by Sax Rohmer
CHAPTER VI
THE MAN WITH THE SCAR
Stuart read through a paper, consisting of six closely written pages,then he pinned the sheets together, folded them and placed them in oneof those long envelopes associated in his memory with the openingphase of "The Scorpion" mystery. Smiling grimly, he descended to hisdispensary and returned with the Chinese coin attached to the cork.With this he sealed the envelope.
He had volunteered that night for onerous service, and his offer hadbeen accepted. Gaston Max's knowledge of Eastern languages was slight,whilst Stuart's was sound and extensive, and the Frenchman hadcordially welcomed the doctor's proposal that he should accompany himto the house of Ah-Fang-Fu. Reviewing the facts gleaned from Miskaduring the earlier part of the evening, Stuart perceived that, apartfrom the additional light which they shed upon her own relations withthe group, they could be of slight assistance to the immediate successof the inquiry--unless the raid failed. Therefore he had determinedupon the course which now he was adopting.
As he completed the sealing of the envelope and laid it down upon thetable, he heard a cab drawn up in front of the house, and presentlyMrs. M'Gregor knocked and entered the study.
"Inspector Dunbar to see you, Mr. Keppel," she said--"and he has withhim an awful-looking body, all cuts and bandages. A patient, no doubt."
Stuart stood up, wondering what this could mean.
"Will you please show them up, Mrs. M'Gregor," he replied.
A few moments later Dunbar entered, accompanied by a bearded manwhose head was bandaged so as to partly cover one eye and who had anevil-looking scar running from his cheekbone, apparently--or at anyrate from the edge of the bandage--to the corner of his mouth, so thatthe lip was drawn up in a fierce and permanent snarl.
At this person Stuart stared blankly, until Dunbar began to laugh.
"It's a wonderful make-up, isn't it?" he said. "I used to say thatdisguises were out of date, but M. Max has taught me I was wrong."
"Max!" cried Stuart.
"At your service," replied the apparition, "but for this evening onlyI am 'Le Belafre.' Yes, _pardieu!_ I am a real dead man!"
The airy indifference which he proclaimed himself to represent onewhose awful body had but that day been removed from a mortuary, andone whom in his own words he had "had the misfortune to strangle,"was rather ghastly and at the same time admirable. For "Le Balafre"had deliberately tried to murder him, and false sentiment should formno part of the complement of a criminal investigator.
"It is a daring idea," said Stuart, "and relies for its success uponthe chance that 'The Scorpion' remains ignorant of the fate of hisagent and continues to believe that the body found off Hanover Holewas yours."
"The admirable precautions of my clever colleague," replied Max,laying his hand upon Dunbar's shoulder, "in closing the mortuary andpublishing particulars of the identification disk, made it perfectlysafe. 'Le Balafre' has been in hiding. He emerges!"
Stuart had secret reasons for knowing that Max's logic was not atfault, and this brought him to the matter of the sealed paper. Hetook up the envelope.
"I have here," he said slowly, "a statement. Examine the seal."
He held it out, and Max and Dunbar looked at it. The latter laughedshortly.
"Oh, it is a real statement," continued Stuart, "the nature of whichI am not at liberty to divulge. But as to-night we take risks, Ipropose to leave it in your charge, Inspector."
He handed the envelope to Dunbar, whose face was blank withastonishment.
"In the event of failure to-night," added Stuart, "or catastrophe, Iauthorise you to read this statement--and act upon it. If, however, Iescape safely, I ask you to return it to me, unread."
_"Eh bien,"_ said Max, and fixed that eye the whole of which wasvisible upon Stuart. "Perhaps I understand, and certainly"--he removedhis hand from Dunbar's shoulder and rested it upon that of Stuart--"but certainly, my friend, I sympathise!"
Stuart started guiltily, but Max immediately turned aside and beganto speak about their plans.
"In a bag which Inspector Dunbar has thoughtfully left in the cab,"he said----
Dunbar hastily retired and Max laughed.
"In that bag," he continued, "is a suit of clothes such as habitues of'The Pidgin House' rejoice to wear. I, who have studied disguisealmost as deeply as the great Willy Clarkson, will transform you intoa perfect ruffian. It is important, you understand, that someoneshould be inside the house of Ah-Fang-Fu, as otherwise by means ofsome secret exit the man we seek may escape. I believe that hecontemplates departing at any moment, and I believe that the visit ofMiguel means that what I may term the masters of the minor lodges arecoming to London for parting instructions--or, of course Miguel mayhave come about the disappearance of 'Le Balafre.'"
"Suppose you meet Miguel!"
"My dear friend, I must trust to the Kismet who pursues evil-doers!The only reason which has led me to adopt this daring disguise is asimple one. Although I believe 'The Pidgin House' to be open toordinary opium-smokers, it may not be open on 'lodge nights.' Do youfollow me? Very well. I have the golden scorpion--which I suppose tobe a sort of passport."
Stuart wondered more and more at the reasoning powers of thisremarkable man, which could lead him to such an accurate conclusion.
"The existence of such a passport," continued Max, "would seem topoint to the fact that all the members of this organisation are notknown personally to one another. At the same time those invited orexpected at present _may_ be known to Ah-Fang-Fu or to whoever actsas concierge. You see? Expected or otherwise, I assume that 'LeBalafre' would be admitted--and at night I shall pass very well for'Le Balafre'--somewhat damaged as a result of my encounter with thelate Charles Malet, but still recognisable!"
"And I?"
"You will be 'franked' in. The word of 'Le Balafre' should besufficient for that! Of course I may be conducted immediately intothe presence of the Chief--'The Scorpion'--and he may prove to benone other than Miguel, for instance--or my Algerian acquaintance--or may even be a 'she'--the fascinating Zara el-Khala! We do notknow. But I _think_--oh, decidedly I think--that the cowled one is amale creature, and his habits and habitat suggests to me that he is aChinaman."
"And in that event how shall you act?"
"At once! I shall hold him, if I can, or shoot him if I cannot holdhim! Both of us will blow police-whistles with which we shall beprovided and Inspectors Dunbar and Kelly will raid the premises. But Iam hoping for an interval. I do not like these inartistic scrimmages!The fact that these people foregather at an opium-house suggests to methat a certain procedure may be followed which I observed during thecourse of the celebrated 'Mr. Q' case in New York. 'Mr. Q.' also hadan audience-chamber adjoining and opium den, and his visitors wentthere ostensibly to smoke opium. The opium-den was a sort of anteroom."
"Weymouth's big Chinese case had similar features," said InspectorDunbar, who re-entered at that moment carrying a leathern grip. "Ifyou are kept waiting and you keep your ears open, doctor, that's whenyour knowledge of the lingo will come in useful. We might rope in thewhole gang and find we hadn't a scrap of evidence against them, forexcept the attempt on yourself, Dr. Stuart, there's nothing so farthat I can see to connect 'The Scorpion' with Sir Frank Newcombe!"
"It is such a bungle that I fear!" cried Max. "Ah! how this looped-uplip annoys me!" He adjusted the bandage carefully.
"We've got the place comfortably surrounded," continued Dunbar, "andwhoever may be inside is booked! A lady, answering to the descriptionof Mlle. Dorian, went in this evening, so Sowerby reports."
Stuart felt that he was changing colour, and he stooped hastily toinspect the contents of the bag which Dunbar had opened.
_"Eh bien!"_ said Gaston Max. "We shall not go empty-handed, then. Andnow to transfigure you, my friend!"