My Strangest Case

ruins of which they had come so far in search. For many days they had been journeying through the jungle, now the prey of hope, now of despair. They had experienced adventures by

well-nigh impossible for them to force a way through it. It was as if nature were doing her best to save the ancient city from the hand of the spoiler. At last, and so suddenly that it came upon them like a shock, t

king down upon the ruins. “Let us hope we shall have penetrated t

however, never said a word; the magic hand of the pas

hey had selected a suitable spot, de

st. Having eaten their morning meal, they took counsel together, examined the plan for the thousandth time, collected their weapons and tools, bade their servants keep a sharp lookout, and then set off for the city. The morning sun sparkled upon the dew, the birds and monkeys chattered at them from the jungle, whi

, each one of which would have required the efforts of at least four men to lift it. These, with a few exceptions, were in an excellent state of preservation. Passing through the massive gateway the travellers found themselves in an open square, out of which streets branched off the right and left, while the jungle thrust in its inquisitive nose on every possible occasion. The silence was so impressive that the men found themselves speaking in whispers. Not a sound was to be heard save the fluttering of birds’ wings among the trees, and the ob

ter, as they passed down a paved street side by side. “Where do you expect

nd, and had been comparing the route they wer

king’s palace, to which the gateway above the steps was the principal entrance. Some of the spires were broken, some were covered with creepers, others were mutilated by time and by stress of weather, but the general effect was grand in the extreme. From courtyard to courtyard they wandered, but without finding the particular place of which they were in search. It was more difficult to discover than they had expected; in

,” cried Kitwater, in a voice that echoe

lace was exercising a most curious effect. “If you’

water. “Things have gone so smoothly with us hitherto, th

as big as pigeon’s eggs, and sapphires, and gold, and then to get back

ey had yet entered. Like the others, however, it had fallen sadly to decay. The jungle had crept in at al

ed the place in silence for some minutes. “I thought you said a f

did not quite realize the situation. “And how are we to know that there a

king about him with eyes in wh

eplied. “We’ve got to find them — but n

lside. Hayle was certainly not in a good temper. The monotony of the long journey from civilization had proved too much for him, and he was ready to tak

ch man in a different manner. Kitwater was suspicious, Hayle was morose, while little Codd repeatedly puckered up his mouth as if he were about to whistle, but no sound ever came from it. The sky overhead was emerald-blue, the air was full of the sweetest perfumes, while birds of the most gorgeous plumage flew continually across their path. They had no

that this is the courtyard of the Three Elephants’ Heads, there can be no doubt. You take the right-hand side,” he went on addressing Hayle; “you, Coddy, must take the left. I’ll try the middle. If we don’t hit it to-day we’ll do so t

of eliciting the hollow sound that was to reveal the presence of the treasure-chamber. With the regularity of automatons they paraded up and down

aken for nothing. I was a fool ever to have listened to your nonsensical yarn. I might have known it would have come to nothin

moreover threw down the iron bar as if in anticipation

rely upon one thing, and that is the fact that I did my best to do you a good turn by allowing you to come into it. There’s another thing that calls for comment, and you can deny it if you will. It’s a fact that you’ve been grumbling and growling ever since we left Rangoon, and have

ting at the butt of his cigar as he spoke. “It don’t matter a curse to me; you

urther end of the courtyard, at a spot where a dense mass of creeper had fallen, and now lay trailing upon the stones. The effect upon his companions was

ittle man?” inquired Ki

bar upon the stone beneath him. There could be little or n

, and we’ll soon see what is underneath this precious sto

e veins stood out like whipcord upon Hayle’s forehead. It was difficult to say how many feet separated them from the treasure that was to make them lords of all the earth. At last the stone showed signs of moving, and it was possi

f mine, Coddy,” said Kitwater at l

THE BOTTOM OF WHICH IT

began to move slowly from its place. Little by little they raised it, putting all the strength they possessed into the operation, until, at last, with one great e

ped the perspiration from his brow. “You pretended to doubt my story. Was there anything in the old Frenchm

