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I dislodged a piece of granite in my descent; but, fortunately Slattin had gone out into the hall and could not well have heard it. We were crouching around an angle of the house, when a flood of light poured down the steps, and Kâramanèh rapidly descended.
Distinctly I heard the creak of the revolving office-chair as Slattin rose; then Smith had me by the arm, and we were flying swiftly away from the door to take up our former post around the angle of the building. This gained "He's going to his death!" rapped Smith beside me; "but Carter has a cab from the Yard waiting in the nearest rank.
"And out o' that web of riggin' and small spars, and slattin' canvas, and other gear, I seen a man's body hurled into the air. It was Snowball, the man. Bill his right name was. "Flung himself, he did, clean out o' the ship and as she heeled back to starboard he shot down, feet first, straight as a die, and made a hole in the sea not ha'f a cable's length from me and nearer the dog than I was.
Up to the snake's head it was an accurate copy; but the head lived! Either from pain, fear, or starvation, the thing confined in the hollow tube of this awful duplicate was become torpid. Otherwise, no power on earth could have saved me from the fate of Abel Slattin; for the creature was an Australian death-adder.
But it's either them or gulls a-flappin'." Cap'n Sproul's brown hands clasped the rope-wound telescope, and he trained its lens with seaman's steadiness. "It's them," he said, with a chuckle of immense satisfaction. They're hoppin' up and down on the high ridge, and slattin' their arms in the air. It ain't no joy-dance, that ain't. I've seen Patagonian Injuns a war-dancin'. It's like that.
Up to the snake's head it was an accurate copy; but the head lived! Either from pain, fear or starvation, the thing confined in the hollow tube of this awful duplicate was become torpid. Otherwise, no power on earth could have saved me from the fate of Abel Slattin; for the creature was an Australian death-adder.
"Considering the importance of his proposal," I began, as the door closed, "you hardly received our visitor with cordiality." "I hate to have any relations with him," answered my friend; "but we must not be squeamish respecting our instruments in dealing with Dr. Fu-Manchu. Slattin has a rotten reputation even for a private inquiry agent. He is little better than a blackmailer "
"Something of the sort," said Slattin, standing up and again preparing to depart. "You will 'phone us, then?" asked my friend. "You will hear from me to-morrow," was the reply. Smith returned to the cane armchair, and Slattin, bowing to both of us, made his way to the door as I rang for the girl to show him out.
Carter came in out of the darkness, carefully stepping over the recumbent figure; and the three of us stood there in the lighted hall looking down at Slattin. "Help me to move him back," directed Smith tensely; "far enough to close the door." Between us we accomplished this, and Carter fastened the door.
Nayland Smith wasted no time in pursuing the plan of campaign which he had mentioned to Inspector Weymouth. Less than forty-eight hours after quitting the house of the murdered Slattin, I found myself bound along Whitechapel Road upon strange enough business.
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