s. I fastened the strip of fabric over the girl's
mouth and tied it behind, experiencing a pang half pleasurable and half
fearful as I found my hands in contact with the foamy luxuriance of her
hair.

Dr. Fu-Manchu was entering the room immediately beyond.

Snatching up the bunch of keys, I turned and ran, for in another instant
my retreat would be cut off. As I burst once more into the darkened
room I became aware that a door on the further side of it was open;
and framed in the opening was the tall, high-shouldered figure of the
Chinaman, still enveloped in his fur coat and wearing the grotesque
cap. As I saw him, so he perceived me; and as I sprang to the window, he
advanced.

I turned desperately and hurled the bunch of keys with all my force into
the dimly-seen face...

Either because they possessed a chatoyant quality of their own (as I had
often suspected), or by reason of the light reflected through the open
window, the green eyes gleamed upon me vividly like those of a giant
cat. One short guttural exclamation paid tribute to the accuracy of
my aim; then I had the crossbar in my hand. I threw one leg across
the sill, and dire as was my extremity, hesitated for an instant ere
trusting myself to the flight...

A vise-like grip fastened upon my left ankle.

Hazily I became aware that the dark room was flooded with figures. The
whole yellow gang were upon me--the entire murder-group composed of
units recruited from the darkest place of the East!

I have never counted myself a man of resource, and have always envied
Nayland Smith his possession of that quality, in him extraordinarily
developed; but on this occasion the gods were kind to me, and I
resorted to the only device, perhaps, which could have saved me. Without
releasing my hold upon the crossbar, I clutched at the ledge with the
fingers of both hands and swung back into the room my right leg, which
was already across the sill. With all my strength I kicked out. My heel
came in contact, in sickening contact, with a human head; beyond doubt
that I had split the skull of the man who held me.

The grip upon my ankle was released automatically; and now consigning
all my weight to the rope I slipped forward, as a diver, across the
broad ledge and found myself sweeping through the night like a winged
thing...

The line, as Karamaneh had assured me, was of well-judged length. Down I
swept to within six or seven feet of the street level, then up, at ever