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| The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu | Sax Rohmer |
A Midnight Summons |
Page 5 of 5 |
I remembered (as, knowing the district, I should have remembered before) that there was no number 280 in Rectory Grove. Pulling up sharply I stood looking about me. Not a living soul was in sight; not even a policeman. Where the lamps marked the main paths across the common nothing moved; in the shadows about me nothing stirred. But something stirred within me--a warning voice which for long had lain dormant. What was afoot? A breeze caressed the leaves overhead, breaking the silence with mysterious whisperings. Some portentous truth was seeking for admittance to my brain. I strove to reassure myself, but the sense of impending evil and of mystery became heavier. At last I could combat my strange fears no longer. I turned and began to run toward the south side of the common--toward my rooms--and after Eltham. I had hoped to head him off, but came upon no sign of him. An all-night tramcar passed at the moment that I reached the high road, and as I ran around behind it I saw that my windows were lighted and that there was a light in the hall. My key was yet in the lock when my housekeeper opened the door. "There's a gentleman just come, Doctor," she began-- I thrust past her and raced up the stairs into my study. Standing by the writing-table was a tall, thin man, his gaunt face brown as a coffee-berry and his steely gray eyes fixed upon me. My heart gave a great leap--and seemed to stand still. It was Nayland Smith! "Smith," I cried. "Smith, old man, by God, I'm glad to see you!" He wrung my hand hard, looking at me with his searching eyes; but there was little enough of gladness in his face. He was altogether grayer than when last I had seen him--grayer and sterner. |
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The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu Sax Rohmer |
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