonds has sworn ven- geance against me for kidnapping a member of the Royal family, Ah Sen. If our organization should break up and Ah Sen is sent back, the Twa- yonds will disbandf' That's all, lock him up again, boys. When Hope had gone, Casey began writing his report to Scotland Yard. He was so absorbed in his task that he did not hear Dunn enter. Dunn started to speak, and gained Casey's attention. He made his re- port, stating that Sam Long's presence had stimulated Ah Sen,s mind. He told him in Chinese that a policeman had stopped the car and handed him me Thirty-three