High Priest's throat.

"Where is that secret stair?" he growled. "Lead on!"

The swordpoint pricked him. Two priests tried to interfere, but wilted
and collapsed with fright as four fierce, black-bearded Rajputs spurred
their horses forward. The swordpoint pricked still deeper.

"My son!" said the High Priest.

"A life for a life! Lead on!"

The High Priest surrendered, with a dark and cunning look, though, that
hinted at something or other in reserve. He pulled at a piece of
carving on the wail behind and pointed to a stair that showed behind
the outswung door. Then he plucked another priest by the sleeve and
whispered.

The priest passed on the whisper. A third priest turned and ran.

"That way!" said the High Priest, pointing.

"I? Nay! I go not down!" He raised his voice into an ululating howl. "O
Suliman!" he bellowed. "Suliman! O!--Suliman! Bring up the heaven-born!"

A growl like the distant rumble from a bear-pit answered him. Then Ruth
Bellairs' voice was heard calling up the stairway.

"Is that you, Mahommed Khan?"

"Ay, memsahib!"

"Good! I'm coming!"

She had recovered far enough to climb the ladder and the steep stone
stair above it, and Suliman climbed up behind her, grumbling dreadful
prophecies of what would happen to the priests now that Mohammed Khan
had come.

"Is all well, Risaldar?" she asked him.

"Nay, heavenborn! All is not well yet! The general sahib from Jundhra
and your husband's guns and others, making one division, are engaged
with rebels eight or nine miles from here. We saw part of the battle as
we rode!"

"Who wins?"

"It is doubtful, heavenborn! How could we tell from this distance?"

"Have you a horse for me?"

"Ay, heavenborn! Here! Bring up that horse, thou, and Suliman's! Ride
him cross-saddle, heavenborn--there were no side-saddles in Siroeh! Nay,
he is just a little frightened. He will stand--he will not throw thee!
I did better than I thought, heavenborn. I come with four-and-twenty,
making twenty-six with me and Suliman. An escort for a queen! So--sit
him quietly. Leave the reins free. Suliman will lead him! Ho! Fronnnt!
Rank--'bout-face!"

"My son!" wailed the High Priest. "Where is my son?"

"Tell him, Suliman!"

"Where I caught thee, thou idol-briber!" snarled the Risaldar's
half-brother.

"Where? In that den of stinks. Gagged and bound all this while?"

"Ha! Gagged and bound and out of mischief where all priests and
priests' sons ought to be!