When he was given the telegram he flew to the Praya, engaged the fast motor-boat he had previously bespoken against the need, and started for the Macao Passage, with the vague hope of speaking The Tigress.  He hung round those broad waters from noon until three and realized that he had embarked upon a wild-goose chase.  Still, his conscience was partly satisfied.  He made Hong-Kong at dusk:  wet, hungry, and a bit groggy for the want of sleep; but he was in no wise discouraged.  The girl was in the game now, and that narrowed the circle.

The following morning found him in the doctor’s waiting room, a black cigar turning unlighted in his teeth.  When the doctor came in—­he had just finished his breakfast—­O’Higgins rose and presented his card.  Upon reading the name, the doctor’s eyebrows went up.

“I rather fancy, as you Britishers say, that you know the nature of my visit?”

“I’m an American.”

“Fine!” said O’Higgins, jovially.  “We won’t have any trouble understanding each other; same language.  There’s nothing on the card to indicate it, but I’m a detective.”

O’Higgins threw out his chest, gave it a pat, and smiled.  This smile warned the doctor not to underestimate the man.  O’Higgins was all that the doctor had imagined a detective to be:  a bulky policeman in civilian clothes.  The blue jowl, the fat-lidded eyes—­now merry, now alert, now tungsten hard—­the bullet head, the pudgy fingers and the square-toed shoes were all in conformation with the doctor’s olden mental picture.

“Yes; I know I look it,” said O’Higgins, amiably.

The doctor laughed.  But he sobered instantly as he recollected that O’Higgins had found Spurlock once.  Journeying blindly half way across the world, this man had found his quarry.

“I never wear false whiskers,” went on O’Higgins.  “The only disguise I ever put on is a dress-suit, and I look as natural as a pig at a Mahomedan dinner.”  O’Higgins was disarming the doctor.  “Won’t you sit down?”

“I beg your pardon!  Come into the consultation office”; and the doctor led the way.  “What is it you want of me?”

“All you know about this young fellow Spurlock.”

“What has he done?”

“He has just naturally peeved his Uncle Sam.  Now, you know where he is bound.”

“Did Ah Cum advise you?”

“He did pretty well for a Chinaman.  But that’s his American education.  Now, it won’t do a bit of good to warn Spurlock.  He carries with him something that will mark him anywhere—­the girl.  Say, that girl fooled me at first glance.  You see, we guys bump up against so much of the seamy side that we look upon everybody as guilty until proved innocent, which is hind-side-to.  The second look told me I was wrong.”

“I’m going to put one question,” interrupted the doctor.  “Was there any other woman back there in the States?”

“Nary a female.  Oh, they are married fast.  What are you going to tell me?”