cave and the point just passed, proving rather
conclusively that they were encumbered by living, not dead, burdens.

At last the sound of voices came to the ears of the pursuers. As they
crept closer and closer, they became aware of the fact that the party
had halted and were wrangling among themselves over some point in
dispute. With Selim in the lead, crawling like panthers through the
dense undergrowth, the trio came to the edge of the timber land. Before
them lay the dark, treeless valley; almost directly below them, not
fifty yards away, clustered the group of disputing islanders, a dozen
men in all, with half as many flaring torches.

They had halted in the roadway at the point where a sharp defile through
the rocks opened a way down into the valley. Like snakes the pursuers
wriggled their way to a point just above the small basin in which the
party was congregated.

A great throb of exultation leaped up from their hearts, In plain view,
at the side of the road, were the two persons for whom they were
searching.

"God, luck is with us," whispered Chase unconsciously.

Lady Agnes, dishevelled, her dress half stripped from her person, was
seated upon a great boulder, staring hopelessly, lifelessly at the crowd
of men in the roadway. Beside her stood a tall islander, watching her
and at the same time listening eagerly to the dispute that went on
between his fellows. She was not bound; her hands and feet and lips were
free. The glow from the torches held by gesticulating hands fell upon
her tired, frightened face. Deppingham groaned aloud as he looked down
upon the wretched, hopeless woman that he loved and had come out to die
for.

Bobby Browne was standing near by. His hands were tightly bound behind
his back. His face was blood-covered and the upper part of his body was
almost bare, evidence of the struggle he had made against overwhelming
odds. He was staring at the ground, his head and shoulders drooping in
utter dejection.

The cause of the slow progress made by the attacking party was also
apparent after a moment's survey of the situation. Three of the treasure
chests were standing beside the road, affording seats for as many weary
carriers. It was all quite plain to Chase. Rasula and his men had
chanced upon the two white people during one of their trips to the cave
for the purpose of removing the chests. Moreover, it was reasonable to
assume that this lot of chests represented the last of those store