sound of voices. Jack pointed to one of the small cells high up in the
wall, and led the way up the banks of seats, stepping from one to the
other like going upstairs.
The cell had a strong door, the upper part of which consisted of a
grille, and when they were well inside they pulled it to after them.
Then, peering through the grille, they could see nearly all over the
interior. The voices drew nearer, and in a few moments there entered
King Agrando, Kazzaro, and Zuanstroom, with two attendants, each of whom
bore small sacks. Judging by their manner, the sacks were pretty heavy.
'That will do. Put them down there!' ordered Agrando. 'We can examine
them better here than in the other chambers. This has the best light of
any.' The centre was occupied by a circular platform or staging of
stonework, the use or meaning of which the three hidden spectators had
not been able to guess at. Upon this the attendants deposited their
bags, and immediately withdrew.
When assured that their servitors were out of sight and hearing,
Zuanstroom opened the bags, and turned out from one a sparkling
collection of jewellery of all kinds and designs, and from the other a
dazzling heap of unset stones, some of them of great size and
brilliancy.
It was curious to see the expressions of greed and avarice which crept
into the features of the king and his favourite as they gazed upon this
display.
'There!' cried Zuanstroom triumphantly, 'have I not kept my word? Have
I not done as I promised? You doubted whether I could perform what I
said; but you see I've managed it, spite of all Ivanta's edicts and
precautions! He little dreams that all these are now in your hands,
instead of reposing peacefully in his own treasure-house until it suits
his royal fancy to allow me to deal as I please with my own. Ah, he is
a clever man, in many ways--a wonderful man; but he does not know
everything! He has yet to learn the real power that lies in diamonds. I
learned it long ago! There is nothing too difficult to attain, no
living being you cannot bribe, if you have only diamonds enough!'
Jack had put a hand on Alondra as a hint to keep his feelings under
control. And it was well he had done so, for he felt him start, and
could tell that he was battling with his rising indignation as he
listened to this talk. Jack, however, had quickly decided in his own
mind that it would be better to keep their presence there a secret if
possible, and the pressure of his hand upon the young prince said so
plainly. Alondra, on his side, was forced to admit to himself that Jack
was right as to this; though he did so all unwillingly.
There ensued a good deal of talk between Agrando and the other two, the
while that they turned the scintillating heaps over and over, but it was
carried on for the most part in such low tones that the listeners heard
but little of what was said. Now and then they heard exclamations, or
caught scraps of sentences, but these did not convey much information.
At last the conspirators put the two heaps back into their respective
receptacles, which they themselves then carried into another chamber.
Presumably, they there locked them up in some vault, and went their way;
and all once more became quiet.
'Now's our time!' said Jack. 'If you take my advice, Prince, we shall
slip back the way we came, and get out--if we're lucky enough to meet no
one--through the glass-house where we found you. I should keep what you
have learned to yourself till you are safely back home, and then tell
your royal father, who will know what to do better than you or I, or Mr
Monck.'
'I think you are right,' said Alondra musingly, 'although'----
'I am sure Jack is right,' Gerald put in. 'Those men, now that the fire
of covetousness has been lighted in their breasts, would stick at
nothing. They would murder you, and me, and all your suite, as soon as
look at us, rather than give up their booty, or rather than risk our
telling King Ivanta. So we'd better be discreet and keep still tongues
in our heads.'
They left their hiding-place and made their way down the rows of seats.
When, however, they reached the floor, Alondra looked round and
whispered, 'I should like very much to know what this place is used for.
It must have been constructed for some distinct purpose, and whatever
the purpose it was a secret one. I see many things about, the uses of
which I confess I do not understand, and yet I cannot help guessing; but
I hope I am not right in my guesses, for they make me shudder.'
'I think I know what is in your mind,' returned Jack gloomily. 'I fancy
the same thoughts came into mine; but I deemed it better not to say
anything about them at present.'
As he spoke they distinctly heard a door opened and the sound of voices.
There was nothing for it but to regain their former place of
concealment. They had hardly entered it and closed the door, when a
number of people came bursting into the place, looking about them as
though in search of some one.
*CHAPTER XXII.*
*MALTO.*
In the shade of the cell in which they had concealed themselves, the
three friends talked in whispers, while watching, through the grille,
the doings of the new-comers.
Who were these people, and whom were they searching for? At first the
watchers took it for granted that they were themselves the objects of
their search; but a few moments later they had doubts as to whether it
was so. If it was, Alondra was ready to 'take the bull by the horns'
and show himself, quite believing that they would not dare to harm King
Ivanta's son. Jack, however, was for waiting a while to see what
happened.
