..."
Nayland Smith laughed shortly.
"Your superstitious fears overcame you to such an extent, Petrie--and
I don't wonder at it; the sight was a ghastly one--that probably you
don't remember what occurred when you struck out at that same ghostly
hand?"
"I seemed to hit something."
"That was why we ran. But I think our retreat had all the appearance
of a rout, as I intended that it should. Pardon my playing upon your
very natural fears, old man, but you could not have _simulated_ panic
half so naturally! And if they had suspected that the device was
discovered, we might never have quitted The Gables alive. It was
touch-and-go for a moment."
"But--"
"Turn out the light!" snapped my companion.
Wondering greatly, I did as he desired. I turned out the light ... and
in the darkness of my study I saw a fiery fist being shaken at me
threateningly!... The bones were distinctly visible, and the
luminosity of the flesh was truly ghastly.
"Turn on the light again!" cried Smith.
Deeply mystified, I did so ... and my friend tossed a little electric
pocket-lamp on to the writing table.
"They used merely a small electric lamp fitted into the handle of a
glass dagger," he said with a sort of contempt. "It was very
effective, but the luminous hand is a phenomenon producible by anyone
who possesses an electric torch."
"The Gables will be watched?"
"At last, Petrie, I think we have Fu-Manchu--in his own trap!"
CHAPTER XXVII
THE NIGHT OF THE RAID
"Dash it all, Petrie!" cried Smith, "this is most annoying!"
The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.
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