The Chinese Tapestry

CHAPTER VII. A FRIEND IN THE FOG

ELEVEN o’clock.

David Kelroy noted the time in mechanical fashion. His watch in his hand, he was seated on a dampened bench, in a little square. Huddled away from the light of a street lamp, he could see the watch dial only when he held his hand at an angle in front of him.

Kelroy’s head was aching. His mind was in a continued whirl after his flight from Chinatown. Kelroy was trying to remember what had become of his carpet bag. This recollection had eluded him; suddenly, he gained it.

He had left the bag in the downstairs hall. He had forgotten it when he had descended with Tsing Chan.

Probably the bag had been put somewhere by Wong Soy.

That did not matter. The bag contained nothing of importance. Kelroy had left Shanghai hurriedly, in response to Ku Luan’s letter. He had money, still safe within his wallet. He could buy clothes tomorrow, something that he had intended to do anyway.

The teakwood box with the silver dragon. That important object had come to Kelroy’s mind. He recalled that he had not even found the box during his short search through the iron chest. Wong Soy’s interruption had come early.

Wong Soy! In his last glimpse of the fellow, Kelroy had seen Wong Soy in his death throes. Well, the traitor had deserved it. But what of the black-clad fighter who had eliminated the murderous Chinaman?

Kelroy felt a sudden pang of regret.

After all, the cloaked fighter had saved his life. Had he shown the proper policy in taking to flight? Should he have remained to talk with the rescuer? The chances were that the capable avenger would have proven to be a friend. He had risked his life to mow down thugs.

A friend!

THAT was what David Kelroy wanted most at this hour. His mind was groping, seeking some chance hope. It came, along with new recollections of the important words that Ku Luan had uttered from his deathbed.

“The destined man was Tobias Eldreth — Tobias Eldreth is dead, but he has grandsons — take the teakwood box to them”

Such had been Ku Luan’s order. Ku Luan had apparently trusted both Tsing Chan and Wong Soy. Yet David Kelroy had encountered trouble with Wong Soy; and it was possible that the fellow had acted at the order of Tsing Chan.

Had his mind been less confused, Kelroy might have figured that Ku Luan’s estimate of the Eldreth grandsons could prove incorrect. But in his present dilemma, the young man from Shanghai did not reason that far ahead.

Kelroy felt himself to be a hunted man, betrayed by Chinese, sought by thugs who were still at large in Chinatown. He wanted security; he feared that no hotel would afford it. One friend in San Francisco was all he needed. His thoughts were concentrated on the name of Eldreth.

ARISING from the bench, Kelroy pushed through the fog. The dank, swirling mist had become a slimy shroud; but Kelroy was grateful for its presence.

Few persons were abroad; those whom Kelroy passed were obscured by the haze.

He had reached a residential district in his flight from Chinatown. The dim lights of a small drug store caught his eye. Kelroy made in that direction; he stepped into an old-fashioned pharmacy that was to his liking.

The place was small; it had no soda fountain; and only the pharmacist was present. Kelroy saw a telephone booth and went there to consult the directory.

The name Eldreth was an uncommon one and Kelroy found it listed only twice. He noted that Colin Eldreth had his residence listed as the Coronado Apartments, while Mark Eldreth’s name was followed by a street address. Kelroy let the telephone book fall and dangle from its chain. He made inquiry of the druggist.

“Whereabouts are the Coronado Apartments?” he inquired. “Very far from here?”

“A mile, I should say,” replied the pharmacist. “A pretty steep walk getting there.”

“I have a friend living there,” stated Kelroy. “Maybe he wouldn’t be there, though. Let me see—”

He pondered; then repeated Mark Eldreth’s address aloud. The druggist nodded.

“That’s nearer,” he told Kelroy. “An easy five minutes’ walk from here. On the way to the Coronado Apartments, too.”

“How do I get there?”

