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A. S.... I am to come at once?... I know where yes I ... you will meet me there?... Good! I shall be with you in half an hour.... Good-by!" 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.
A shadowy figure uprose, and vaguely I made it out for that of a man in the unobtrusive blue serge which is the undress uniform of the Force. "Well?" rapped my companion. "Mr. Slattin returned ten minutes ago, sir," reported the constable. "He came in a cab which he dismissed " "He has not left again?"
Detaining me with his hand he crouched there against a quick-set hedge; until, from a spot lower down the hill, we heard the start of the cab which had been waiting. Twenty seconds elapsed, and from some other distant spot a second cab started. "That's Weymouth!" snapped Smith. "With decent luck, we should know Fu-Manchu's hiding-place before Slattin tells us!" "But "
I was on my feet now, and automatically making for the door. I had a vague impression of Nayland Smith's face beside me, the eyes glassy with a fearful apprehension. Then the door was flung open, and, in the bright light of the hall-way, I saw Slattin standing swaying and seemingly fighting with the empty air. "What is it?
For God's sake, what has happened!" reached my ears dimly and the man Burke showed behind his master. White-faced I saw him to be; for now Smith and I were racing up the steps. Ere we could reach him, Slattin, uttering another choking cry, pitched forward and lay half across the threshold. We burst into the hall, where Burke stood with both his hands raised dazedly to his head.
It was the ticking of the clock upon the mantelpiece; and I thought how this sound must have been familiar to Abel Slattin, how it must have formed part and parcel of his life, as it were, and how it went on now tick-tick-tick-tick whilst he, for whom it had ticked, lay unheeding would never heed it more.
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 Karamaneh rapidly descended.
He was a thought overdressed a big man, dark-haired and well-groomed, who toyed with a monocle most unsuitable to his type. During the preceding conversation, I had been vaguely surprised to note Mr. Abel Slattin's marked American accent. Sometimes, when Slattin moved, a big diamond which he wore upon the third finger of his right hand glittered magnificently.
I had a vague impression of Nayland Smith's face beside me, the eyes glassy with a fearful apprehension. Then the door was flung open, and, in the bright light of the hall-way, I saw Slattin standing swaying and seemingly fighting with the empty air. "What is it? For God's sake, what has happened?" reached my ears dimly and the man Burke showed behind his master.
Carter, you can speak to whoever knocks, through the letter-box. Petrie, don't move for your life! It may be here, in the hallway! Our search of the house of Abel Slattin ceased only with the coming of the dawn, and yielded nothing but disappointment.
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