The Tong was the criminal band which they had offended, which had in fact stolen the ring from Long Sin and sold it to Elaine.  Yet in a game such as this enmity could not last when it was mutually disadvantageous.  Wu took the suggestion.  He decided instantly to make peace with his enemies—­and use them.

Later that night, in his car, Wu stopped near the little curio shop kept by the new Tong leader.

Long Sin alighted and entered the shop, while the Tong man eyed him suspiciously.

“My master has come to make peace,” he began, saluting the Tong leader behind the counter.

Nothing, in reality, could have pleased the Tong men more, for in their hearts they feared the master-like subtlety of Wu Fang.  The conference was short and Long Sin with a bow left quickly to rejoin Wu, while the Tong leader disappeared into a back room of the shop where several of the inner circle sat.

“All is well, master,” reported Long Sin when he had made his way back to the car around the corner in which Wu was waiting.

Wu smiled and a moment later followed by his slave in crime entered the curio shop and passed through with great dignity into the room in the rear.

As the two entered, the Tong men bowed with great respect.

“Let us be enemies no more,” began Wu briefly.  “Let us rather help each other as brothers.”

He extended his right hand, palm down, as he spoke.  For a moment the Tong leader parleyed with the others, then stepped forward and laid his own hand, palm down, over that of Wu.  One by one the others did the same, including Long Sin, the aggrieved.

Peace was restored.

Wu had risen to go, and the Tong men were bowing a respectful farewell.  He turned and saw a large vase.  For a moment he paused before it.  It was an enormous affair and was apparently composed of a mosaic of rare Chinese enamels, cunningly put together by the deft and patient fingers of the oriental craftsmen.  Extending from the widely curving bowl below was an extremely long, narrow, tapering neck.

Wu looked at it intently; then an idea seemed to strike him.  He called the Tong leader and the others about him.

Quickly he outlined the details of a plan.

. . . . . . .

“Have you received any word yet?” asked Aunt Josephine anxiously, when Jennings had ushered us into the Dodge library.

Kennedy shook his head sadly.  There was no need to repeat the question to Aunt Josephine.  The tears in her eyes told only too plainly that she herself had heard nothing, either.

Craig bent over and placed his hand on her shoulder.  For the moment, none of us could control our emotions.

A few minutes later, Jennings entered the room softly again.  “The expressmen are outside, ma’am, with a large package,” he said.

“A package?” inquired Aunt Josephine, looking up, surprised.  “For me—­are you sure?”