deserted common.

A sort of mist floated amongst the trees, seeming in the moonlight like
a veil draped from trunk to trunk, as in silence we passed the Mound
pond, and struck out for the north side of the common.

I suppose the presence of Eltham and the irritating recollection of his
half-confidence were the responsible factors, but my mind persistently
dwelt upon the subject of Fu-Manchu and the atrocities which he had
committed during his sojourn in England. So actively was my imagination
at work that I felt again the menace which so long had hung over me; I
felt as though that murderous yellow cloud still cast its shadow upon
England. And I found myself longing for the company of Nayland Smith.
I cannot state what was the nature of Eltham's reflections, but I can
guess; for he was as silent as I.

It was with a conscious effort that I shook myself out of this morbidly
reflective mood, on finding that we had crossed the common and were come
to the abode of my patient.

"I shall take a little walk," announced Eltham; "for I gather that you
don't expect to be detained long? I shall never be out of sight of the
door, of course."

"Very well," I replied, and ran up the steps.

There were no lights to be seen in any of the windows, which
circumstance rather surprised me, as my patient occupied, or had
occupied when last I had visited her, a first-floor bedroom in the front
of the house. My knocking and ringing produced no response for three or
four minutes; then, as I persisted, a scantily clothed and half
awake maid servant unbarred the door and stared at me stupidly in the
moonlight.

"Mrs. Hewett requires me?" I asked abruptly.

The girl stared more stupidly than ever.

"No, sir," she said, "she don't, sir; she's fast asleep!"

"But some one 'phoned me!" I insisted, rather irritably, I fear.

"Not from here, sir," declared the now wide-eyed girl. "We haven't got a
telephone, sir."

For a few moments I stood there, staring as foolishly as she; then
abruptly I turned and descended the steps. At the gate I stood looking
up and down the road. The houses were all in darkness. What could be the
meaning of the mysterious summons? I had made no mistake respecting the
name of my patient; it had been twice repeated over the telephone; yet
that the call had not emanated from Mrs. Hewett's house was now palpably
evident. Days had been when I should have regarded the episode as
preluding some outrage, but to-night I