ion!"

"But, Smith--I shot you! It was impossible to miss!"

"I agree. But do you recall the _report?_"

"The report? I was too dazed, too horrified, by the discovery of what
I had done...."

"There was no report, Petrie. I am not entirely a stranger to
Indo-Chinese jugglery, and you had a very strange look in your eyes.
Therefore I took the precaution of unloading your Browning!"

CHAPTER XXX

MEDUSA

Legal business, connected with the estate of a distant relative,
deceased, necessitated my sudden departure from London, within
twenty-four hours of the events just narrated; and at a time when
London was for me the center of the universe. The business being
terminated--and in a manner financially satisfactory to myself--I
discovered that with luck I could just catch the fast train back.
Amid a perfect whirl of hotel porters and taxi-drivers worthy of
Nayland Smith I departed for the station ... to arrive at the
entrance to the platform at the exact moment that the guard raised
his green flag!

"Too late, sir! Stand back, if you please!"

The ticket-collector at the barrier thrust out his arm to stay me. The
London express was moving from the platform. But my determination to
travel by that train and by no other over-rode all obstacles; If I
missed it, I should be forced to wait until the following morning.

I leapt past the barrier, completely taking the man by surprise, and
went racing up the platform. Many arms were outstretched to detain me,
and the gray-bearded guard stood fully in my path; but I dodged them
all, collided with and upset a gigantic negro who wore a chauffeur's
uniform--and found myself level with a first-class compartment; the
window was open.

Amid a chorus of excited voices, I tossed my bag in at the window,
leapt upon the footboard and turned the handle. Although the entrance
to the tunnel was perilously near now, I managed to wrench the door
open and to swing myself into the carriage. Then, by means of the
strap, I reclosed the door in the nick of time, and sank, panting,
upon the seat. I had a vague impression that the black chauffeur,
having recovered himself, had raced after me to the uttermost point
of the platform, but, my end achieved, I was callously indifferent to
the outrageous means thereto which I seen fit to employ. The express
dashed into the tunnel. I uttered a great sigh of relief.

With Karamaneh in the hands of the Si-Fan, this journey to the north
had indee