As if to confirm this
reasoning, just at that moment a sound indeed broke the silence
of the room.
Somewhere far away in the distance of the big house a gong was
beaten three times softly. Kerry's fierce glance searched the
face of Zani Chada, but it remained mask-like, immovable. Yet
that this had been a signal of some kind the Chief Inspector did
not doubt, and:
"You can't trick me," he said fiercely. "No one can leave this
house without my knowledge, and because of what happened out
there in the fog my hands are untied."
He took up his hat and cane from the chair.
"I'm going to search the premises," he declared.
Zani Chada stood up slowly.
"Chief Inspector," he said, "I advise you to do nothing until you
have consulted your wife."
"Consulted my wife?" snapped Kerry. "What the devil do you
mean?"
"I mean that any steps you may take now can only lead to disaster
for many, and in your own case to great sorrow."
Kerry took a step forward, two steps, then paused. He was
considering certain words which the Eurasian had spoken. Without
fearing the man in the physical sense, he was not fool enough to
underestimate his potentialities for evil and his power to strike
darkly.
"Act as you please," added Zani Chada, speaking even more softly.
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