"
They looked at each other a moment. Then each laughed nervously,
as together they started to go out of the door. It was locked!
Quickly they ran to another door. It was locked, also.
Then they went to the windows. Behind the curtains they were
barred and looked out on a blank brick wall in a little court.
"Oh," cried Mary wringing her hands, stricken in mock panic, "oh,
I'm so frightened. This may be the den of Chinese white slavers!"
She had picked up some Chinese articles on a table, including the
box that Long had left there. It had a peculiar odor.
"Opium!" she whispered, showing it to Elaine.
The two looked at each other, Elaine genuinely worried now.
Just then, the Chinaman entered and stood a moment gazing at them.
They turned and Elaine recoiled from him. Long bowed.
"Oh sir," cried Mary, "We've made a mistake. Can't you tell us how
to get out?"
Long's only answer was to spread out his hands in polite
deprecation and shrug his suave shoulders.
"No speke Englis," he said, gliding out again from the room and
closing the door.
Elaine and Mary looked about in despair.
"What shall we do?" asked Elaine.
Mary said nothing, but with a hasty glance discovered on the wall
the knife which Long had already told her about. She took it from
its scabbard. As she did so the Chinaman returned with a tray on
which were queer drinks and glasses.
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