Part 24 (2/2)
”But it is doubtful if such a person can be made to tell.”
”Very.”
”Do you know such a man?”
”I think I do.”
”Who is he?”
”Now, Harry, I feel under obligations not to tell you. He is a Chinaman who was at one time largely engaged in opium smuggling. I knew it, but I was never called upon to proceed against him, so as he once did me an important service I made no move. I found out that he was in the hop business by the merest accident and I swore to him that I would never tell.”
And Harry knew that this was final.
So they gave it up and went back to town, leaving Old King Brady to look up his man.
Alice was still suffering from the effects of what she had been through in those underground rooms, so she remained at the hotel while Harry started out to see what he could do towards locating Dr. Garshaski.
He called first at the Stockton street house and entered the Doctor's room with a skeleton key.
It was a case of no doctor, but there was evidence that he had recently been there.
Hardly knowing what to do or where to go, Harry bent his steps towards the North Beach again.
When he got there the water looked good to him, so he went in swimming.
The day was cool and there were few bathers.
One old white-haired man, a splendid swimmer, particularly attracted Young King Brady's attention and he fell into conversation with him.
He learned that the old fellow suffered terribly from insomnia.
”Why I often come down here and go in alone at midnight,” he said, ”and sometimes in the early morning hours. I was here this morning at a quarter to one.”
”Is the place deserted then?” Harry asked.
”I don't believe the North Beach baths are ever deserted,” replied the old man. ”There are always a few old cranks like myself paddling about; sometimes we see strange sights.”
”I suppose so. Suicides for instance?”
”Yes, I have seen more than I like to think of. I have personally prevented three. Last night I saw something which interested me, but, of course, I didn't b.u.t.t in. I never do. I learned long ago to mind my own business in my nightly wanderings.”
”What was that?” inquired Harry carelessly, for he was not paying very close attention to the old man's talk.
”See those old shacks away down there where the pavilion used to be,”
pointing to the very place which interested Young King Brady most.
”Why, yes. What about them?”
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