"
Inspector Kelly bent over the table.
"Yes, sir."
"Within that circle, which is no larger in circumference that a
shilling as you observe, lies a house used by a certain group of
people. It has been suggested to me that these people may be Chinese
or associates of Chinese."
"Well, sir," said Inspector Kelly, smiling broadly, "considering the
patch inside the circle I think it more than likely! Seventy-five or
it may be eighty per cent of the rooms and cellars and attics in
those three streets are occupied by Chinese."
"For your guidance, Inspector, we believe these people to be a
dangerous gang of international criminals. Do you know of any
particular house, or houses, likely to be used as a meeting-place by
such a gang?"
Inspector Kelly scratched his close-cropped head.
"A woman was murdered just there, sir," he said, taking up a pen from
the table and touching a point near the corner of Three Colt Street,
"about a twelve-month ago. We traced the man--a Chinese sailor--to a
house lying just about here." Again he touched the map. "It's a sort
of little junk-shop with a ramshackle house attached, all cellars and
rabbit-hutches, as you might say, overhanging a disused cutting which
is filled at high tide. Opium is to be had there and card-playing
goes on, and I won't swear that you couldn't get liquor. But it's
well conducted as such dives go."
"Why is it not closed?" inquired the Assistant Commissioner, seizing
an opportunity to air his departmental ignorance.
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