But Rupert drew it away and spread out the leaves. "No, my dear, I don't like you to handle the horrible thing. And besides, you have seen it often enough in the hand of your aunt." "Yes, but now there is an awful significance about it." "There's blood--" "Blood," cried his wife shuddering, "but she was strangled." "I speak figuratively, my dear. This little trifle has cost one life: it may cost more. I am quite sure Lo-Keong's life hangs on this fan, or he would not be so anxious to get it back. It has a secret, and I intend to learn what the secret is." "Oh, you mean to wave it in the smoke," said Olivia remembering what Rupert had told her of Tung-yu's speech. "Yes I do. I want to see the invisible picture. Then, we may learn of this hiding place which contains the things, Lo-Keong's enemies wish to secure. I expect it is some treasonous correspondence." "But, Rupert, the hiding-place will be in China. Lo-Keong would not send papers of that kind to be concealed in England." "It would be the safest place," replied Rupert dryly, "however, I intend to try the experiment of waving this fan in the smoke." "You don't know the kind of smoke?" "I can guess the kind. Olivia do you remember that joss-stick which Mrs. Petley found in the Abbey." "Yes--at the time she saw the ghost." "Precisely. The ghost left that joss-stick behind on the first occasion, and the fan on the second. Now I shouldn't wonder if the fan had got into the hands of Hwei, and that _he_ was the ghost." "What makes you think that?" "Well, Hwei confessed that he was lurking outside the Bristol hotel to get a chance of killing Miss Wharf when she was lured out by Tung-yu. That gentleman however played false. All the same Hwei was here, and perhaps he came up to the Abbey--" "Why?" asked Olivia looking perplexed. "Ah, that I can't tell you. But I fancy the answer is to be found in this fan, as soon as we see the picture." "But the smoke." "Must be made by that joss-stick. It smells like cinnamon, and is apparently a manufactured article. Hwei brought it, so that he could wave the fan in its smoke and then learn the secret. But he dropped the joss-stick and--where is it Olivia?" "I put it in a drawer over there, after you showed it to me." Mrs. Ainsleigh went to a rose-wood cabinet and opened a drawer. She then returned with the joss-stick in her hand, and gave it to her husband, who was kneeling on the hearth-rug. "I hope it won't explode, Rupert," said Olivia nervously. He stared. "Why should you think that?" "Well it might have been dropped on purpose, and looks like a cracker with that red paper round it. Perhaps there's dynamite--" "Nonsense," said Rupert taking out a match, "however, if you are afraid, go into the next room." "No," said Olivia seating herself, "if you are to be blown to bits, I'll be blown up with you."