stone that led to the passage in the rift.

It was quite time he did, for some of the people, who knew how they had
affected that place, were making for the temple.

But Yussuf lost no time. He turned up the stone in an instant, and
stood holding it ready.

"Go first, Lawrence effendi," he whispered; "help Lady Chumley and lead
the way."

Lawrence dropped down at once, and Mrs Chumley followed with unexpected
agility; then Chumley, Mr Burne, the professor; and as Yussuf was
following, lights flashed through the old building, and lit up the roof.

Fortunately the ruins of the ancient altar sheltered the guide, as he
stepped down and carefully lowered the stone over his head as he
descended; and so near was he to being seen that, as the stone sank
exactly into its place, a man ran over it, followed by half a dozen
more, their footsteps sounding hollow over the fugitives' heads.

Meanwhile Lawrence hurried Mrs Chumley down, the others following
closely, till the bottom of the steps and slopes was reached, and the
cool night air came softly in through the opening.

There they stopped for Yussuf to act as guide; but, though his name was
repeated in the darkness again and again, there was no answer, and it
soon became evident that he was not with the party.

"We cannot go without him," said Mr Preston sternly. "Stop here, all
of you, and I will go back and try to find him." But there was no need,
for just then they heard him descending.

"I stopped to listen," he said. "They have not yet found our track, and
perhaps they may not; but they are searching the temple all over, for
they have found something, and I don't know what."

"My bag of bread and curd!" said Mr Chumley suddenly. "I dropped it
near the door."

"Hah!" ejaculated Yussuf; but no one else said a word, though they
thought a great deal, while Mr Chumley uttered a low cry in the
darkness, such a cry as a man might give who was suffering from a sharp
pinch given by his wife.

The next moment the guide passed them, and they heard him thrust out a
stone, which went rushing down the precipice, and fell after some
moments, as if at a great distance, with a low pat. Then Yussuf bade
them follow, and one by one they passed out on to a narrow rocky shelf,
to stand listening to the buzz of voices and shouting far above their
heads, where a faint flickering light seemed to be playing, while they
were in total darkness.

"Be firm and there is no danger,