"It is not worthy of the name of a theory," he replied, "the surmise
which I have made. But recently I found myself considering the fact
that 'The Scorpion' might just conceivably be a Chinaman. Now, 'Mr.
King,' we believe was a Chinaman, and 'Mr. King,' as I am now
convinced, operated not for a personal but for a deeper, political
purpose. He stole the brains of genius and _accumulated_ that genius.
Is it not possible that these contrary operations may be part of a
common plan?"
CHAPTER II
THE RED CIRCLE
"You are not by any chance," suggested Stuart, smiling slightly,
"hinting at that defunct bogey, the 'Yellow Peril'?"
"Ah!" cried Max, "but certainly I am not! Do not misunderstand me.
This group with which we are dealing is shown to be not of a national
but of an international character. The same applied to the organisation
of 'Mr. King.' But a Chinaman directed the one, and I begin to suspect
that a Chinaman directs the other. No, I speak of no ridiculous
'Yellow Peril,' my friends. John Chinaman, as I have known him, is the
whitest man breathing; but can you not imagine"--he dropped his voice
again in that impressive way which was yet so truly Gallic--"can you
not imagine a kind of Oriental society which like a great, a
formidable serpent, lies hidden somewhere below that deceptive jungle
of the East? These are troubled times. It is a wise state to-day that
knows its own leaders. Can you not imagine a dreadful sudden menace,
not of men and guns but of _brains_ and _capital_?"
"You mean," said Dunbar slowly, "that 'The Scorpion' may be getting
people out of the way who might interfere with this rising or invasion
or whatever it is?"
"Just as 'Mr.
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