In passing from place to place,
which he always does at night, he is attired in a kind of cowl which
only exposes his eyes----"
"But how _can_ such a fantastic being travel?"
"By road, on land, and in a steam yacht, at sea. Why should _you_
doubt my honesty?" She suddenly raises her glance to Stuart's face and
he saw that she had grown pale. "I have risked what I cannot tell you,
and more than once--for you! I tried to call you on the telephone on
the night that he set out from the house near Hampton Court to kill
you, but I could get no reply, and----"
"Stop!" said Stuart, almost too exited to note at the time that she
had betrayed a secret. "It was _you_ who rang up that night?
"Yes. Why did you not answer?"
"Never mind. Your call saved my life. I shall not forget." He looked
into her eyes. "But can you not tell me what it all means? What or
whom is 'The Scorpion'?"
She flinched.
"The Scorpion is--a passport. See." From a little pocket in the coat
of her costume she drew out a golden scorpion! "I have one." She
replaced it hurriedly. "I dare not, dare not tell you more. But this
much I had to tell you, because ... I shall never see you again!"
"What!"
"A French detective, a very clever man, learned a lot about 'The
Scorpion' and he followed one of the members to England. This man
killed him. Oh, I know I belong to a horrible organization!" she
cried bitterly. "But I tell you I am helpless and _I_ have never
aided in such a thing.
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