He laughed harshly.

"The identity of my pursuer has just dawned upon me," he said. "I
know that my life is in real danger. I would give up what is
demanded of me, but I believe its possession to be my strongest
safeguard."

Mystery upon mystery! I seemed to be getting no nearer to the heart
of this maze. What in heaven's name did it all mean? Suddenly an
idea struck me.

"Is our late fellow passenger, Mr. Ahmadeen, connected with the
matter?" I asked.

"In no way," replied Deeping earnestly. "Mr. Ahmadeen is, I
believe, a person of some consequence in the Moslem world; but I
have nothing to fear from him."

"What steps have you taken to protect yourself?"

Again the short laugh reached my ears.

"I'm afraid long residence in the East has rendered me something of
a fatalist, Cavanagh! Beyond keeping my door locked, I have taken
no steps whatever. I fear I am quite accessible!"

A while longer we talked; and with every word the conviction was
more strongly borne in upon me that some uncanny menace threatened
the peace, perhaps the life, of Professor Deeping.