'You can do that at any time--when it is forced upon us,' he whispered.
'They may not be looking for us at all; and we may learn something if we
keep quiet.'
The reasoning seemed good, and Alondra agreed, though somewhat
unwillingly. He was angry and indignant at what had already occurred,
and was becoming impatient at being compelled to play hide-and-seek in
what he considered was an undignified fashion.
At the same time, he was curious, and, for one thing, was wondering who
these people could be who were hunting about. He had never seen them
before. Not only were they strangers to him, but their dress was quite
different from that usually worn by Agrando's followers. Their costumes
were a very dark purple, and they were all big, powerful-looking men.
Moreover, when they called out to one another they spoke in a strange
language, one that even Alondra did not understand.
And now a fresh development occurred. Into the midst of these strangers
strode three men in masks--men even bigger and taller than the rest.
They seemed to speak angrily, as though rating the others for something
they had done wrongly. Then they issued some sharp, short word of
command, and the first-comers turned and marched out in perfect military
order, the masked men walking behind them.
In a minute or two they had all disappeared. Sounds followed as of the
closing and fastening of heavy doors, and the place was once more empty
and quiet.
'What does it all mean?' exclaimed Gerald perplexedly, addressing
Alondra. 'What are all these strange comings and goings? Who were
those chaps who came in last, and why do they wear masks? It is all
very mysterious and extraordinary! It seems to me there must be a good
deal more going on here than you have any idea of!'
'It seems so, indeed,' Alondra replied, in a tone which showed that he
was not less puzzled. 'I confess it is a mystery to me at present. But
I mean to get to the bottom of it if the thing is possible.'
'What do you think King Ivanta will say to it all when you tell him?'
asked Jack. 'What do you suppose he will do? You will tell him, will
you not?'
'You may be sure I shall,' returned Alondra, 'and I think the sooner he
knows the better. We must find some excuse for cutting short our visit
here and getting back to Ivenia as quickly as possible,' he added with
decision.
'If you will take me with you to King Ivanta,' said a strange voice
behind them, 'I can tell him many more things which he ought to
know--which he ought to have known long ago!'
The three friends started and looked round. From somewhere in the
darkness, at the back of the cell, a figure now stepped forth, and stood
looking at them with as much interest as they showed themselves.
He was a young fellow of scarcely more than twenty years of age perhaps,
good-looking, well set up, and muscular in build. He was dressed like
an official of Agrando's household; but Alondra detected at once that he
was not a native of the country.
'Who are you?' he asked, eying him curiously. 'And why have you been
hiding and listening to our talk?'
'Who I am doesn't matter just now,' returned the stranger quietly. 'You
need not be afraid of me; you may trust me thoroughly. I am a friend,
and you need a friend just now if you want to get out of this place
without being captured by Kazzaro's myrmidons!'
'I am not afraid of them! You do not know who I am!' returned Alondra
proudly.
'It does not matter to me who you are, any more than it matters to you
who I am,' was the cool answer. 'You would need to be some one very
wonderful, or very clever, to get out of this place alive if Kazzaro
knew you were here. If I help you to escape, will you promise to take
me to King Ivanta? He will thank you for doing so when he hears what I
have to tell him, and I have little doubt will reward you handsomely.'
At this the three looked at each other and burst out laughing. Jack was
about to tell the stranger that he was talking to the son of Ivanta,
when a look from Alondra stopped him.
'I suppose you expect to be rewarded too,' said the young prince
shrewdly. 'Well, I promise to take you to him; but if we do, and he
gives you the reward you expect, it is only fair that we should share
it.'
'That you cannot do,' answered the stranger with a sigh. 'I know not
whether he will be able to give me what I am hoping for; but if he
should it is not anything that I can share, or that you would care to
have.'
'You are very mysterious, my friend!' Alondra commented. 'Why are you
hiding in here?'
'Well, I came here upon a little errand of my own--one somewhat similar
to that which brought you, I fancy, judging by what I heard you say--to
look about and find out what I could. As to who those people in purple
were, I will tell you that at another time. The fact is, my friends, I
have no reason to love King Agrando, though I am an officer of his
household. He brought me here against my will from a distant country,
and has forced me to be a sort of slave to him and to take part in
things that I loathe and detest. But that is not the worst; I have a
deeper wrong to set right. I have long hoped that King Ivanta might pay
us a visit here so that I might appeal to him. But if you can take me
to him it will be better still. Will you swear to do so if I lead you
safely out of this den?'
'You have my promise,' returned Alondra a little haughtily. 'There is
no need for me to repeat it or to swear.'
