plied Weymouth.
"It's a gambling-house, an unlicensed drinking-shop, and even worse--
but it's more use to us open than it would be shut."

"It is one of my regular jobs to keep an eye on the visitors to the
Joy-Shop," continued Fletcher. "I have many acquaintances who use the
place. Needless to add, they don't know my real business! Well,
lately several of them have asked me if I know who the man is that
hobbles about the place with two sticks. Everybody seems to have
heard him, but no one has seen him."

Nayland Smith began to pace the floor restlessly.

"I have heard him myself," added Fletcher, "but never managed to get
so much as a glimpse of him. When I learnt about this Si-Fan mystery,
I realized that he might very possibly be the man for whom you're
looking--and a golden opportunity has cropped up for you to visit the
Joy-Shop, and, if our luck remains in, to get a peep behind the scenes."

"I am all attention," snapped Smith.

"A woman called Zarmi has recently put in an appearance at the
Joy-Shop. Roughly speaking, she turned up at about the same time as
the unseen man with the limp...."

Nayland Smith's eyes were blazing with suppressed excitement; he was
pacing quickly up and down the floor, tugging at the lobe of his left
ear.

"She is--different in some way from any other woman I have ever seen
in the place. She's a Eurasian and good-looking, after a tigerish
fashion. I have done my best"--he smiled slightly--"to get in her good
books, and up to a point I've succeeded. I was there last night, and
Zarmi asked me if I knew what she called a 'strong feller.'

"'These,' she informed me, contemptuously referring to the rest of the
company, 'are poor weak Johnnies!'

"I had nothing definite in view at the time, for I had not then heard
about your return to London, but I thought it might lead to something
anyway, so I promised to bring a friend along to-night. I don't know
what we're wanted to do, but ..."

"Count on me!" snapped Smith. "I will leave all details to you and to
Weymouth, and I will be at New Scotland Yard this evening in time to
adopt a suitable disguise. Petrie"--he turned impetuously to me--"I
fear I shall have to go without you; but I shall be in safe company,
as you see, and doubtless Weymouth can find you a part in his portion
of the evening's program."

He glanced at his watch.

"Ah! I must be off. If you will oblige me, Petrie, by putting the
brass box into my smaller portma