"Fifteen thousand," said Tung-yu his eyes glittering, "come gentlemen it's better to be rich than dead. For the next twenty-four hours I can give you money. Then comes Hwei's hour and he will kill you." "Not much," said Burgh, "I'm going to cut." "You shall be kept here, till you give up the fan." Rupert shrugged his shoulders. "You won't believe," he said, "why not search us. Then you can see we have not the fan. Do you believe that Major Tidman has it?" "Yes. He gave it to you. He killed--" "He did not. Can you swear that he did?" "No. But I thought--" "Oh shucks," said Clarence shoving himself forward, "see here Mr. Tung-yu. I'm sick of this business. We haven't got that durned fan. But I can tell you who has." "Tell then and I give you a thousand pounds." "Not good enough," said Burgh coolly, "see here, you let us go free and tell us the fan's secret, and I'll tell you." "Yes, and get the fan, and learn the secret," cried Tung-yu excited, "but you cannot make use of the secret." "Don't want to. And as to the fan, you can get it from the person I tell you of. Then you can fork out fifteen thousand." The Chinaman deliberated. "We have been wrong about Major Tidman, I think," said he politely. "It seems someone else has it. I suppose----" "I didn't kill the old girl myself if that's what you mean." "Quite so," said Tung-yu, after another pause. "Well, as you can't make any use of the secret I'll tell you of it. Then you can go free, after you have told me who killed Miss Wharf." "Right oh," said Clarence, and Rupert listened breathlessly. "The fan," said Tung-yu, "is jade on one side, and enamel on the other. The enamelled side is painted with a picture invisibly. To bring out the picture, this fan has to be waved in certain smoke--" "What sort of smoke?" "I won't tell you that," said Tung-yu politely, "I have told enough." "Well, then," said Rupert, "when the picture is visible what happens?" "It will show a hiding place which contains certain things we want to get, in order to ruin Lo-Keong with the Empress." "Oh, I see, a plan of a secret hiding-place." "Now you know," said Tung-yu to Clarence, "tell me----" "Not till I know of the smoke." "I refuse. But I give you fifteen thousand to get that fan. One thousand now if you tell me who killed the woman and who has it." "Good," said Clarence, "I'll trade. Dr. Forge strangled Miss Wharf." "Ah," said Tung-yu leaping up, "he has the fan. Thanks Kwang-ho," and he bowed to the half-destroyed image. CHAPTER XVII A DISAPPEARANCE When Rupert returned to Marport next day, Burgh accompanied him. The young squire of Royabay wished to give information to the police regarding the guilt of Forge. But Clarence persuaded him against doing so. "You'll only get me into a row," said he, in his candid way. "You see I told a lie." "You tell so many lies," said Rupert sharply, "I don't know but what I ought to give you in charge."