with
this coat. The envelope you will find in the pocket and here is a
tweed cap. Now take my hand."

Wearing the borrowed garments, I was led from the room, along a
passage, down a flight of thickly carpeted stairs, and so out of the
house into the street. Faint evidences of remote traffic reached my
ears as I was assisted into a car and placed in a cushioned corner.
The car moved off, proceeded for some distance; then--

"Allow me to help you to descend," said the soft voice. "You may open
your eyes in thirty seconds."

I was assisted from the step on to the pavement--and I heard the car
being driven back. Having slowly counted thirty I opened my eyes, and
looked about me. This, and not the fevered moment when first I had
looked upon the room with the golden door, seemed to be my true
awakening, for about me was comprehensible world, the homely streets
of London, with deserted Portland Place stretching away on the one
hand and a glimpse of midnight Regent Street obtainable on the other!
The clock of the neighboring church struck one.

My mind yet dull with wonder of it all, I walked on to Oxford Circus
and there obtained a taxicab, in which I drove to Fleet Street.
Discharging the man, I passed quickly under the time worn archway
into the court and approached our stair. Indeed, I was about to ascend
when some one came racing down and almost knocked me over.

"Petrie! Petrie! Thank God you're safe!"

It was Nayland Smith, his eyes blazing with excitement, as I could
see by the dim light of the lamp near the archway, and his hands, as
he clapped them upon my shoulders, quivering tensely.

"Petrie!" he ran on impulsively, and speaking with extraordinary
rapidly, "I was detained by a most ingenious trick and arrived only
five minutes ago, to find you missing, the window wide open, and signs
of hooks, evidently to support a rope ladder, having been attached
to the ledge."

"But where were you going?"

"Weymouth has just rung up. We have indisputable proof that the
mandarin Ki-Ming, whom I had believed to be dead, and whom I know for
a high official of the Si-Fan, is actually in London! It's neck or
nothing this time, Petrie! I'm going straight to Portland Place!"

"To the Chinese Legation?"

"Exactly!"

"Perhaps I can save you a journey," I said slowly. "I have just come
from there!"

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE MANDARIN KI-MING

Nayland Smith strode up and down the little sitting-room, tugging
almost s