The other looked at the young prince keenly, and then said, in a
satisfied tone, 'Your face is honest to look at, and I will trust to
your promise. Follow me and I will get you a disguise.'
'A disguise!' exclaimed Alondra. 'What next?'
'It is necessary. We cannot get out without the chance of running
against some one.'
'We can get out the way we came,' Alondra asserted; but the stranger
shook his head.
'No,' he said decidedly. 'I saw you come in, and the door you came
through is now locked and barred, and neither you nor I can open it.
You must come my way, or I must give up the idea of befriending you and
leave you to your own devices.'
'Very well,' Alondra assented, somewhat ungraciously. He was getting
restive at the masterful manner of this stranger, who, after all, was
only an under-official--or, as he himself had admitted, a kind of slave.
'What is your name?' he added as an afterthought.
The stranger hesitated for a brief space, then said, 'You may call me
Malto.'
With that he turned away, and began stepping down from one row of seats
to another, walking as if plunged deep in thought, and seemingly taking
but little further notice of his companions.
As for Gerald and Jack, they glanced at one another with perplexed and
wondering looks. This cool, self-possessed young fellow had somehow
impressed them favourably, and they were inclined to like him. But they
did not in the least understand him; and, like Alondra, they were
half-disposed to resent his assumption of so authoritative a manner.
'My stars!' muttered Jack, under his breath, to Gerald, 'I fancy he
thinks we are some of the hangers-on amongst Mr Monck's suite!'
Meantime, the stranger had reached the floor of the place, and was now
leading the way towards one end of it, which was closed in by some huge,
massive-looking gates. There was something grand yet repellent about
these gates. Upon them were carved two great heads as of some kind of
giants, which frowned down upon them in forbidding ugliness.
Their leader turned to a small wicket gate at one side, and, taking a
key from his pocket, opened it, waited for the three to pass inside,
then closed it and locked it behind him. They were then in a dark
lobby. A moment later he opened another door, and they all passed
through it.
Here the three looked round in wondering silence. They were in what
might have been either an immense underground cavern or a large
enclosure roofed over. The light was dim, the air was oppressive, and
there was a foul odour, which to the visitors seemed sickly and
nauseating.
Before them, at some little distance, there was a network of metal bars,
which rose to a great height like an immense cage. It attracted their
attention at once to the exclusion of all other surroundings, for it
seemed to be the source of the evil smell which had assailed their
nostrils.
Suddenly they were startled by a terrible scream. It was followed by a
cry as of some one in the extreme of fear and dread. At the same moment
a face distorted by terror came into view behind the bars. It was only
visible for a moment, then melted again into the gloom beyond.
*CHAPTER XXIII.*
*A FOUL DEN.*
For a few moments the three friends stared without moving at the place
where the agonised face had appeared. They were spellbound with horror
of they knew not what; for though they could not see anything of what
was going on in the den in front of them, they could hear strange sounds
and weird noises.
There was a rushing sound as of large bodies darting to and fro through
the air; they heard the beat of powerful wings, low gasps and gurgles,
yet could make out nothing in the obscurity. Then another terrible cry
was heard--this time an unmistakably human one: 'Malto! Malto! Is it
you? Save me! save me!'
This appeal startled their new friend into instant action, and he dashed
toward the bars, crying out as he went, 'Have you arms, you three? If
you have, come and help me!'
In a moment Gerald and Jack gripped their revolvers and raced after him.
He made for a small metal gate in the bars, and after applying a key to
the lock began feverishly to work away at other fastenings which still
held it. The two chums stood beside him, gazing into the cage, trying to
make out what was going on within. Suddenly something swished past them.
It had the general appearance of a monstrous bat--certainly it had what
looked like the body and wings of a bat--but it also had a human face!
'Malto! Malto!' cried this apparition, as it flew past--for it was
certainly flying--'make haste or it will be too late! I am tired out!
I'----
The last words were lost as it disappeared again into the darkness
beyond. Hardly had it passed when a huge shape came into view, beating
the air with great wings, evidently in hot pursuit of the other. It was
undoubtedly a monster bat--much bigger than the strange apparition with
the human face.
Without waiting for instructions from Malto, both the chums fired at the
creature, but seemingly with no result; for it continued on its way, and
a moment later was lost in the shadows.
Malto looked up in surprise at the sound of the shots; then resumed his
work at the fastenings, in which he was now assisted by Alondra.
A moment later the gate was open. Malto snatched up a long, heavy piece
of wood which was lying near, and, entering the cage, stood boldly
waiting for the expected return of the monster.
