Thus there was the "door of hope," the "door of knowledge," the "door of wisdom," and so on. Alice, who could read the characters, found herself quite at a loss to imagine why they should be thus applied. At last they came to one bearing a character which signified the "door of death." Here the doctor paused. Determined not to give him the satisfaction of displaying any curiosity, Alice stood waiting for the doctor to speak. He pointed to the character and said in English: "I suppose you haven't forgotten how to read your Chinese?" "No; I haven't forgotten." "You see what that says?" "Yes; I see." "It may or may not apply to you, Alice." "I suppose you are about to add, 'all depends upon yourself.'" "Exactly." "Dr. Garshaski, I tried to treat you well. While another would have left you in prison, I induced Old King Brady to get you out. I must say I don't think you are treating me well to-night." "Better than you think for. Another situated as I was when I suddenly met you would surely have shot your lover, Young King Brady. I spared his life." "I thank you for that." "Waste no time in thanking me. Look at the character on the door directly behind us. What does it say?" "The door of love." "Well, Alice, which door shall it be? It is for you to decide." "Nonsense, doctor. Don't be ridiculous. I am in your power. Get ahead and let us end all this." "Will you marry me, Alice? I will make you a good husband. What is more, I am in a good paying business now. If my schemes succeed I am in a fair way to become rich." "No, I won't. That's final." "Once again I ask you, Alice." "And once again I refuse!" cried Alice, stamping her foot, for she was beginning to lose patience at last. The two Chinamen stood grinning at each other. If they did not understand English they at least must have had a pretty good idea of what was going on. They seemed to be highly amused. "And now for the third time I ask you," continued the doctor, "will you marry me?" "Never!" cried Alice. "Not if you were the last man on earth!" "Then that settles it, Alice Montgomery!" he said, sternly. "The door you enter shall be the door of death!" He unlocked it and threw it open. Inside Alice could see nothing. It appeared to be just across the passage. But before she had time to think twice about it the two Chinamen gave her a sudden push. The doctor jumped aside and poor Alice went flying through the door of death. CHAPTER V. OLD KING BRADY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS. Harper's Hotel, on Mission street, both before and since the fire was always a great resort for Secret Service men. In fact, the proprietor himself was formerly one. As it happened, this was one of the few buildings in that part of the city which escaped the fire, so the public house at which Old King Brady turned up late that afternoon was the same old Harper's Hotel. Detective Leggett, disguised as a dock laborer, sat in the cafe playing dominoes with another Secret Service man.