ive door must succumb.

At last there was a thundering crash, and broken oak panels flew
through the air.

The men rushed in. Buckingham in a moment was in their midst and
fighting his way through them. He flung himself aside and escaped the
fighting mass by a small door that led him to a passage, where he
regained his breath and looked out for his bearings.

He found his way through many winding passages to the panel. This he
opened and quickly strode through to the trapdoor, which stood agape.
From beneath came the sound of voices. He knelt and looked down. There
was no light to guide him. Cautiously he descended the ladder, finding
his way warily toward the place where he had seen the chest and whence
now came the voices. One was saying:

"It's gone, the damn knaves have secreted it; we must have a light,
Anson, or the horde above stair will be upon us, and all the fires of
hell could hardly show us out of this dungeon." Whereupon the flint
was struck and the forms of three men were dimly outlined.

They began running about nervously in different directions to find the
chest; his Grace keeping from view by following in their shadow. Back
they went again to the spot where it had stood, and as the light
fell full in their faces Buckingham recognized the pale, chiselled
countenance of Cantemir. There were two servants with him, which,
judging from their eagerness, evidently expected perquisites.

The sound above stairs was growing more and more noisome, as if the
monks were being pressed back in the direction of the secret passage.
'Twas evident the Abbes intended this move; for unless there was
egress 'twould be a veritable slaughter hole and from the first they
had kept together, preferring the direction of retreat.

Suddenly one of the men in front of Buckingham leant down and traced
with his finger on the dusty stone,--

"They have moved it in this direction, and there is no mistaking it,"
and he pointed from the ladder.

They followed the direction, holding the light low, and came at once
upon what appeared to be a solid stone wall. Inadvertently the man
bearing the lighted taper rested his arm for a moment against the
stones. Instantly a blaze flared up and showed a very cleverly
concocted wall. A canvas had been padded in shape of unhewn stone and
painted in imitation; the oil in the paint had ignited and despoiled
the illusion.

The blaze was quenched in a moment, the canvas door pried open and the