ith's body, but leaving
his neck and head exposed. The seared and pock-marked face set in a sort
of placid leer, the dacoit adjusted the sliding partitions to Smith's
recumbent form, and I saw the purpose of the graduated arches. They
were intended to divide a human body in just such fashion, and, as I
realized, were most cunningly shaped to that end. The whole of Smith's
body lay now in the wire cage, each of the five compartments whereof was
shut off from its neighbor.

The Burman stepped back and stood waiting in the doorway. Dr. Fu-Manchu,
removing his gaze from the face of my friend, directed it now upon me.

"Mr. Commissioner Nayland Smith shall have the honor of acting as
hierophant, admitting himself to the Mysteries," said Fu-Manchu softly,
"and you, Dr. Petrie, shall be the Friend."

CHAPTER XXIX. THE SIX GATES

He glanced toward the Burman, who retired immediately, to re-enter a
moment later carrying a curious leather sack, in shape not unlike that
of a sakka or Arab water-carrier. Opening a little trap in the top
of the first compartment of the cage (that is, the compartment which
covered Smith's bare feet and ankles) he inserted the neck of the sack,
then suddenly seized it by the bottom and shook it vigorously. Before
my horrified gaze four huge rats came tumbling out from the bag into the
cage! The dacoit snatched away the sack and snapped the shutter fast. A
moving mist obscured my sight, a mist through which I saw the green
eyes of Dr. Fu-Manchu fixed upon me, and through which, as from a great
distance, his voice, sunk to a snake-like hiss, came to my ears.

"Cantonese rats, Dr. Petrie, the most ravenous in the world... they have
eaten nothing for nearly a week!"

Then all became blurred as though a painter with a brush steeped in red
had smudged out the details of the picture. For an indefinite period,
which seemed like many minutes yet probably was only a few seconds, I
saw nothing and heard nothing; my sensory nerves were dulled entirely.
From this state I was awakened and brought back to the realities by a
sound which ever afterward I was doomed to associate with that ghastly
scene.

This was the squealing of the rats.

The red mist seemed to disperse at that, and with frightfully intense
interest, I began to study the awful torture to which Nayland Smith was
being subjected. The dacoit had disappeared, and Fu-Manchu placidly was
watching the four lean and hideous animals in the cage.