at him somewh

e trick. Let me down easily if you can. I can neither pass nor follow

t with us, and find out what there

palace, and were about thirty in number. They were, moreover, wet and slimy, and so narrow that it was only possible for one man to descend them at once. When they reached the bottom they found themselves standing in a narrow passage, the walls of which w

ge like distant thunder. “He said we should find a narrow corridor at the foot of the steps, and th

sue such an invitation. They we

ing in a large and apparently well vaulted chamber. Handsomely carved pillars supported the roof, the floor was well paved, while on either side there were receptacles, not unlike the niches in the Roman catacombs, though for what purpose they were intended was not at first glance so easy to determine. With hearts that beat tumultuously in their breasts, they hastened to one of them to see what it contained. The niche in question was filled with strange-looking vessels, some like bowls, and others not unlike crucibles. The men almost clambered over each other in their excitement to see what they contained. It was as if their whole existence depended upon it; they could scarcely breathe for excitement. Every moment’s delay was unspeakable agony. At l

D, ‘IT’S THE BANK OF E

, “it’s the Bank of E

a choke. Then Kitwa

” he muttered hoarsely. “Come let us get b

in all probability they were regardless of him altogether, for with almost simultaneous sighs of relief they threw themselves down upon the flagstones of the courtyard, and set to work, with feverish earnestness, to overhaul the booty they had procured. All

him in Singapore. “What’s better, there are hundreds more like them down below. I’ll tell you what it i

humour had vanished like breath off a razor, and now he was on the be

little parcel,” he said enthusiastically, “and what is more, there is a million or perhaps two

o late. We’d better be getting ba

Hayle replied

rs and replaced the stone that covered t

k what there is down there. Doesn’t it strike you that it would be better to fill our

it? In the morning we’ll come back and fill up our bags, and then clear out of the place and trek for

e he added, as if he were discomfited by his own significance, “I never though

y dust round the crack of the stone to give it an appeara

the bridge, and entered the outer city in silence. The place was very dreary at that hour of the day, and to Codd, who was of an imaginative turn of mind, it seemed as if faces out of the long deserted past were watching him from every house. His companions, how

Then, without waiting for a reply, he dived i

with him?” inquired Kitwate

Presently, however, the runaway made his appearance before them. His face was flus

e inquired of his compa

with elevated eyebrows. “

dy to take my oath I saw him cros

ink?” said Codd, referring to the tw

you, Kitwater, I am as sure as I am of a

miles of the ruins. You are unduly excited. You’ll be seeing

” the other answered. “Good Heavens! won’t you

pity you didn’t catch hold of him by it, however. No, no, Gid, you take m

o have no opinion,

en mistaken about the man he declared he had seen, that he kept his eyes well open to guard against a surprise. He did not know what clump of bamboo might contain an enemy, and, in consequence, his right

of their two native servants. “It was one of our prowling rascals you saw, and when he comes ba

cipate their return was certainly suspicious, he was still as convinced as ever that the man

d had as usual taken the matter into his own hands, and, picking up a cooking-pot, had set off in the direction of the stream, whence they drew their supply of water. He

d, pointing in the direction wh

e together. Then the latter add

y’re both lying in the jungle ba

put in. “Come, Kit, let us go and see. There’s m

s too true. Their two unfortunate servants were to be seen lying one on either side of the trac

the foresight to take our rifles with us to-day, otherwise we should have lost them for a certaint

ked Hayle anxiously, as they returned to the camp. “If that’s so, they’

l that moment they

n’t prevent them, for we don’t know how many of them there may be. That fellow you saw this evening may

ands, and what’s more, we know the value of our own. The only thing we can do is to watch, watch, and watch, and, if we are

e ghastly discovery in the jungle, the latter had been more silent even than the gravity of the situation demanded. Now he sat, nursing his rifle, listening to th

yle rose t

, as he went softly across to where Kitwa

then returned to his former position as quietly as he had come. Then, having secured as much of their store of ammunition as he could conveniently carry, toget