Instantly I looked to my friend ... and every drop of blood seemed to
recede from my heart, leaving it cold in my breast. If _I_ did not
know the purpose of the cage, obviously Smith knew it all too well.
His pallor had grown more marked, and although his grey eyes stared
defiantly at the Chinaman, I, who knew him, could read a deathly
horror in their depths.
The dacoit, in obedience to a guttural order from Dr. Fu Manchu,
placed the cage upon the carpet, completely covering Smith's body, but
leaving his neck and head exposed. The seared and pock-marked face set
in a sort of placid leer, the dacoit adjusted the sliding partitions
to Smith's recumbent form, and I saw the purpose of the graduated
arches. They were intended to divide a human body in just such
fashion, and, as I realized, were most cunningly shaped to that end.
The whole of Smith's body lay now in the wire cage, each of the five
compartments whereof was shut off from its neighbour.
The Burman stepped back and stood waiting in the doorway. Dr. Fu
Manchu, removing his gaze from the face of my friend, directed it now
upon me.
"Mr. Commissioner Nayland Smith shall have the honour of acting as
hierophant, admitting himself to the Mysteries," said Fu Manchu
softly, "and you, Dr. Petrie, shall be the Friend."
CHAPTER XXIX
THE SIX GATES
He glanced toward the Burman, who retired immediately, to re-enter a
moment later carrying a curious leather sack, in shape not unlike that
of a _sakka_ or Arab water-carrier.
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