m to men in the Middle Ages a very
natural way of illustrating the sacred story.

The old Romans are also said to have had a kind of waits, who were
called Spondaulae; it was their business to attend upon the priests in
the temples of Jupiter. They sang a poem, accompanied by some wind
instrument, while incense was being burnt, or a sacrifice offered.

THE GIANT OF THE TREASURE CAVES.

(_Continued from page 159._)

'Directly Peet appeared with the key,' continued Colonel De Bohun, 'we
made a thorough search, and I do not think there was a nook or corner we
did not examine, even to a considerable distance down the passage. There
was, however, no trace of Estelle. We found in the inner room that the
window had been broken, and a rope was still hanging from it. That
window is not more than three feet from the floor of the room; but, as
you know, the drop from it into the moat must be at least twenty feet.
Whether the child managed to scramble out by means of the rope, or
whether she was carried out, I don't know. Peet insists that Thomas has
had a hand in the matter. A very valuable orchid, which he had been
cultivating in that inner room, has disappeared, and Peet feels sure
that Thomas has stolen it.'

Colonel De Bohun began to tell Lady Coke of the attempts made by Thomas
and another man to enter the ruined summer-house, as witnessed by Alan
and Marjorie, and of Alan's adventure in the cave, but she had become so
faint that he was alarmed. Mademoiselle ran off to fetch a glass of
water, while he did his best to soothe her. She begged, however, for
further details.

Very unwillingly, he went on to tell her how they had dug for a couple
of hours in the effort to penetrate the mass of stones and earth which
the bang of the door had shaken down from the roof. It was extremely
dangerous work, and he had not dared to urge the men to go on with it,
after their efforts revealed no trace of the child. They had also
entered the passage from its cliff end, under the guidance of Alan, but
had not been able to proceed far, the fall of the roof making it almost
as perilous as from the summer-house end.

'There is one strange thing about this unfortunate business,' he
continued, 'which we cannot explain. The dog, Bootles, that had been
with Estelle, was found in the wood, just at the entrance to the
passage. He appeared to be in great distress, and anxious that we should
follow him to the beach.'

'And did you go the