"What! You know this girl! Who is she?"

"She is one of the finest weapons in the enemy's armory, Petrie.
But a woman is a two-edged sword, and treacherous.
To our great good fortune, she has formed a sudden predilection,
characteristically Oriental, for yourself. Oh, you may scoff, but it
is evident. She was employed to get this letter placed in my hands.
Give it to me."

I did so.

"She has succeeded. Smell."

He held the envelope under my nose, and, with a sudden sense of nausea,
I recognized the strange perfume.

"You know what this presaged in Sir Crichton's case?
Can you doubt any longer? She did not want you to share
my fate, Petrie."

"Smith," I said unsteadily, "I have followed your lead blindly
in this horrible business and have not pressed for an explanation,
but I must insist before I go one step farther upon knowing
what it all means."

"Just a few steps farther," he rejoined; "as far as a cab.
We are hardly safe here. Oh, you need not fear shots or knives.
The man whose servants are watching us now scorns to employ
such clumsy, tell-tale weapons."