s slipped into the past, like the
telegraph poles seen from the window of an express, and, still in that
tense state, we came upon the scene of this newest outrage.

Mr. Norris West, whose lean, stoic face had latterly figured so often
in the daily press, lay upon the floor in the little entrance hall of
his chambers, flat upon his back, with the telephone receiver in his
hand.

The outer door had been forced by the police. They had had to remove a
piece of the paneling to get at the bolt. A medical man was leaning
over the recumbent figure in the striped pajama suit, and
Detective-Inspector Weymouth stood watching him as Smith and I entered.

"He has been heavily drugged," said the Doctor, sniffing at West's
lips, "but I cannot say what drug has been used. It isn't chloroform
or anything of that nature. He can safely be left to sleep it off, I
think."

I agreed, after a brief examination.

"It's most extraordinary," said Weymouth. "He rang up the Yard about
an hour ago and said his chambers had been invaded by Chinamen. Then
the man at the 'phone plainly heard him fall. When we got here his
front door was bolted, as you've seen, and the windows are three floors
up. Nothing is disturbed."

"The plans of the aero-torpedo?" rapped Smith.

"I take it they are in the safe in his bedroom," replied the detective,
"and that is locked all right. I think he must have taken an overdose
of something and had illusions. But in case there was anything in what
he mumbled (you could hardly understand him) I thought it as well to
send for you."

"Quite right," said Smith rapidly. His eyes shone like steel. "Lay
him on the bed, Inspector."

It was done, and my friend walked into the bedroom.

Save that the bed was disordered, showing that West had been sleeping
in it, there were no evidences of the extraordinary invasion mentioned
by the drugged man. It was a small room--the chambers were of that
kind which are let furnished--and very neat. A safe with a combination
lock stood in a corner. The window was open about a foot at the top.
Smith tried the safe and found it fast. He stood for a moment clicking
his teeth together, by which I knew him to be perplexed. He walked
over to the window and threw it up. We both looked out.

"You see," came Weymouth's voice, "it is altogether too far from the
court below for our cunning Chinese friends to have fixed a ladder with
one of their bamboo rod arrangements. And,