he tray upon a little table
beside the bed, he extracted from the lacquered box a piece of gummy
substance upon the end of a long needle. This he twisted around,
skilfully, in the lamp flame until it acquired a blue spirituous flame
of its own. He dropped it into the bowl of the carven pipe and silently
placed the pipe in M. Max's hand.

Max, with simulated eagerness, rested the mouthpiece between his lips
and EXHALED rapturously.

Said stood watching him, without the slightest expression of interest
being perceptible upon his immobile face. For some time the Frenchman
made pretense of inhaling, gently, the potent vapor, lying propped upon
one elbow; then, allowing his head gradually to droop, he closed his
eyes and lay back upon the silken pillow.

Once more he exhaled feebly ere permitting the pipe to drop from his
listless grasp. The mouthpiece yet rested between his lips, but the
lower lip was beginning to drop. Finally, the pipe slipped through his
fingers on to the rich carpet, and he lay inert, head thrown back, and
revealing his lower teeth. The nauseating fumes of opium loaded the
atmosphere.

Said silently picked up the pipe, placed it upon the tray and retired,
closing the door in the same noiseless manner that characterized all his
movements.

For a time, M. Max lay inert, glancing about the place through the veil
of his lashes. He perceived no evidence of surveillance, therefore he
ventured fully to open his eyes; but he did not move his head.

With the skill in summarizing detail at a glance which contributed
largely to make him the great criminal investigator that he was, he
noted those particulars which at an earlier time had occasioned the
astonishment of Soames.

M. Max was too deeply versed in his art to attempt any further
investigations, yet; he contented himself with learning as much as was
possible without moving in any way; and whilst he lay there awaiting
whatever might come, the door opened noiselessly--to admit Ho-Pin.

He was about to be submitted to a supreme test, for which, however, he
was not unprepared. He lay with closed eyes, breathing nasally.

Ho-Pin, his face a smiling, mirthless mask, bent over the bed. Adeptly,
he seized the right eyelid of M. Max, and rolled it back over his
forefinger, disclosing the eyeball. M. Max, anticipating this test of
the genuineness of his coma, had rolled up his eyes at the moment of
Ho-Pin's approach, so that now only the white of the scler