up to his nostrils there stole a queer, indefinable
odour, partly that which belongs to old Oriental furniture and stuffs,
but having mingled with it a hint of incense and of something else not
so easily named. He recognized the smell of that strange store-room,
which, as Mr. Hampden, he had recently visited.

For one moment he thought he could detect the distant note of a bell.
But, listening, he heard nothing, and was reassured.

He rested the trap back against the frame, and shone the ray of an
electric torch down into the darkness beneath him. The light fell upon
the top of a low carven table, dragon-legged and gilded. Upon it rested
the model pagoda constructed of human teeth, and there was something in
this discovery which made Durham feel inclined to shudder. However, the
impulse was only a passing one.

He measured the distance with his eye. The little table stood beside a
deep divan, and he saw that with care it would be possible to drop upon
this divan without making much noise. He calculated its exact position
before replacing the torch in his pocket, and then, resting back against
one side of the frame, he clutched the other with his hands. He wriggled
gradually down until further purchase became impossible. He then let
himself drop, and swung for a moment by his hands before releasing his
hold.

He fell, as he had calculated, upon the divan. It creaked ominously.
Catching his foot in the cushions, he stumbled and lay forward for a
moment upon his face, listening intently.

The room was very hot but nothing stirred.

VII

THE SCUFFLING SOUND

Detective Durham, as he lay there inhaling the peculiar perfume of the
place, recognized that he had put himself outside the pale of official
protection, and was become technically a burglar.

He wondered if Chief Inspector Kerry would have approved; but he had
outlined this plan of investigation for himself, and knew well that,
if it were crowned by success, the end would be regarded as having
justified the means. On the other hand, in the event of detention he
must personally bear the consequences of such irregular behaviour. He
knew well, however, that his celebrated superior had achieved promotion
by methods at least as irregular; and he knew that if he could but
obtain evidence to account for the death of the man Cohen, and of the
Chinaman Pi Lung, who had preceded him by the same mysterious path, the
way of his obtaining it would not be too c