The Hand of Fu Manchu Read Online Free PDF

eyes. There was decision in the square, cleft chin
and strong character in the cleanly chiseled features. His manner was
alert.
    "I have specialized in Chinese crime," he said; "much of my time is
spent amongst our Asiatic visitors. I am fairly familiar with the
Easterns who use the port of London, and I have a number of useful
acquaintances among them."
    Nayland Smith nodded. Beyond doubt Detective-sergeant Fletcher knew
his business.
    "To my lasting regret," Fletcher continued, "I never met the late Dr.
Fu-Manchu. I understand, sir, that you believe him to have been a high
official of this dangerous society? However, I think we may get in
touch with some other notabilities; for instance, I'm told that one
of the people you're looking for has been described as 'the man with
the limp'?"
    Smith, who had been about to relight his pipe, dropped the match on
the carpet and set his foot upon it. His eyes shone like steel.
    "'The man with the limp,'" he said, and slowly rose to his feet—"what
do you know of the man with the limp?"
    Fletcher's face flushed slightly; his words had proved more dramatic
than he had anticipated.
    "There's a place down Shadwell way," he replied, "of which, no doubt,
you will have heard; it has no official title, but it is known to
habitués as the Joy-Shop...."
    Inspector Weymouth stood up, his burly figure towering over that of
his slighter confrère.
    "I don't think you know John Ki's, Mr. Smith," he said. "We keep all
those places pretty well patrolled, and until this present business
cropped up, John's establishment had never given us any trouble."
    "What is this Joy-Shop?" I asked.
    "A resort of shady characters, mostly Asiatics," replied Weymouth.
"It's a gambling-house, an unlicensed drinking-shop, and even worse—
but it's more use to us open than it would be shut."
    "It is one of my regular jobs to keep an eye on the visitors to the
Joy-Shop," continued Fletcher. "I have many acquaintances who use the
place. Needless to add, they don't know my real business! Well,
lately several of them have asked me if I know who the man is that
hobbles about the place with two sticks. Everybody seems to have
heard him, but no one has seen him."
    Nayland Smith began to pace the floor restlessly.
    "I have heard him myself," added Fletcher, "but never managed to get
so much as a glimpse of him. When I learnt about this Si-Fan mystery,
I realized that he might very possibly be the man for whom you're
looking—and a golden opportunity has cropped up for you to visit the
Joy-Shop, and, if our luck remains in, to get a peep behind the scenes."
    "I am all attention," snapped Smith.
    "A woman called Zarmi has recently put in an appearance at the
Joy-Shop. Roughly speaking, she turned up at about the same time as
the unseen man with the limp...."
    Nayland Smith's eyes were blazing with suppressed excitement; he was
pacing quickly up and down the floor, tugging at the lobe of his left
ear.
    "She is—different in some way from any other woman I have ever seen
in the place. She's a Eurasian and good-looking, after a tigerish
fashion. I have done my best"—he smiled slightly—"to get in her good
books, and up to a point I've succeeded. I was there last night, and
Zarmi asked me if I knew what she called a 'strong feller.'
    "'These,' she informed me, contemptuously referring to the rest of the
company, 'are poor weak Johnnies!'
    "I had nothing definite in view at the time, for I had not then heard
about your return to London, but I thought it might lead to something
anyway, so I promised to bring a friend along to-night. I don't know
what we're wanted to do, but ..."
    "Count on me!" snapped Smith. "I will leave all details to you and to
Weymouth, and I will be at New Scotland Yard this evening in time to
adopt a suitable disguise. Petrie"—he turned impetuously to me—"I
fear I shall have to go without you; but I shall be in safe company,
as you see, and doubtless Weymouth can find you a part in his portion
of the