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"Now this man Kazmah," resumed the Chief Inspector. "Did you ever see him again?" "Never. I have been trying for months and months to find out who he is." Kerry's face became very grim. "About ten trained men are trying to find that out at the present moment!" he rapped. "Do you think he wore a make-up?" "He may have done so," Margaret admitted.
"Where he is known to the booking-clerk, a girl who allowed him to have letters addressed there. A man of smoke, sir, acting on behalf of someone in the background." "Ah! and these Bond Street premises have been occupied by Kazmah for the past eight years?" "So I am told. I have yet to see representatives of the landlord.
With the clarity of a trained observer Kerry described the apartments of Kazmah, the exact place where the murdered man had been found, and the construction of the rooms. He gave the essential points from the evidence of the several witnesses, quoting the exact times at which various episodes had taken place.
That every hour lost in getting on the track of the mysterious Kazmah was a point gained by the equally mysterious man from Whitehall he felt assured, and although the elaborate but hidden mechanism of New Scotland Yard was at work seeking out the patrons of the Bond Street drug-shop, Kerry was indisposed to await the result.
"Yes, yes. But the lady?" "A native, possibly Egyptian, apparently servant of Kazmah, came out a few minutes after Mr. Gray had gone for cab, and went away. Sir Lucien Pyne and lady are still in Kazmah's rooms." "What!" cried Irvin, pulling out his watch and glancing at the disk. "But it's after eight o'clock!" "Yes, sir. The place is all shut up, and other offices in block closed at six.
Everyone prepared to listen, with interest undisguised. "There were three outstanding personalities dominating what we may term the Kazmah group," continued Seton. "In order of importance they were: Sin Sin Wa, Sir Lucien Pyne and Mrs. Sin." Rita Irvin inhaled deeply, but did not interrupt the speaker. "I shall begin with Sir Lucien," Seton went on.
Thereupon the affair was reorganized on the lines later adopted in Bond Street. Kazmah's became a secret dope-shop, and annexed to it was an elaborate chandu-khan, conducted by the Chinaman. Mrs. Sin was the go-between. "You are all waiting to hear or, to be exact, two are waiting to hear, Gray and Margaret already know who spoke as Kazmah through the little window behind the chair.
Upon the veil, in grey smoke, the name "Kazmah" was written in moving characters. Beyond the veil, dimly divined, was life.
A special commission has been appointed by Lord Wrexborough to deal with the case, and their agent is working quite independently of the police. Anything which you care to tell him will be treated as strictly confidential; but think what it may mean to Rita." Mollie clasped her hands about her right knee and rocked to and fro in her chair. "No one knows who Kazmah is," she said.
"What's that?" rapped Kerry. "The dope syndicate can only have got control of 'the traffic' in one way by paying big prices and buying out competitors. If they cease to carry on for even a week they lose their control. The people who bring the stuff over from Japan, South America, India, Holland, and so forth will sell somewhere else if they can't sell to Kazmah and Company.
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