TOO LATE.
Old King Brady had two good reasons for keeping his mouth shut about the
Chinaman whom he hoped might furnish him information about Gong Schow.
In the first place this man, who went by the name of Ed. Woo, had once
saved his life during a mix-up in a Dupont street opium joint, a service
which the old detective was not the kind to forget, and in the next
place the man had long since given up his crooked ways and now held a
position in a certain prominent bank on Montgomery street where he had
charge of all Chinese business, commanded a good salary and was highly
respected.
Old King Brady was not the man to throw a stone in the way of such a
character, for which who can blame him?
Business of importance prevented the old detective from calling at once
on Ed Woo, but during the morning he went to the bank and calling him
out into the hall briefly explained the situation in part.
He told him about the princess, but made no mention of the
supposed-to-be-hidden money.
"I have every reason to believe that Gong Schow before his death hid
papers of importance in the little shack where he used to carry on
business near the North Beach," he said. "This man Ah Lung is most
anxious to recover those papers as well as the princess. I have been
there, but everything seems to be in ruins. I can't even locate the spot
where the shack stood. I am afraid the case is hopeless, but I thought
that perhaps you could help me out, Woo."
"I will if I can, you may be sure," replied the Chinese bank clerks,
"but I must say, Mr. Brady, you are rather indefinite."
"I know it," answered the old detective, "but to tell the truth, I have
to be. The affair concerns only Ah Lung."
"And you are the best man in the world for keeping others people's
secrets. But I did not refer to that. Which Gong Schow do you mean?"
"What! Was there more than one of that name in Chinatown?"
"There were four."
"Bless me! That certainly complicates matters. But surely there was only
one who ran a business at the North Beach and engaged in hop smuggling
on the side."
"There again you are wrong. There were two; what is more, there was
another place called North Beach in those days."
The Chinaman named the location. It was over the Bay above Saucelito.
There, Ed Woo explained, a certain cove was once called North Beach and
enjoyed a short-lived popularity as a Sunday bathing resort, but had now
been entirely abandoned for several years.
"And was there a Gong Schow in business over there?" asked the old
detective.
"There was," replied Ed Woo, "there was one out there and one at the old
North Beach in San Francisco. Both took a hand at hop smuggling. I knew
them both, so you see, Mr. Brady, it is important that I should know
which one you mean."
"Well, under the circumstances I should say so," exclaimed the old
detective. "The man I refer to died shortly after the fire."
"Then he was the Gong Schow over the bay," was the reply. "The other one
so far as I know is living still."
Here was information of real value.
Hurrying back to the hotel Old King Brady found Harry had just come in.
"Have you accomplished anything?" he asked.
"Nothing, I may say," replied Harry, "except that by mere accident I
learned that Dr. Garshaski took the princess to the North Beach last
night and made a hunt for Gong Schow's house, but failed to find it."
"Which North Beach?"
"What? Are there two?"
"Sure."
"You don't mean it. Do you know that is just what I was wondering. You
certainly know San Francisco better than I do, Governor."
Old King Brady smiled.
"Oh, I can't lay claim to have been in possession of the knowledge for
any length of time," he said, and went on to explain.
"Singular that I should have been seized with the same idea," remarked
Harry. "Alice, how does it strike you? Can this and not the regulation
North Beach be the place?"
"Easily," replied Alice. "Skeep Hup knows nothing of San Francisco,
remember. When she said North Beach, she was only repeating what she had
read in her grandfather's letter. She told me that the letter stated
that the house was a little frame affair standing back under the bluff,
and that it had a green door; that there were other houses near it and
that all had been abandoned."
"Hello!" exclaimed Harry. "You did not mention the green door before."
"Didn't I? Then it must have slipped my mind. But when one comes to
think of it, no Chinaman in his senses would ever think of hiding money
anywhere around North Beach, San Francisco."
"Dr. Garshaski seems to have been as badly deceived as ourselves,"
observed Harry.
"Yes, but he may have become undeceived by this time," replied Old King
Brady. "We want to get across the bay at once and do our investigating
there."
They lost no time in putting this plan into effect, starting for the
foot of Clay street where, as Old King Brady knew, there was a man who
had naphtha launches to rent.
As they were about to enter the little office of this individual who
should they run into but Detective Leggett.
"Volckman has given us the slip," said Leggett. "I am going across the
bay after him."
"You started to arrest him?"
"I didn't; Narraway sent a man to do it; some one must have tipped
Volckman off, for he didn't come to business this morning nor send any
word. I happened to be at the office when the man came in with this
report; Narraway told me to go to Volckman's house and see if I could
nail him there."
"And you failed?"
"Failed because he wasn't there. Wasn't any one there? The house was
shut up. I managed to get in all the same. Found most everything packed
up. I prowled about and came across some letters in an old desk which
are mighty interesting. Want to see them?"
"What are they about?"
"Opium smuggling. Five names are mentioned. The gang has had a bad scare
through our operations. They have changed their base. There's another
lot of hop expected in to-night it seems and the landing is to be made
at a lonely spot over the bay. I'm bound for there now. Want to size up
the place and report to Narraway. I shall recommend that you be put in
charge of the raid, Mr. Brady."
"I am not sure that I want the contract," replied the old detective.
"Got the princess yet?"
"No. We are still hunting Garshaski; but where is this place you speak
of?"
"It's above Saucelito; used to be called North Beach."
The Bradys and Alice glanced at each other.
"How are you going, Leggett?" the old detective asked.
"Why, I was going to hire a launch."
"Then you may as well come along with us, for that's just the place we
are bound for."
And thus it came about that once again Detective Leggett came to be
associated with the Bradys in their chase after the Chinese Princess.
The launch was engaged and with the detectives on board and Harry
running the motor, it started in the direction of the Golden Gate.
It now became necessary to take Leggett fully into their confidence, for
the Secret Service man had not understood about the hidden money.
He grew quite excited and talked of little else the rest of the trip.
It made matters easier for the Bradys that Leggett knew the exact
location of this other North Beach.
In due time they ran into the shallow cove under the green hills where
there was a small pier, sort of boat-house on piles and several frame
shacks which had once been devoted to such business as is usually found
about a bathing place.
All happened to be deserted.
The Bradys instead of landing at the pier ran further down and tied up
at a float from which they passed to the shore.
The Bradys walked up the beach surveying the different shacks.
"There's your green door, Alice," Harry suddenly exclaimed, as he
pointed on ahead.
It was attached to a one-story building scarcely larger than a good
sized hencoop, that green door.
"Looks as if it might be the place," observed Old King Brady, adding:
"But who owns the sailboat tied up at the pier, I wonder?"
They had not observed it as they approached the pier from the other
side.
"Suggests Garshaski," said Harry.
They pushed on to the green door.
"Go on in, Harry and Alice," said the old detective. "Leggett and I will
watch that house on the piles. The owner of the sailboat may be inside."
Harry and Alice then pushed on into the shack.
"Too late!" cried Alice, "Garshaski has been here ahead of us!"
And indeed it looked so, for there in the middle of the floor lay a flat
stone broken in two pieces.
Evidently it had served as a hearth stone and beneath where it had lain
at the foot of the chimney was a newly dug hole.