eantime, the anxious coterie in the chateau were waiting eagerly
for the return of the searchers. Night had fallen swiftly. The Princess
and Drusilla were walking restlessly back and forth, singularly quiet
and constrained. The latter sighed now and then in a manner that went
directly to the heart of her companion. Genevra recognised the futility
of imposing her sympathies in the face of this significant reserve.

Drusilla made one remark, half unconsciously, no doubt, that rasped in
the ears of the Princess for days. It was the cold, bitter, resigned
epitome of the young wife's thoughts.

"Robert has loved her for months." That was all.

Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, thankful that something had happened to divert
attention from their own conspicuous plight, were discoursing freely in
the centre of a group composed of the four Englishmen from the bank, all
of whom had deserted their posts of duty to hear the details of the
amazing disappearance.

"It's a plain out and out elopement," said Mrs. Saunders, fanning
herself vigorously.

"But, my dear," expostulated her husband, blushing vividly over the
first public use of the appellation, "where the devil could they elope
to?"

"I don't know, Tommy, but elopers never take that into consideration. Do
they, Mr. Bowles?"

Mr. Bowles readjusted the little red forage cap and said he'd be hanged
if he knew the eloping symptoms.

At last the four men appeared in the mouth of the cavern. The watchers
below fell into chilled silence when they discovered that the missing
ones were not with them. Stupefied with apprehension, they watched the
men descend the ladder and cross the bridge.

"They are dead!" fell from Brasilia Browne's lips. She swayed for an
instant and then sank to the ground, unconscious.

* * * * *

In the conference which followed the return of the searchers, it was
settled that three of the original party should undertake the further
prosecution of the hunt for the two heirs. Lord Deppingham found ready
volunteers in Chase and the faithful Selim. They prepared to go out in
the hills before the night was an hour older. Selim argued that the
abductors would not take their prisoners to the town of Aratat. He
understood them well enough to know that they fully appreciated the
danger of an uprising among those who were known to be openly opposed to
the high-handed operations of Rasula and his constituency. He convinced
Chase that the