"And it is?" he queried.

"What the white man calls the African tick which carries the
recurrent fever," answered the coolie deferentially.

A flash of intense exultation seemed to darken Wu Fang's sinister
face. Several times he paced up and down the room, as he
contemplated the sight which he had just seen. Then he came to a
sudden determination.

"Wait," he said to the coolie, as he moved slowly again into the
back room.

Long Sin had remained there. With Weepy Mary he was guarding
Elaine when Wu Fang reentered. Elaine was thoroughly aroused by
this time. Even the fact that Wu no longer held the murderous dirk
did not serve to reassure her, for the look on his face was even
more terrible than before.

He smiled cunningly to himself.

"Suffering is a state of mind," he said in a low tone, "and I have
decided that it would be poor revenge for me to harm you. You are
free."

Nothing could have come as a greater surprise to Elaine. Even Long
Sin had not expected any such speech as this. Elaine, however, was
wonder-stricken.