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Updated: June 20, 2025
"For several reasons I am going to be more than moderately careful. Whatever Fire-Tongue may be, its other name is sudden death! It's a devil of a business; a perfect nightmare. But " he paused "I am wondering what on earth induced Mr. Harley to send that parcel of linen to the analyst." "The result of the analysis may prove that the chief was not engaged upon any wild-goose chase." "By heavens!"
Harley was right in what he believed, the circumstances of his present disappearance go to prove. He learned too much about something called Fire-Tongue." Wessex spoke the word challengingly, staring straight into the eyes of Nicol Brinn, but the latter gave no sign, and Wessex, concealing his disappointment, continued: "You know more about Fire-Tongue than you ever told Mr. Paul Harley.
"You mean that you stole Sir Charles's keys and opened his bureau?" "There was no stealing. He was out and they were lying on his dressing table. Sidney had told me to do it the first time I got a chance." "What had he told you to do?" "To search through Sir Charles's papers and see if there was anything with the word 'Fire-Tongue' in it!"
Perhaps even that evil presence whose name was Fire-Tongue might have paused, might have hesitated, might even have changed his plans, which, in a certain part of the world, were counted immutable, had he known the manner of man whom he had summoned to him that night. Just outside the Cavalry Club a limousine was waiting, driven by a chauffeur who looked like some kind of Oriental.
"The unwelcome attentions of the man known as Ormuz Khan led Sir Charles to seek an interview with him. I may say here and now that Ormuz Khan is Fire-Tongue! Oh! it's a tough statement but I can prove it. Sir Charles practically forced his way into this man's presence and immediately recognized his mysterious patient of years ago!
She evidently knew all the secrets of the organization, and I gathered that she was indispensable to the group who controlled it. "Respecting Fire-Tongue himself, his origin, his appearance, she was resolutely silent, a second Acte, faithful to the last. That the ends of this cult were not only religious but political, she did not deny, but upon this point she was very reticent.
But Mr. Brinn, impassive though his expression remained, could not conceal the emotion which he experienced at the sound of it. His gaunt face seemed to grow more angular and his eyes to become even less lustrous. "Fire-Tongue!" he said, tensely, following a short silence. "For God's sake, when did you hear that word?" "I heard it," replied Harley, slowly, "to-night."
Does the term Fire-Tongue convey anything to your mind?" Doctor McMurdoch's eyebrows shot upward most amazingly. "I won't insult you by supposing that you have chosen such a time for joking," he said, dourly. "But if your third question surprised me, I must say that your fourth sounds simply daft."
Have I gone beyond established facts, Innes, thus far?" "No, Mr. Harley. So far you are on solid ground." "Good. Leaving out of the question those points which we hope to clear up when the evidence of Miss Abingdon becomes available how did Sir Charles learn that Nicol Brinn knew the meaning of Fire-Tongue?" "He may have heard something to that effect in India."
He concluded, quite correctly, that the organization had failed to detect himself in the person of the nervous cobbler. He drew courage from this deduction. Fire-Tongue was not omniscient. "It is possible," continued the unseen speaker, in whom Harley had now definitely recognized Ormuz Khan's secretary, "that you recently overheard a resolution respecting yourself.
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