Smith started back as though I had struck him.
“Eltham!” he whispered—“Eltham! is Eltham here?”
“I left him ten minutes ago on the common—”
Smith dashed his right fist into the palm of his left hand and his eyes gleamed almost wildly.
“My God, Petrie!” he said, “am I fated always to come too late?”
My dreadful fears in that instant were confirmed. I seemed to feel my legs totter beneath me.
“Smith, you don’t mean—”
“I do, Petrie!” His voice sounded very far away. “Fu-Manchu is here; and Eltham, God help him... is his first victim!”