The Daffodil Murder (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ...English in China, or for any to know that he understands. Yet the master must have known I spoke English and read the language, for why should I keep the little cuttings from the newspapers in the box which the master searched this morning? " Tarling's eyes narrowed. " So you knew that, did you? " he said. The Chinaman smiled. It was a most unusual circumstance, for Ling Chu had never smiled within Tarling's recollection. " The papers were in certain order--some turned one way and some turned the other. When I saw them after I came back from Scotland Yard they had been disturbed. They could not disturb themselves, master, and none but you would go to my box." There was a pause, awkward enough for Tarling, who felt for the moment a little foolish that his carelessness had led to Ling Chu discovering the search which had been made of his private property. " I thought I had put them back as I had found them," he said, knowing that nothing could be gained by denying the fact that he had gone through Ling Chu's trunk. " Now, you will tell us, Ling Chu, did those printed words speak the truth? " Ling Chu nodded. " It is true, master," he said. " The Little Narcissus, or as the foreigners called her, the Little Daffodil, was my sister. She became a dancer in a tea house against my wish, her parents being dead. She was a very good girl, master, and as pretty as a sprig of almond blossom. Chinese women are not pretty to the foreigner's eye, but little Daffodil was like something cast in porcelain, and she had the virtues of a thousand years." Tarling nodded. " She was a good girl?" he repeated, this time speaking in Chinese and using a phrase which had a more delicate shade of meaning. " She lived good and she died good," said the Chinaman calmly. " The...