But it seemed that tiredness
did not matter, would never matter. The empty world had become warm
and small again. Desire was safe.
Together he and Li Ho slid and scrambled down the mountain's face,
by ways known only to Li Ho. And there, on a strip of beach left
clean and wet by the receding tide, they found the dead man. Beside
him, and twisted beneath, lay the green umbrella.
"How did it really happen, Li Ho?" asked Spence. Not that he
expected any information.
"Moon-devil velly mad," said Li Ho. "Honorable Boss no watch step.
Moon-devil push--too bad!"
"And the fight in the kitchen? And on the trail?"
Li Ho shook his head.
"No fight anywhere," he said blandly.
"And this long rip in your coat?"
"Too much old coat--catch 'um in bush," said Li Ho.
So when they lifted the body and it was found that the arm beneath
the torn coat was useless, Spence said nothing. And somehow they
managed to carry the dead man home.
It was dawn when they laid him down. Birds were already beginning to
twitter in the trees. Desire would be waking soon. The world was
going to begin all over presently. Spence laid his hand gently on
the Chinaman's injured arm.
"You saved her, Li Ho," he said. "It is a big debt for one man to
owe another."
The Chinaman said nothing. He was looking at the dead face--a
curious lost look.
"He velly good man one time," said Li Ho. "All same before moon-
devil catch 'um."
"You stayed with him a long time, Li Ho.
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