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Page 9
Professor Deeping's number was in the telephone directory,
therefore, on returning to my room, where there still lingered the
faint perfume of my late visitor's presence, I asked for his number.
He proved to be at home.
"Strange you should ring me up, Cavanagh," he said; "for I was
about to ring you up."
"First," I replied, "listen to the contents of an anonymous letter
which I have received."
(I remembered, and only just in time, my promise to the veiled
messenger.)
"To me," I added, having read him the note, "it seems to mean
nothing. I take it that you understand better than I do."
"I understand very well, Cavanagh!" he replied. "You will recall
my story of the scimitar which flashed before me in the darkness
of my stateroom on the Mandalay? Well, I have seen it again! I
am not an imaginative man: I had always believed myself to possess
the scientific mind; but I can no longer doubt that I am the object
of a pursuit which commenced in Mecca! The happenings on the
steamer prepared me for this, in a degree. When the man lost his
hand at Port Said I doubted. I had supposed the days of such things
past. The attempt to break into my stateroom even left me still
uncertain. But the outrage upon the steward at the docks removed
all further doubt. I perceived that the contents of a certain brown
leather case were the objective of the crimes."
I listened in growing wonder.
"It was not necessary in order to further the plan of stealing the
bag that the hands were severed," resumed the Professor. "In fact,
as was rendered evident by the case of the steward, this was a
penalty visited upon any one who touched it! You are thinking of
my own immunity?"
"I am!"
"This is attributable to two things. Those who sought to recover
what I had in the case feared that my death en route might result
in its being lost to them for ever. They awaited a suitable
opportunity. They had designed to take it at Port Said certainly,
I think; but the bag was too large to be readily concealed, and,
after the outrage, might have led to the discovery of the culprit.
In the second place, they are uncertain of my faith. I have long
passed for a true Believer in the East! As a Moslem I visited
Mecca--"
"You visited Mecca!"
"I had just returned from the hadj when I joined the Mandalay at
Port Said! My death, however, has been determined upon, whether
I be Moslem or Christian!"
"Why?"
"Because," came the Professor's harsh voice over the telephone, "of
the contents of the brown leather case! I will not divulge to you
now the nature of these contents; to know might endanger you. But
the case is locked in my safe here, and the key, together with a
full statement of the true facts of the matter, is hidden behind
the first edition copy of my book 'Assyrian Mythology,' in the
smaller bookcase--"
"Why do you tell me all this?" I interrupted.
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.
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