at foul grave."

I could but gaze at her, my breath coming in sobs of pain.

"How chanced it, Madame, you knew I was thus entombed?" and my hand,
yet bleeding from contact with the rope, ventured to touch her own.
She looked into my eyes bravely, a red flush in either cheek.

"I overheard those bold words you spoke to her last night across the
partition."

"Last night? Rather a week since."

She smiled, her hand-clasp tightening.

"Ah, no, Geoffrey. It has seemed that long even to me waiting
opportunity for service, yet 'tis scarcely eight hours since you were
hurled into yonder hole. See; the sun in the sky tells the story
truly. But every moment we delay only serves to increase our peril of
discovery. Assist me, if you have strength, to relay this stone slab.
It tested my muscles sorely to drag it aside. No doubt there is a
cunning spring somewhere, by use of which it moves easily, yet I sought
after it in vain."

Toiling together we finally succeeded in returning the flat cover to
its proper position in the flooring, and spread over it a thick skin.
Seeing everything was left exactly as when she entered, Madame, who had
become a new woman to my eyes, capable and alert, silently led me
through a narrow curtained recess to the second apartment. This had
evidently been designed as the Queen's reception room, being fairly
gorgeous in coloring, the low walls covered with shields of beaten
copper, while burnished bits of the same metal, mingled with duller
tones of gold and iron, were scattered everywhere in strange profusion.
Varied tinted stones and sea-shells had been built into a raised
platform, on which stood a couch hidden beneath rich robes of skin, and
draped about with multicolored cloth of rude design and texture.
Altogether it was an interior of rich barbaric splendor, savage in its
unusual beauty, yet possessing here and there an odd touch of
civilization almost startling by contrast. You must understand that I
enjoyed little opportunity to gaze about and note such details, for
Madame was impatient of delay, hurrying me forward until we entered
together a partially concealed passage behind where the couch stood.
Here my fair guide paused, thrusting into my hands a quantity of food
hastily appropriated from a long shelf, concealed by a curtain of
scarlet cloth.

"Eat heartily," she commanded quickly, "for you seem very weak.
Meanwhile I will stand here, keeping watch lest we be taken by
surpr