, although fearing the worst, made a long detour. Determined
to sell my life dearly, I drew my long knife from its velvet sheath, and
gripped it, ready to strike a deadly blow in self-defence. Luckily I
armed myself in time, for almost next moment a man of huge stature sprang
forward from behind one of the columns of rock where he had been secreted
and threw himself upon me, clutching me by the throat.

Scarce had his sinewy fingers gripped me, when, by dint of frantic
effort, I freed my right arm, and with a movement quick as lightning
flash, I buried my knife full in his breast. One short, despairing cry
escaped him, and as he staggered back I dashed forward again, without
turning to look at the result of the swift blow I had delivered. But I
was desperate, and being compelled to defend my life, I do not doubt that
my blow was unerring, and that my blade penetrated his heart.

Hindered thus in my flight my two companions had reached the edge of the
precipice ahead of me, and were skirting it, when suddenly I saw a body
of our pursuers approaching, and cried to them in warning. In dismay I
noticed they took no heed of my words, but continued their swift flight
right in the direction of those who sought our destruction.

"Take care, Omar!" I shouted, in English. "Can't you see those devils in
front?"

But he answered not, and I was about to halt and give up all thought of
escape, when I saw them both suddenly throw themselves on their knees on
the edge of the abyss, and almost instantly disappear over the
precipice.

They had found another flight of steps!

Eagerly I sprang forward, and in a few seconds found myself descending
the rough face of the rock, scrambling desperately down into the yawning
chasm with a wild horde of excited fanatics shrieking and yelling above.

Half a dozen of the more adventurous swung themselves over and commenced
to follow us, but those above, determined that we should not escape,
fetched huge stones and lumps of rock, which they hurled upon us. But
their excess of zeal only wrought destruction upon their companions, who,
being above us, received blows from the great stones which sent them
flying one after another to the base of the rock, killed or stunned ere
they reached it. Twice we had narrow escapes on account of the
unconscious bodies of our pursuers or their companions' missiles falling
against us, but while all those who had followed us, save one, fell
victims to the merciles