ss, but I see I've been wearing
blinkers without knowing it! Kazmah's was a dope-shop?"

"That has been my belief for a long time, Inspector. I may add that I
have never been able to obtain a shred of evidence to prove it. I am so
keenly interested in seeing the people who pander to this horrible vice
unmasked and dealt with as they merit, that I have tried many times to
find out if my suspicion was correct."

Inspector Kerry was writhing his shoulders excitedly. "Did you ever
visit Kazmah?" he asked.

"Yes. I asked Rita Irvin to take me, but she refused, and I could see
that the request embarrassed her. So I went alone."

"Describe exactly what took place."

Margaret Halley stared reflectively at the blotting-pad for a moment,
and then described a typical seance at Kazmah's. In conclusion:

"As I came away," she said, "I bought a bottle of every kind of perfume
on sale, some of the incense, and also a box of sweetmeat; but they all
proved to be perfectly harmless. I analyzed them."

Kerry's eyes glistened with admiration.

"We could do with you at the Yard, miss," he said. "Excuse me for saying
so."

Margaret smiled rather wanly.

"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. "But his features were
obviously undisguised, and his eyes one would recognize anywhere. They
were larger than any human eyes I have ever seen."

"He couldn't have been the Egyptian who looked after the shop, for
instance?"

"Impossible! He did not remotely resemble him. Besides, the man to whom
you refer remained outside to receive other visitors. Oh, that's out of
the question, Inspector."

"The light was very dim?"

"Very dim indeed, and Kazmah never once raised his head. Indeed, except
for a dignified gesture of greeting and one of dismissal, he never
moved. His immobility was rather uncanny."

Kerry began to pace up and down the narrow room, and:

"He bore no resemblance to the late Sir Lucien Pyne, for instance?" he
rapped.

Margaret laughed outright and her laughter was so inoffensive and so
musical that the Chief Inspector laughed also.

"That's more hopeless than ever!" she said. "Poor Sir Lucien had strong,