Since this record is intended for the guidance of those who take up
the quest of "The Scorpion" either in co-operation with myself or,
in the event of my failure, alone, it would be profitless for me to
record my disasters. Very well, I had one success. One night I pursued
the yellow car from Dr. Stuart's house to the end of Limehouse
Causeway without once losing sight of it.
A string of lorries form the docks, drawn by a traction engine, checked
me at the corner for a time, although the yellow car passed. But I
raced furiously on and by great good luck overtook it near the Dock
Station. From thence onward pursuing a strangely tortuous route, I
kept it in sight to Canning Town, when it turned into a public garage.
I followed--to purchase petrol.
Chunda Lal was talking to the man in charge; he had not yet left his
seat. But the car was empty!
At first I was stupid with astonishment. _Par la barbe du prophete!_ I
was astounded. Then I saw that I had really made a great discovery.
The street into which I had injudiciously followed "Le Balafre" lay
between Limehouse Causeway and Ropemaker Street, and it was at no great
distance from this point that I had lost sight of the yellow car. In
that street, which according to my friend the policeman was "nearly
all Chinese," Zara el-Khala had descended; in that street was "The
Scorpion's" lair!
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION OF STATEMENT
I come now to the conclusion of this statement and to the strange
occurrence which led to my proclaiming myself.
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