The next evening Rupert again assumed his old suit and heavy cloak and went away. Olivia clung to him as he left the door. "Oh my darling be careful," she said, "if you are killed--"
"I won't be," Rupert assured her. "I have taken the precaution to write telling Rodgers of this meeting. He will bring, by my advice, a couple of plain-cloth policemen to Penter's Alley, and if there is trouble, both the Major and I will be able to get away."
Comforted thus, Olivia kissed her husband, and saw him drive down the avenue. Then she returned to her room to count the moments, until he returned. All their troubles had brought Olivia and Rupert closer together, and in their implicit trust in one another, lay the elements of future happiness.
Ainsleigh found the Major also plainly dressed, waiting at the station, and the two were speedily on their way to town. Owing to an accident to the train, they were late in arriving at Liverpool Street station and the Major fumed. "We won't be in time," he said when they went to the underground railway.
"Oh, I think so," said Rupert calmly, "it's just as well, we should not be too early. I want Rodgers and his men to be on the spot."
"But what do you think will come of all this?" asked Tidman, nervously.
"But if Tung-yu had them, he would not have written to me."
"He is playing some sort of game. I can't understand, and I have given up theorizing. Let us wait."
The Major grumbled a little, but finally agreed that Ainsleigh was right. They soon arrived at Rotherhithe, and stepped out into the main street. The night was fine, and there was a bright moon. "I like this better than when I was here last," said Rupert, as the two went down to Penters' Alley.
"It's a good thing there's a moon," said the Major casting a glance upward, "if these Chinamen try to bolt, we can chase them."
"I can't say," said Tidman, "but if Tung-yu is, I suspect Hwei won't be far off. They work in couples as you know."
"And pull against each other like ill-matched dogs," said Rupert, "a queer compact, this."
"It's silly. I think the Mandarin must be mad with all this rubbish about his gim-crack god Kwang-ho. Here we are--and there's the lantern. What a narrow street."
They stepped down the Alley in the bright moonlight. The lantern flared above the same house as Rupert had entered before, and at the door stood a small figure. It was the Chinese boy dressed in red. "Ah," said Rupert significantly, "Hwei is certainly here, as well as Tung-yu, We'll have trouble."