as a silent clerk appeared, only to turn and melt immediately back through the doorway at the rear of the shop. Yes, that little Chinese lackey knew Harvey Dale would deal with no one but the person in charge, and that person was doubtless in the back, supervising the organized gambling in the rear room.
Harvey gave a low snort as his mind was touched by a reluctant admiration for China Mary's business establishment. It offered gambling fan-tan, mostly, amply supervised by unofficial Chinese policemen prostitution, opium dens, work contracts for the five hundred Orientals in Tombstone, and hop for the women of the red-light district, a traffic that had given this section of town its name: Hop Town. One person China Maryran it all and supervised Tong affairs as well.
The curtain to the rear of the store stirred gently, then parted to allow a short, ample feminine figure to pass through. Clad in the rich silks and rare jewelry that were her trademark, China Mary approached with a silent, brisk step. Stopping just short of him, the lamp overhead clearly illuminating the liberal streaking of gray in her dark, tightly bound hair, China Mary smiled, her face creasing into myriad lines.
"Ah, Mr. Dale, what may I do for you today?"
Harvey's neglect of the amenities was a calculated insult as he spoke with barely concealed condescension. "My daughter has just arrived from the East. I need a servant for her, a woman who can be trusted. I need someone special, Mary, not the usual run of dirty laborers you provide for doing laundry and other menial chores. I need someone who will be able to function as a personal maid for her. My daughter is well educated and intelligent. She will not suffer a slow, ignorant, unclean person around her."
Harvey noted with silent satisfaction the narrowing of China Mary's small eyes. China Mary was respected in some parts of Tombstone. Some spoke of her generosity to those in need Americans as well as her own people but to him, she was nothing more than a Chinese immigrant who had managed to raise herself a step above the muck in which the rest of her people were mired. But he knew Mary could be trusted to keep her word. It was her word, in fact, that had kept her bound to him in payment of a debt that surpassed financial considerations. He had made sure she would be a long time in repaying it.
Harvey's sharp eyes pinned her. "Do you know of someone who will be able to fill those qualifications?"
Hesitating only briefly, Mary nodded. "I know just the person you seek."
Satisfaction twitched at the corner of Harvey's mouth. "I'll need her at my house today."
"Yes, Mr. Dale. It will be done."
Harvey was beginning to feel better already. He perused China Mary's face with half-closed eyes, noting and enjoying the hint of subservience in her demeanor, which he knew she displayed for no one other than him. His power over this woman, whose command of the Oriental community was unchallenged, was a heady stimulant.
"Is there anything else I may do for you, Mr. Dale?"
Harvey paused, his eyes moving to the narrow staircase at the far end of the dimly lit store. The thought of the small room upstairs, where he had spent many sensual hours, unexpectedly set his heart racing. A telltale stirring in his loins caused him to reach into the pocket of his waistcoat and withdraw an elaborately filigreed watch. He flicked open the cover in an offhand manner that he hoped appeared casual. It would not do to betray his growing physical arousal. He did not wish to allow Mary that much power over him.
Realizing he had not even seen the Roman numerals on the expensive timepiece, Harvey nodded. "Yes, I think so. I seem to have an hour to spare this morning."
China Mary's face remained unchanged, her smile fixed, but Harvey was not fooled. Sensing her reaction to his words, he spoke slowly, drawing out the
Harvey gave a low snort as his mind was touched by a reluctant admiration for China Mary's business establishment. It offered gambling fan-tan, mostly, amply supervised by unofficial Chinese policemen prostitution, opium dens, work contracts for the five hundred Orientals in Tombstone, and hop for the women of the red-light district, a traffic that had given this section of town its name: Hop Town. One person China Maryran it all and supervised Tong affairs as well.
The curtain to the rear of the store stirred gently, then parted to allow a short, ample feminine figure to pass through. Clad in the rich silks and rare jewelry that were her trademark, China Mary approached with a silent, brisk step. Stopping just short of him, the lamp overhead clearly illuminating the liberal streaking of gray in her dark, tightly bound hair, China Mary smiled, her face creasing into myriad lines.
"Ah, Mr. Dale, what may I do for you today?"
Harvey's neglect of the amenities was a calculated insult as he spoke with barely concealed condescension. "My daughter has just arrived from the East. I need a servant for her, a woman who can be trusted. I need someone special, Mary, not the usual run of dirty laborers you provide for doing laundry and other menial chores. I need someone who will be able to function as a personal maid for her. My daughter is well educated and intelligent. She will not suffer a slow, ignorant, unclean person around her."
Harvey noted with silent satisfaction the narrowing of China Mary's small eyes. China Mary was respected in some parts of Tombstone. Some spoke of her generosity to those in need Americans as well as her own people but to him, she was nothing more than a Chinese immigrant who had managed to raise herself a step above the muck in which the rest of her people were mired. But he knew Mary could be trusted to keep her word. It was her word, in fact, that had kept her bound to him in payment of a debt that surpassed financial considerations. He had made sure she would be a long time in repaying it.
Harvey's sharp eyes pinned her. "Do you know of someone who will be able to fill those qualifications?"
Hesitating only briefly, Mary nodded. "I know just the person you seek."
Satisfaction twitched at the corner of Harvey's mouth. "I'll need her at my house today."
"Yes, Mr. Dale. It will be done."
Harvey was beginning to feel better already. He perused China Mary's face with half-closed eyes, noting and enjoying the hint of subservience in her demeanor, which he knew she displayed for no one other than him. His power over this woman, whose command of the Oriental community was unchallenged, was a heady stimulant.
"Is there anything else I may do for you, Mr. Dale?"
Harvey paused, his eyes moving to the narrow staircase at the far end of the dimly lit store. The thought of the small room upstairs, where he had spent many sensual hours, unexpectedly set his heart racing. A telltale stirring in his loins caused him to reach into the pocket of his waistcoat and withdraw an elaborately filigreed watch. He flicked open the cover in an offhand manner that he hoped appeared casual. It would not do to betray his growing physical arousal. He did not wish to allow Mary that much power over him.
Realizing he had not even seen the Roman numerals on the expensive timepiece, Harvey nodded. "Yes, I think so. I seem to have an hour to spare this morning."
China Mary's face remained unchanged, her smile fixed, but Harvey was not fooled. Sensing her reaction to his words, he spoke slowly, drawing out the
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