d away
by Von Blitz. The others had been borne away by detachments of men who
left the cave before the discovery and capture of the heirs.

Rasula was haranguing the crowd of men in the road. The hidden listeners
could hear and understand every word he uttered.

"It is the only way," he was shouting angrily. "We cannot take them into
the town to-night--maybe not for two or three days. Some there are in
Aratat who would end their lives before sunrise. I say to you that we
cannot put them to death until we are sure that the others have no
chance to escape to England. I am a lawyer. I know what it would mean if
the story got to the ears of the government. We have them safely in our
hands. The others will soon die. Then--then there can be no mistake!
They must be taken to the mines and kept there until I have explained
everything to the people. Part of us shall conduct them to the lower
mill and the rest of us go on to the bank with these chests of gold." In
the end, after much grumbling and fierce quarreling, in which the
prisoners took little or no interest, the band was divided into two
parts. Rasula and six of the sturdiest men prepared to continue the
journey to Aratat, transporting the chests. Five sullen, resentful
fellows moved over beside the captives and threw themselves down upon
the grassy sward, lighting their cigarettes with all the philosophical
indifference of men who regard themselves as put upon by others at a
time when there is no alternative.

"We will wait here till day comes," growled one of them defiantly. "Why
should we risk our necks going down the pass to-night? It is one
o'clock. The sun will be here in three hours. Go on!"

"As you like, Abou Dal," said Rasula, shrugging his pinched shoulders.
"I shall come to the mill at six o'clock." Turning to the prisoners, he
bowed low and said, with a soft laugh: "Adios, my lady, and you, most
noble sir. May your dreams be pleasant ones. Dream that you are wedded
and have come into the wealth of Japat, but spare none of your dream to
the husband and wife, who are lying awake and weeping for the foolish
ones who would go searching for the forbidden fruit Folly is a hard road
to travel and it leads to the graveyard of fools. Adios!"

Lady Agnes bent over and dropped her face into her hands. She was
trembling convulsively. Browne did not show the slightest sign that he
had heard the galling words.

At a single sharp command, the six men picked up the thr