eave you in here to be burned, in
punishment for your audacity in spying upon me. Instead of that, I
shall take you out with me, if only to convince you that I am not a
murderer. Give me your hand!"

Barnes obeyed, satisfied that even though treachery were intended, his
predicament could not be made worse than it already was. By the dim
light which occasionally illuminated the passageway, as the flames
flared up, momentarily freed from the smoke, and shone through the
crack in the door, already burned considerably, Barnes now saw the
Doctor stoop and feel along the wainscoting, finally lifting up a
sliding panel, which disclosed a dark opening beyond.

"Fear nothing, but follow me," said the Doctor. "Step lightly though,
as these stairs are old and rickety." Much astonished, Barnes followed
the Doctor into the opening, and cautiously descended the narrow
winding stairs, still holding one hand of the man who preceded him. He
counted the steps, and calculated that he must be nearing the
basement, when a terrible crash overhead made him look up. For one
moment he caught a glimpse of blue sky, which in a second was hidden
by lurid flames, and then darkness ensued, whilst a shower of debris
falling about him plainly indicated that the burning building was
tumbling in. The hand which held his, gripped it more tightly and
their descent became more rapid, but beyond that, there was no sign
from the Doctor that he was disturbed by the destroying element above
them. In a few more moments they stood upon a flat cemented floor.

"It seems odd," said the Doctor, with a laugh that sounded ghoulish,
considering their position, "that I should need to ask you for a match
when there is so much fire about us. But I used my last one upstairs."
Barnes fumbled in his pocket, and finding one, drew it along his
trouser leg until it ignited. As the flame flared up, a dull red glare
illumined the face of Dr. Medjora, making him seem in his companion's
fancy the prototype of Mephistopheles himself. Again the Doctor
laughed.

"Afraid to trust me with fire, eh? Is that why you lighted it
yourself? Never mind. I only wished to get my bearings. It is long
since I have been in this place. See, here is a door to the right." He
grasped the iron handle, and after some exertion the bolt shot back,
but when he pushed against it the door did not yield. At the same
moment the match spluttered and the flame died.

"Help me push this door," said the Doct