“Well, the place is probably one of those old-fashioned residences on Nob Hill. got to strike California Avenue — you’ll know it by the cable line. Here, I’ll mark it out for you.”

A FEW minutes later, David Kelroy left the drug store bearing a rough-penciled diagram that the druggist had drawn on a piece of wrapping paper.

Pacing through the fog, he found California Avenue and stopped while an old-fashioned cable car rolled past; taking an upgrade at a smooth, constant speed that made Kelroy stare in fascination.

Continuing, Kelroy reached a steep slope. By a street lamp, he observed a massive, reinforcing wall that rose to cliff-like proportions from the street corner. This was the street that Kelroy wanted. He advanced up the slope.

Another retaining wall supported a second house. The hill was so steep that these bulwarks were necessary to make ground-floor levels for the residences. There were steps at the front wall of the second house. Upon a post, Kelroy saw the number that he wanted. He had reached Mark Eldreth’s.

Lights glimmered through the heavy fog. Faintly, Kelroy heard the sound of music. He ascended the steps and rang the front doorbell. A porch light gave sudden illumination; then the front door was opened by a liveried servant.

“I should like to speak to Mr. Eldreth,” explained Kelroy. “Is he at home?”

The servant stared at Kelroy’s attire. He noted that the visitor was not wearing evening clothes.

“A recital is in progress, sir,” explained the servant, stiffly. “The affair is a formal one. Mr. Eldreth is not receiving other visitors.”

“But I must see him,” protested Kelroy. “It is urgent. Please tell him so.”

“The name, sir?”

“David Kelroy.”

The servant ushered Kelroy into the hall; then motioned to a chair in the corner. Kelroy seated himself, then took a survey of his surroundings. Mark Eldreth’s hallway was furnished in an almost Oriental fashion. Chinese rugs adorned the floor; a huge vase ornamented one corner. Chinese carvings were present on the wall.

A PUDGY, moon-faced man came from a doorway through which Kelroy had heard the sound of music. The man was attired in tuxedo, his air of inquiry indicated that he must be Mark Eldreth. Kelroy arose to meet him. Mark studied the visitor with a puzzled stare. He asked:

“You are Mr. Kelroy?”

Kelroy nodded.

“I have never met you,” resumed Mark. “Perhaps my memory is at fault—”

“Not — at all,” cut in Kelroy with a wan smile. “I have just arrived in San Francisco. I came from Shanghai.”

“From Shanghai?”

“I was sent to you,” explained Kelroy, “by a man named Ku Luan. A Chinaman who knew your grandfather. Is the name a familiar one to you?”

“Ku Luan.” Mark Eldreth nodded. “Yes, I recall the name. I remember that my grandfather said that I might some day hear from him. Yet I never have, until tonight. I never understood why, Ku Luan lived here in San Francisco. But now that you say he is in Shanghai”

“Ku Luan is not in Shanghai,” interposed Kelroy, soberly. “I met him here, in San Francisco, when I arrived tonight. I was almost too late. Ku Luan died shortly after I talked to him.”

“You were Ku Luan’s friend?” queried Mark, sympathetically.

“Ku Luan was my father’s friend,” replied Kelroy. “That was why Ku Luan sent for me. When he talked to me, Ku Luan spoke of your grandfather and said that I should call upon you or your brother Colin.”

“Colin is not my brother,” inserted Mark, abruptly, “he is my cousin; and I doubt that he would be interested either in you or Ku Luan. Colin is not a serious-minded person; and he takes but little interest in old family friendships.

“I should like to talk with you further, Mr. Kelroy. You are a stranger in this city; and you have come from Ku Luan. I promised my grandfather that I would receive Ku Luan as a friend, should he visit me. Since you have arrived in Ku Luan’s stead, I give you welcome.”

MARK Eldreth extended his hand. David Kelroy received it. Mark’s clasp was flabby; but it seemed full-hearted. Kelroy had not expected a firm grip from so lethargic a person; the mere handshake encouraged him.

