midnight
`` Since , probably owing to the absence of any moon , a mistake was made , '' his jaw hardened at the thoughts of poor Forsyth -- `` another attempt along the same lines will almost certainly follow -- you know Fu-Manchu 's system ? '' So in the darkness , expectant , we sat watching the group of nine elms . To-night the moon was come , raising her Aladdin 's lamp up to the star world and summoning magic shadows into being . By midnight the highroad showed deserted , the common was a place of mystery ; and save for the periodical passage of an electric car , in blazing modernity , this was a fit enough stage for an eerie drama . No notice of the tragedy had appeared in print ; Nayland Smith was vested with powers to silence the press . No detectives , no special constables , were posted . My friend was of opinion that the publicity which had been given to the deeds of Dr. Fu-Manchu in the past , together with the sometimes clumsy co-operation of the police , had contributed not a little to the Chinaman 's success .