Sherlock Holmes and the Golden Bird

MacDonald knew when he was licked. 'Well, Mr. Holmes, I'll see that the articles are returned to you. I'm disappointed, for a fact, since had you been on the premises during the fracas, you might have provided us with a key to the affair. We're baffled.'

'Perhaps I can uncover something,' said Holmes. 'I gather that this battle was not an attempt by one criminal group to demoralize or displace another. It seems reasonable to assume that Dowson had something that the Oriental group was after.'

The police inspector nodded.

'Have you any idea what this might be?' continued Holmes.

'No, sir. There's been no big robbery on the docks, or anywhere else, that I can associate with this.'

'Then let me take another approach. Who, in your opinion, Mr. Mac, would have had the organization, the manpower, to attack the Nonpareil Culb?'

'Assuming it is an Oriental, and that seems indicated, it could only be one man.'

It was Holmes's turn to nod. 'Chu San Fu.'

'Aye,' agreed MacDonald. 'That tiger can wave one of his fingers and there's a hundred to do his biddin'.'

'I have heard,' said Holmes, slowly, 'that Chu is not as active as he once was.'

' 'Tis an impression he's most anxious to. create. I can recall times when he was crossed and there were bodies for sure and no doubt as to how they met their end. Warnings of his power.'

I could contain myself no longer. 'Good heavens, who is this Oriental monster that you both discuss so calmly and how is it that I have never heard of him? Chu San Fu, indeed.'

Holmes's eyes were on the fire and his voice had a dreamy quality. 'The Chinese are an inscrutable and unobtrusive race, my dear Watson, completely devoted to the customs of their homeland. Their entire strata of society is a secret closely guarded. They remain completely enclosed and while we see them, know they exist, we really know little about them.'

MacDonald was nodding and chose to add to Holmes's words. 'For years, Chu has been the power in the Chinese community. All the opium dens, the gambling houses, the drug traffic, have been under his thumb. He also runs a sizeable import-export business that is legitimate, as far as we know. Of late, he's gone underground, as far as his illegal activities are concerned. Oh, he still wields the power of life and death, but his enemies just disappear now. Into the waters of the Thames estuary, nae doot.'

Holmes's dreamy thoughtfulness had disappeared. He was regarding the Scot intently.

'Do you have some theory regarding his change of modus operandi?'

MacDonald nodded. 'I also have a fear of a gang war and an intense int'rest in last night's battle at the Nonpareil Club.'

Holmes rose and knocked the dottle out of his pipe and into the fire. 'Could it be that you are suggesting a trade, Mr. Mac?'

The Scot didn't hesitate. 'That's exactly what I'm doin'.'

'You may be the loser. I've not much to tell and your sources in the Chinese quarter are undoubtedly superior to mine.'

'I'll take me chances.'

'Very well.' Holmes's fingers reached into the Persian slipper for more shag. 'I think that Dowson was hired to secure an ancient objet d'art and Chu wants it.'

The Scotland Yard inspector digested this. 'Would this object be of great value?'

'Not of the type you're thinking of. It's no Mona Lisa, or even close to it.'

'Very strange, Mr. Holmes. But your theory is provocative since Chu San Fu has one of the largest collections of Oriental art in the wurld.'

I have seldom seen Holmes register surprise, but he did now. 'Does he indeed? But the object I have in mind is not Oriental.'

'Hmmm. Well, there's no tellin' what else Chu has in his treasure chest. 'Tis me feelin' that collectors are a breed apart.'

'A very sage observation, Mr. Mac,' said Holmes.

'I've a wee bit more for ye, but tell me, if Dowson had this object and Chu was after it, who has it now?'

'That I don't know,' said Holmes, with regret.

'But ye'll certainly be tryin' to find out?' MacDonald was answered by a quick affirmative nod from Holmes.

'Well, sir, herre's a bit of social news that int'rests our lads in the Limehouse squad: Maurice Rothfils, related to the famous international bankers, is to be married come spring.'

'I've heard of that,' I said, glad to have a hand in the conversation. 'It's something of a nine-day sensation in Mayfair since his bride-to-be is a Chinese princess.'

'Aye, Doctor,' said MacDonald. 'Now Rothfils just may have a title by the tune he's married and there could be a presentation at court involvin' his wife. So the special branch has been quite concerned. For there's a whisper that this Chinese princess is the daughter of Chu San Fu.'

Holmes stopped filling his pipe. 'You are a treasure trove, Mr. Mac. This puts a new light on things and explains why the tiger is trying to sheath his claws.' Noting my puzzled look, Holmes added to his statement. 'The more dastardly the brigand, the more precious the cloak of respectability. You may recall, Watson, that Henry Morgan, who sacked Panama and was the terror of the Caribbean, later became the Governor of Jamaica.'

'Not a very respected one,' I said, somewhat stiffly.

'Touche!' responded my friend.

MacDonald, sensing that the well of information had dried up on both sides, rose to his feet.

'I'll not be takin' up any more of your time, Mr. Holmes.' As I handed him his coat, he regarded the great sleuth shrewdly. 'I'll be hearin' from you, sir?'

'I hope very soon,' responded Holmes.

Then the official and unofficial detective did a strange thing. They shook hands—a social formality I had never seen them indulge in before. But then, a bargain had been made.

The next three days provided no further information regarding this strange case that Holmes and I had become involved in. I saw little of my friend and surmised that he was tapping his sources of information and frequenting strange places in any one of the variety of disguises that he affected with such expertise.

The journals had a short-lived romance with the battle in Soho. Then the matter disappeared from print. The management of the Nonpareil Club claimed they were victims of an attempted robbery. Since the authorities had been unable to locate gambling devices or prove that the club was a haven for it, Dowson and his crew were officially blameless. The two wounded Chinese claimed, through an interpreter, that they were making a delivery to the club and just got caught in the middle of hostilities. A reputable Oriental merchant appeared to identify them as employees and produce a delivery order for two Chinese rugs. The Orientals were released for lack of evidence and the entire affair collapsed in the hands of the police. Everyone involved knew the gunfight was no small thing, but no one could prove it. It was as though nothing had happened.

The morning of the fourth day brought a sparkle to Holmes's eyes. He had been chafing under the strain of inaction or, at least, action that was non-productive. As usual, this had not improved his sometimes brusque and preoccupied manner. But it was the old Holmes that greeted me at the breakfast table with a smile of relief.

'I do hope you are free to take a trip, my good Watson.'

'I can be.'

'Then we are off to Berlin.'

He handed me a cablegram, which I eagerly scanned.

MY DEAR MR. HOLMES

LETTER FROM L1NDQUIST INFORMS ME OF ARRANGEMENT HE MADE WITH YOU. AGREEABLE ON THIS END. CAN YOU COME TO BERLIN AS THERE HAS BEEN RECENT DEVELOPMENT HERE RELATIVE TO THE BIRD. I WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXPENSES INCURRED BY YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUE, OF COURSE. WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME.

VASIL D'ANGLAS.