“I must talk to you,” he told Mark, in a confidential tone. “Strange circumstances involved the death of Ku Luan. I want you to know about them.”

A troubled look displayed itself on Mark’s roundish face. Kelroy hastened to reassure the man.

“I alone am involved,” he explained, “but my position is not a pleasant one. The sooner that I talk with you, the better.”

“Are legal matters involved?” queried Mark, anxiously.

“In a sense, they are,” replied Kelroy. “If we could talk together, for fifteen minutes”

“Impossible, this evening,” interrupted Mark, with a worried shake of his head. “I have guests and must be with them. Moreover, this apparently concerns my grandfather; I am not the only one with whom it should be discussed.”

“Your cousin Colin—”

“No, no; Colin is a trifler. My attorney, Weldon Dryer, is the person with whom we should consult. You must communicate with him.”

“Where shall I find Mr. Dryer?”

“Call him at his office, in the morning. He lives in Berkeley; it is too late to reach him tonight.”

“And his office is—”

“In the Challis Building. On the twentieth floor. Weldon Dryer. He is listed in the telephone book.”

The music had ended in the next room. Applause was sounding from the clapping hands of a dozen guests. Mark Eldreth again shook hands with David Kelroy. As the visitor turned toward the front door, the servant came from across the hall to usher Kelroy out.

On the porch, Kelroy turned about to look for Mark again. He wanted to explain his predicament regarding registration at a hotel. But Mark was gone, hurrying back to the music room. Kelroy shrugged his shoulders and descended the steps. The servant closed the door.

Standing beneath the light of a street lamp, Kelroy considered two plans: one, to call Mark by telephone and ask about hotels; the other, to go directly to a hotel and register under an assumed name. That, Kelroy decided, would serve to throw enemies off his track between now and tomorrow.

The whine of a motor in second gear caused Kelroy to turn about, startled. A swanky coupe was creeping down the steep hill, its driver wisely keeping the car in gear. Brakes brought the coupe to a sudden stop. A grinning face peered from the opened window and surveyed David Kelroy.

“Well, well,” remarked the driver of the car, his voice a sarcastic tone. “Trying to crash the gate? Or did they hand you the bum’s rush?”

KELROY glared angrily, his fists half clenched. For a moment he had feared that this was some enemy hunting for him; then his survey of the car and its driver had caused him to drop that opinion.

“Don’t be offended,” chuckled the man in the car. Kelroy could see him more plainly and noted that his grin was not unfriendly. “I was just looking you over. I noticed that you were not wearing evening clothes. My cousin Mark is particular about his company.”

“Your — your cousin?” queried Kelroy. “Is Mark Eldreth your cousin?”

“Sorry to say he is.”

“Then you are Colin Eldreth?”

“In person.”

Kelroy stepped to the side of the car and reached out to shake hands. He introduced himself.

“My name is David Kelroy,” he explained. “I wanted to talk to your cousin, or to you. I came here first; but Mark had guests and couldn’t talk to me long. I had important matters to discuss with him—”

“And failed to sell him the idea?” laughed Colin, as he gripped Kelroy’s hand. “That’s fine. Climb aboard and ride with me. I’ll talk. Come on; we’ll ride over to my apartment.”

David Kelroy accepted the invitation. Boarding the coupe he dropped gratefully into the cushioned seat.

Kelroy felt truly at ease as they rode along. He could picture Colin’s apartment as the very place of seclusion that he needed. But his mind would have enjoyed less comfort, had he been able to foresee the dangers that his chance meeting with Colin Eldreth were destined to produce.

Before many days, David Kelroy would be looking back to his forgotten regret, again chiding himself that he had not remained after the battle to make the acquaintance of that black-cloaked rescuer who had saved him from death in Ku Luan’s storeroom.

For already, events were shaping to new climaxes in which David Kelroy again would greatly need the protection of The Shadow.