The Devil Doctor
eeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life. It illuminated wanly the sun-b
" whisper
f wind extingu
from a series of irregular wounds. One group of these clustered upon his left temple, another beneath his right eye, and others extended from the chin down t
made my examination-an examination which that first glimpse when Forsyth ca
ith," I said huskily
nees staring dully at the disfigured bloody face which but a matter of minutes since had been that of a clean-looking British seaman. I found myself contrasting his neat, squarely trimmed moustache wi
hed, looking from Smith to me and down at that which lay between u
d struck it from the man's hand. "Wher
n his chances with the two of us, when my friend pulled a
ted harshly, "and the
opinion of the situation. He directed the light of his lanter
ing up Scotland Yard from Dr. Petrie's house, to which we shall now return to disperse it." He pointed to Forsyth. "He
ages we bore the dead man to the edge of the common, carried him across the road and into my house, wi
rden upon the
cisive way, "and the officer here might 'phone for the ambulance. I
d an instant later came running d
in the hall," I sa
k you
skin. These, as I have said, were in groups and nearly all in the form of elongated punctures; a fairly deep inc
most puzzling. Clearly enough the muscles of articulation and the respiratory muscles had been affected; and now the livid fac
body availed me nothing. The grey herald of dawn was come whe
ap from the rack when
ed, "have you
ight of the hall-way tugging
ked, but which I had learned from experience to be due to tremendous nervous excitement. At such times he could act with
milk?" he je
e question that for a momen
!" I
ou can find me some mi
escend to the
ner, Petrie, would also be welcome,
the stairhead
at you are joking, S
ughed
hought that it never occurred to me how absurd my request must have sounded. I
airs accordingly, returning with a garden tro
Smith. "If you would
n, with the trowel in his pocket, the plate of cold turbot in one hand and the milk-jug in t
you for the pi
the pistol wi
added, "but the presence of any one else might
nt upstairs to my study, watching Nayland Smith as he strode across the common in the early
ality assailed me again. Out there in the grey mist a man who was vested with powers which rendered him a law unto himself, who had the British Government behind him in all that he
way, coming in a westerly direction. Its lights twinkled yellowly through the greyness, but I was
arly to discern the figure, which, leaving the high-road, had struck-out across
denly conscious of a burning curiosity respecting this lonely traveller who travelled at an hour so strange. With no definite plan in mind, I went downstai
gorse effectually screening my approach, I came upon her, kneeling on the damp grass a
untying the bundle were slim and white, and I perceived a pair of hideous cotton gloves lying on the turf beside her. As she threw open the wrappings and l
Ancient Egypt, seemed to assail my soul. The glamour of the Orient was in that sub
said; "can I assis
er, and flung away from me with the lit
n the white fingers of this woman who wore the garments of a mendicant. My
cause for ala
coarse veil I could see how her eyes gli
scarcely audible; but it wa
ng," I said. "What strange bi
onderful intractable hair came rumpling about her face, and her glorious eyes blazed out upon me. How bea
less-evil; is there any torture to which the soul of man is subject, more pitiless? Yet this was my lot, for what past sins ass
lare that you do not kn
bled, but she
it might be an acceptable one. I looked again at the net contrivance in my hand; it had a strong spring fitted to it and a line attached. Quite obviously it was intended for snaring. "What
poke
Pet
el
so much because-of what I do, as
u have chosen, very conveniently, to forget that once we
hands with a sor
d her foot. "For what I have done! But do not torture me, try to drive me mad with your reproaches-that I forget you! I tell you-again I tell you-that until you
sitive hunger for belief-or so I was sorely tem
coldly as I could. "You are a traitress; you
she blazed at me. Her
our friends. Your 'slavery'-for I take it you are posing as a slave again-is evidently not very harsh. Yo
! s
which betrayed the desert blood in her veins, she wrenched open the neck of her bodice and slipped a sof
the gifts that he
flooded my mind. For that creamy skin
, and watching me the while. I could not
s you claim, why do you give
to trust you!" she said simp
u serve this in
me from under her lashes. "Why do you question
ogic-from a woman! I
ou came here to
to the net
s; you have sa
t bi
ged her s
d strong one; could it be that some horrible fowl of the air-some creature unknown to Western naturalists-had been released upon the common last nigh
ket. Karamanèh stood watching me and biting her lip, but she made no move to check me. I opened th
terly my
company me to my hou
d my hand to grasp her. At that, the look of fear was gone and one of rebellion held its place. Ere I had time to re
but I doubted if I could outrun her. For Karamanèh ran, not like a girl used to town or even country l
hat the sheer joy of physical effort had aroused the devil in her, the dev
able could mask its beauty. I could see the red lips and gleaming teeth. Then-and it
ew day joyously. Carrying the mysterious contrivance which I had captured from the enemy, I set out in the direction of my house, my mind very busy w
ll pool having an islet in the centre. Lying at the margin of the pond I wa
water. I was filled with a sudden apprehension. Then,
ie! Shall join y
although the voice had been that of Nayland S
I cried
min
the direction from which the voice had see
nd, and, as I perceived him, he walked down i
avens!"
are laughs i
said. "But I have made several discoveries. Do
n islet,
of London. You will observe that although you have seen it every morning for some years, it remains for a British Commissioner lately resident in
he net. "What!
ly!" I
ng gaze upon me. "Where
ed; and I related to him the circums
ut the narrative, and when, with some embarr
succinctly, "you
m I esteemed above all other men, could I accept such word
utiful toy, I grant you; but so is a cobra.
op that! Adopt another tone
playing, not only with a pretty girl who is the favourite of a Chinese N
or this was strictly just. I had
of me once, but I learned my lesson; you have failed to learn yours. If you are determined to go to pieces on the rock that brok
th," I said, feeling very crestfallen, "b
eath of a perfectly innocent man in no way concerned. Along you come and let an accomplice, perhaps a participant,
er basket, sniffin
, "do you recogn
tain
e idea respecting
g of th
ugged his
e," he said, linki
there were that I wanted to p
en's name, were you doing on th
smiling dryly, "