Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Aninstantlatertherewastheshufflingoffeetinthehall,andthesharpclosingofadoor.

           "Apatienttoseeyou,sir,intheconsultingroom,"saidthebutler.

           "Abouthimself?"

           "No,sir;Ithinkhewantsyoutogoout."

           "Itistoolate,"criedDouglasStonepeevishly."Iwon’tgo."

           "Thisishiscard,sir."

           ThebutlerpresentedituponthegoldsalverwhichhadbeengiventohismasterbythewifeofaPrimeMinister.

           "’HamilAli,Smyrna.’Hum!ThefellowisaTurk,Isuppose."

           "Yes,sir.Heseemsasifhecamefromabroad,sir.Andhe’sinaterribleway."

           "Tut,tut!Ihaveanengagement.Imustgosomewhereelse.ButI’llseehim.Showhiminhere,Pim."

           Afewmomentslaterthebutlerswungopenthedoorandusheredinasmallanddecrepitman,whowalkedwithabentbackandwiththeforwardpushofthefaceandblinkoftheeyeswhichgoeswithextremeshortsight.Hisfacewasswarthy,andhishairandbeardofthedeepestblack.Inonehandheheldaturbanofwhitemuslinstripedwithred,intheotherasmallchamois-leatherbag.

           "Goodevening,"saidDouglasStone,whenthebutlerhadclosedthedoor."YouspeakEnglish,Ipresume?"

           "Yes,sir.IamfromAsiaMinor,butIspeakEnglishwhenIspeakslow."

           "Youwantedmetogoout,Iunderstand?"

           "Yes,sir.Iwantedverymuchthatyoushouldseemywife."

           "Icouldcomeinthemorning,butIhaveanengagementwhichpreventsmefromseeingyourwifetonight."

           TheTurk’sanswerwasasingularone.Hepulledthestringwhichclosedthemouthofthechamois-leatherbag,andpouredafloodofgoldontothetable.