XXIV
CHO-SAN'S NEWS
A drooping, discouraged little figure, Lotus stumbled back to the closedcurtains. As she raised a hand to part them, Don Winslow called herback.
"You are wrong," he said huskily as the girl turned. "Count Borg needsfriends right now. He needs you, Lotus! One of these days he will bereleased. If he has no friend to whom it matters, _he's_ going to feellife and liberty aren't worth much, isn't he? Answer me that!"
Slowly Lotus' small chin lifted. Her shoulders lost their discourageddroop.
"Thank you, Don Winslow!" she whispered. "Andre was like that, too,saying things to give me courage when all seemed hopeless. You resembleeach other in more things than voice and appearance. That is why Icouldn't ever betray you to Cho-San! But come! It is dangerous to talkhere longer. We must return to the living room, in case Cho-San comeslooking for us."
Don realized that she was right. Without a word he followed back throughthe curtained archway, ready once more to play the part of Count Borg.As it turned out, they were barely in time.
Lotus had just seated herself when the little French maid, Suzette,appeared silently.
"A telephone message for Mademoiselle!" the girl announced. "Cho-Sanrequests that you take it from the apartment of Doctor Skell."
With a warning glance at Don, Lotus rose to her feet. "You will excuseme, Andre?" she asked. "It seems that our evening together is doomed tobe broken up ... Suzette! Are you not glad to see Count Borg after histhree months' absence?"
The maid bobbed a quaint little foreign courtesy.
"I am ver' glad to see you again, Monsieur!" she smiled, as Lotus leftthe room. "Did Mademoiselle have time to show you through the newapartment beyond this one? It has been made over since you were lasthere."
The wink which accompanied the last statement set Don's thoughts racing.Suzette's hint was plain enough. She wanted an excuse to lead him out ofthe room. But why? Did she have something to say that was not meant forthe hidden dictaphone?
"Made over, hmmm?" Don drawled, picking up the cue where she dropped it."No, Mademoiselle didn't show me that. Might as well kill time whileshe's gone by taking a look."
Rising, he followed the little maid through the same archway where Lotushad taken him. As the heavy curtains fell back in place, he was notsurprised to find Suzette at his elbow. Standing on tiptoe, the Frenchmaid whispered swiftly in his ear.
"I also," he caught the softly breathed words, "know who you are,Commander!"
The shock to Don's nerves was less, this time; but before he had time torecover, Suzette pulled his ear down once more.
"We must be brief, M'sieur," she murmured, "but I will tell you thatw'ich even Mademoiselle Lotus do not know. I am operative of the FrenchSecret Service, working to discover the Scorpion's so evil plans. Ilisten w'en you talk with Mademoiselle behind this curtain. Of course Ihave hear of the so famous Don Winslow, so I tell myself: 'Suzette, youare one lucky woman! Perhaps you can help the Commander to trap theenemy tonight!'"
In silent admiration, Don offered the plucky girl his hand. How long shehad been risking her life surrounded day and night by Scorpion agents,he could only guess. Both her cleverness and her courage, he knew, mustbe extraordinary to get away with such a feat.
"You mean we can find a way to trap them at the big meeting tonight?" hewhispered breathlessly. "That's even a bigger stunt than I'd hoped topull off! I came here to get evidence against the big shots, but if wecan deal Scorpia a crippling blow at the same time...."
"_Oui!_ That is my thought!" cut in the French woman swiftly. "But thereis not now time to tell you my plan. Instead I must warn you. Somethinghave happen to make Cho-San suspect you are not Andre Borg!"
"That cuts it!" groaned Don. "I must have been pulling a whole string ofboners. First Lotus, then you, and now Cho-San gets wise to me...."
"No! No! It is not that, M'sieur!" whispered the little maid. "You havenot pull the boner, and Cho-San is not sure. You see he have just gotthe news that Michael Splendor and Commander Winslow have arrived byplane. The Scorpion spy who saw them at the airport say Don Winslow havea wound on the head jus' like yours. That start Cho-San wondering w'ichis the real Don Winslow and w'ich is Count Andre Borg."
"And so," smiled Don grimly, "Cho-San sent you in to size me up andreport which of the two _you_ think I am! Well, so long as he isn'tsure, I stand a chance to get away with it. I'll have to be more thanever on my guard now, that's all."
"_Mais oui!_" Suzette said loudly, pushing aside the curtains. "And now,Monsieur, that you have seen the made over apartment, is there anythingelse you desire? Perhaps some music from the radio, while you awaitMademoiselle Lotus?"
Before Don could reply, Cho-San himself appeared from behind the tallscreen. A wave of his long fingered hand disposed of the maid. As sheglided from the room, the big Chinese turned slowly to face the youngIntelligence officer.
"I have news for you. Count Borg," he announced in an ominous tone. "Theman who is your double in voice and features has just arrived at theairport. My agent who saw him reported that the wound on his head isidentical with yours. But that is not all. It seems that even the tinyscar beneath Count Borg's cheekbone has reproduced itself on the face ofDon Winslow!"
For a long moment Don's gray eyes returned the Oriental's snakelikegaze. Above all things, he told himself, he must not show nervousness.Instead, he managed an incredulous laugh.
"Now, really, Cho-San," he bantered. "You can't expect me to swallow awhopper like that! Either you're pulling my leg, or your agent had oneglass too many under his belt when he looked at Winslow. The Commanderwouldn't have any reason to copy my facial misfortunes, you know!"
"I do not know!" snarled Cho-San, giving way to one of his sudden rages."I have found Commander Winslow unbelievably clever on many occasions.If I thought he could lower his stiff pride to impersonate a fool, Ishould suspect that _your_ scars were faked!"
"And that the real Count Borg is now a traitor wearing the uniform of aUnited States Navy Commander?" crowed Don, sinking limply onto thenearest couch. "Oh-h-n, ha-ha-ha! I never thought to see you soconfused, Cho-San! Why, supposing Winslow were--ha, ha--such an idiot asto shoot himself in the head, he couldn't fake this scar under my eye,too. You can see for yourself, Cho-San. It isn't painted!"
Lurching to his feet, Don thrust his face close to that of the gloweringChinese. The effect was everything that he desired. On the instant,Cho-San's suspicion was swept away by the sheer violence of his wrath.
"Silence, you laughing hyena!" thundered the Scorpion leader. "Perhapsif your silly face _were_ painted it would sicken me less! As it is, Ishall use it to serve the purposes of Scorpia, in a way suggested by DonWinslow himself. Within the next twenty-four hours that young officerwill disappear. At the same time you, Andre Borg, will take his placeand carry out certain orders. With Winslow safely in our hands, we shallproceed to spread dismay in the ranks of the Navy Intelligence!"
The harsh brutality in Cho-San's voice did more than anything toreassure Don. The Chinese had evidently made up his mind that Count Borgnow stood before him, and had turned his explosive energy to anotherproblem. From now on Don's best play was obviously to agree.
As he was about to reply, a concealed buzzer sounded loudly in the room.Cho-San turned with a muttered exclamation, and hurried out by way ofthe carved screen.