EUREKA!
As soon as the Ghoojurs learned that the Europeans had fled, their
courage came back, and they made a scrambling rush for the interior
of the temple. A brief search proved the truth of their leader's
declaration, the only objects found being the overturned idol and the
inanimate body of Harkins. The latter was plundered so shamelessly
that it told the truth to Luchman the moment his eyes fell upon it.
The Feringhees had departed, and, when the Ghoojurs found that
nothing remained for them to do, they took up their march to the camp
of Wana Affghar, which they reached a half hour after the departure
of Luchman the guide.
The time has come in to make an explanation.
Going back a few hours in the thread of our narrative, the reader
will remember that Dr. Avery and the family of the missionary were
grouped together in the passage way, watching the meeting between
Luchman and Wana Affghar. Not an eye was removed until the departure
of their friend in the company of the Ghoojur chieftain.
They could not mistake the meaning of what they saw. The bargain had
been struck between the two. The fugitives must remain within the
temple until the hour fixed upon by Luchman for their departure.
"If nothing is seen or heard of them," said the surgeon, "by the time
it is dark we shall gain the start that ought to secure safety for us
all. But I wouldn't give much for the life of Luchman after he parts
with the diamond."
At this juncture, while the conversation was of no special interest,
Marian related her singular experience of the night before. Avery
was interested at once.
"Have you any idea of the hour?" he asked.
"It must have been near midnight,--perhaps a little later."
"Are you sure of that?"
"As sure as I can be of anything."
"Then you are altogether mistaken in supposing it was Luchman. He
can prove an alibi. There was not a minute from the time you
withdrew to rest, or rather from the time he fired the pistol that
you all heard, that he was not within my reach and under my eye. Not
once did he pass inside."
"Who then could it have been?"
"A stranger."
"But he could not have come through the archway without being seen by
one of you."
"He didn't come through it. My friends," said the surgeon, "that
confirms a suspicion which I have entertained all along. There is
some communication with the temple of which we know nothing."
"What can it be?"
"It is subterranean, such as you find in hundreds of buildings, in
every country. I have no doubt it leads to the river bank, and was
constructed with a view of allowing the priests and fakirs of the
temple to go in and out unknown to others."
"But why was it not used against us?" asked the missionary.
"It may not have been known to Wana Affghar; some of his men, no
doubt the guard along the river bank, stumbled upon it, and one of
them explored it to find out whether it could be used. They didn't
tell their leader, or, if they did, the old wretch must have seen
that it was unknown to us. As a consequence, he has simply guarded
the outlet."
"I wonder that it has not been employed against us."
"I believe it would have been used tonight, but for this ransom
business. Wana Affghar is such a scoundrel that I am convinced he
will attack us if we leave by the regular way. Let us hunt for the
underground passage."
"I agree with you," remarked Mr. Hildreth, much impressed by what was
said.
"Keep watch, then, for a few minutes, while I make search for it,"
said Avery, hurrying away in considerable excitement.
The story of Marian Hildreth proved that the intruder of the night
before came from the larger apartment into the smaller, so that the
opening must be looked for in the former. There, then, the doctor
began his explorations.
He first stamped upon the floor, treading upon every portion of the
stone and cement, and listening for the hollow sound which tells of
the excavation below.
After making a complete circuit, he thought he detected this
peculiarity near one of the corners, though it was not pronounced.
He struck a light and carefully scrutinized the floor, but saw
nothing to explain the phenomenon.
"In whatever way he entered, he did not come up through the floor.
Since the opening can't be in the roof, it must be in the wall."
The same manipulation was repeated around the sides of the apartment.
The only portion that gave the hollow response was in the corner
where he had observed it before.
"It is here," he concluded, striking another match.
Eureka! he had found it. There were the divisions, so plainly marked
that every one of the fugitives must have seen them before but for
the dim light in the room. They had pressed against the door many
times, but it was less yielding than the one which let them into the
inner apartment.
It was not until he had pushed against it with all his might, that it
slowly swung inward, the draught of air extinguishing the match he
had just lighted. Igniting another, he shaded it with his hand and
peered into the recess beyond.
At the bottom of the heavy door were three steps, leading down into
the darkness. The draught that blew inward proved that it was
connected with the outside world, and the surgeon had no doubt that
the underground passage extended in a direct line to the river.
He hastened back to his friends with the announcement.
"If we had only known that last night," said Mr. Hildreth, "we might
have gone right out of the temple.
"And right into an ambush."
"We may do that as it is, for it is difficult to understand why Wana
Affghar has withdrawn his guard."
"They may not have told him."
"It lacks a half hour of eight," said Avery, leaning forward so as to
let the moonlight fall on the face of his watch.
"I believe we should use the way that has been so providentially
opened."
It was while this conversation was going on that Ramsurun Duss and
his Ghoojurs stationed themselves about the entrance to the temple.
Mr. Hildreth and Dr. Avery thought best to look further into the
tunnel before making use of it.
While the elder held the door open, the younger ventured down, and
groped his way for fifty feet or so from the building. He was amazed
by the perfection of the structure. The passage way was about three
feet wide and almost twice as high. Top, bottom and sides were lined
with the same excellent cement that was so plentifully used
throughout the temple itself. It was hard and smooth, and during
this dry season everything was as free as powder from moisture.
No public building could have required a better hallway than that
along which the surgeon traveled for some distance.
"If it is like this all the way, it is a more pleasant means of
egress than across the plain in the moonlight."
Listening for a few seconds it seemed that he caught the flow of
water at the further end, but it was probably the absence of all
sound, such as often deceives us when a shell is held to the ear.
When Avery came back and reported his discovery to the others, it was
almost eight o'clock. He walked to the front of the archway and
looked out to see whether the coast was clear. All seemed favorable
and there was no call for further delay.
How little did any of the party dream that, at that very moment,
Ramsurun Duss and his six murderous Ghoojurs were crouching near the
entrance, impatiently waiting for him and his companions to come
within range of their guns!
Dr. Avery led the way down the steps into the gloom of the
underground passage. Pausing there, he struck a match, and then
helped Marian to follow him. Her parents came next, the breadth of
the tunnel allowing each couple to walk side by side.
"Close the door after you," said Avery, "for as likely as not there
will be a search through the temple for us. Is there any means of
fastening it?"
"There is not, fortunately."
"Why do you say fortunately?"
"If there was, do you suppose it would have been left so that we
could open it?"
"The point of order is well taken," remarked the surgeon, whose
spirits rose with the prospect before them.
Avery deemed it best to walk in front of Marian, so that if any slip
took place it should not involve her. He kept burning matches at
brief intervals, until they had progressed so far that Mr. Hildreth
suggested that the light might attract attention from the other end
of the passage way.
The tiny flame was allowed to flicker out, and for a time the journey
was pushed in darkness. The surgeon's outstretched arms and
shuffling feet could find no irregularity in the admirably made
tunnel, which must have been constructed by some master mason of
ancient times.
It has been stated that the distance from the ruined temple to the
river was about two hundred yards, so that the subterranean passage
was undoubtedly the same. When it seemed to Dr. Avery that he had
gone that distance, he walked more slowly, and felt his way with
extreme care.
At this juncture all the party heard the soft flow of water but a
short distance beyond.