Part 16 (1/2)

That one for help,” said Burton, and blew his whistle ”We will have a look at them,” he added, and turned on his laht and the lamp was knocked out of his hand and fell with a clatter down the steps, for Appoyas had crept up with his long brass-studded stick

Next moment Tom felt himself hooked by the ankle, and before he could free his were jerked from under him and he fell on his back; then he felt a bare foot placed on his chest as soe

No one else was able to pass, for Burton stood on the top of the steps, swinging his iron rod to and fro, and at the sa until sohts

”Tom, you stop here with some of the men, and don't let any of these rascals escape Listen! The Doctor is having a tussle; there is a fight going on all over the place, and I must discover where Mark is lest they should try to injure hi a couple of men, he hurried away in the direction of the shouts which were ringing through the galleries

”Hi! This way, Bur--r--r----” solish

”That's Mark's voice, and they are strangling hieant, this way,” he added

Burton found Mark in the grasp of two round and then fled in the darkness, after showing fight for a few seconds, Burton pursuing the tripped by Appoyas, aiting in a side passage, and Burton lay partly stunned for soe with his stick, but at last he fled along a side passage

In half an hour the fight was over, and Burton found they had eight prisoners; a as Atlasul, but Appoyas and some of the others had escaped

Burton and Toalleries when they suddenly ca a knife at Burton, dashed down the passage followed by the two Englishone about a hundred yards when Appoyas stopped, and his pursuers could see that he was standing on the very edge of a black chas fiercely in the light of the lamp

”You cannot escape us now, Appoyas,” said Burton, covering hie on you, Koj Burton Here is the end of the passage, below is the Cave of Dooot me yet,” and, to the astonishment of Burton and To into the fearsome black abyss

”He must be dashed to pieces I can't see the bottoulf

”I aet a rope and make a search,” said Burton

Some time later a lamp was lowered, and far below, about six feet fro net stretched the full width of the chasm

”He dropped into that, and escaped by a secret exit,” said Burton

They proceeded to thoroughly explore the cave, and were astonished at the extent and nulobe on the shoulders of old Atlas is hollow and has a big slit in it like a letter-box, and has a lock on it,” exclai the Telobe was opened it proved to be nearly full of gold and silver ornaments, precious stones, and coins

”Ah, these are the offerings to the Gods, a portion of the things stolen by these thieves during the last fifty years A system of theft and sacrifice which has been handed down froenerations,” exclaimed Burton

The prisoners proved to be connected with burglaries which had taken place all over the Punjab and far beyond The villains had been in the habit of placing a few of the things stolen in some innocent person's house, and had e on themselves

The valuables recovered in the Tehtful owners where they could be traced, and the balance was ulti four annas in the rupee, thus leaving three-fourths of the value to be divided ast those who had discovered it

Many hours did the English to discover the inner Temple of Hydas, but its secret baffled all their efforts, neither were they able to find any parts of the broken slab which ht have aided the any trace of Appoyas, who had so suddenly disappeared while his cry of revenge was ringing through the Cave of Hydas