'This way, Malandris! this way! The gate is open!' he shouted, as he
looked about, trying to pierce the gloom.
There was a low answering cry, and the form of the man-bat--as he seemed
to be--came into view, made a desperate attempt to keep up, but fell
exhausted at Malto's feet.
Then the great bat itself appeared, and made a swoop to seize its prey.
It was met with a blow from the heavy wooden bar, whereupon it turned
viciously upon the rescuer.
The great wings closed round him, and the immense claws with which they
were armed gripped him, striving to draw him within reach of the head,
with its open mouth and shining fangs.
The wooden bar, however, was jammed against its breast, and prevented it
for the moment from coming to close quarters. Just then Gerald and
Jack, who had entered the cage behind Malto, fired their pistols
simultaneously.
As a result, one wing could be seen to be hanging limply, broken by a
bullet; and as the creature gave utterance to another scream, Jack
rushed in and despatched it.
Gerald and Alondra assisted the plucky young fellow to struggle out of
the enfolding wings. Directly he was clear he sprang up, and, seizing
upon the prostrate man, began to drag him towards the opening.
'Quick, quick!' he cried. 'That scream was to call its mate to its aid,
and it will be here in another minute!'
The man they had saved was unconscious; but the two chums laid hold of
him, and, picking him up with comparative ease, carried him out of the
cage.
Hardly had the gate been closed behind them when there was heard a
repetition of the scream. A second monster came rushing out of the gloom
and hurled itself against the bars with a force which shook them as
though they had been but wire.
Malto, badly mauled as he was, hastily fastened the gate, and then,
turning to the others, said hurriedly, 'There is no time to lose! If
you can carry my friend, who has fainted, bear him this way. The noise
will bring people here, and we shall be captured ourselves if they see
us!'
Between them they bore the one they had rescued across the floor to a
small door upon the side opposite that by which they had entered. Malto
unlocked it, and when they were well inside closed it quickly.
There were here, amongst other things, a number of queer-looking dresses
hung on pegs, and Malto took some down and urged the three friends to
dress themselves in them.
'Make haste, while I attend to my friend!' he urged; and though Alondra
strongly disliked the idea of dressing himself up in a disguise, there
was that in their new friend's tone and manner which somehow silenced
his objections. The stranger, meantime, had obtained a bowl of water
from somewhere near, and sprinkled it in the face of the unconscious
man. Then he drew from his pocket a flask, which he held to the man's
lips, and a minute later the sufferer opened his eyes, gave a gasp, and
sat up.
Presently he seemed to recollect what had happened, and, realising the
need for action himself, he struggled to his feet. He looked a
grotesque figure indeed, and the three who had helped to save him, busy
though they were, trying to fit on their strange garments, could not
help staring at him in wonder. He was evidently 'got up' in imitation
of a great bat--that much seemed certain--but the reason of such an
extraordinary get-up was for the time being a riddle to which they could
find no answer.
Whatever the original intention in wearing the dress may have been,
however, it was clear that Malto saw no use in its continuance, for he
proceeded to assist the wearer to discard it and attire himself in some
of the garments which were hanging on the pegs. Then he rolled up the
whole affair into a bundle, and concealed it in a corner beneath a pile
of skins.
They were now all garbed in a quaint kind of costume, the chief points
of which consisted of a high hat and a loose cloak, which hid the
clothes they were still wearing underneath. It was one of the dresses
worn by the attendants of the palace, so Malto briefly explained, while
peering out through a grating in the door to see what was going on in
the place they had just left.
As he had expected would be the case, the noise of the revolver shots
had brought some people upon the scene. He could see a group gathered
near the cage, staring at the dead monster, while others were moving
about in search of a clue to the mystery of how it had come by its
death.
'They will be in here directly,' Malto said in a low tone, after a brief
inspection. 'We had better be off!--Do you think you can walk,
Malandris?'
'Ay, ay, and run too, if needs be,' returned the rescued man briskly.
'I am all right now. I owe you my life'----
'Never mind that now. This is no time for talk,' Malto interrupted.
'Just take a last look round, to make sure we have left nothing to tell
that we have been here, and follow me!'
He unlocked a door on one side, and they passed out in silence into a
passage, which was almost in darkness. A little farther on there were
several flights of steps, and, having ascended these, they came out,
after some careful reconnoitring through another door, into the open air
in a spacious courtyard.
Malto locked the door behind him, and, enjoining caution upon his
companions, led the way to a large gateway which they could see in front
of them.
'If any one addresses you, say nothing, but leave it to me,' he said to
Alondra and his friends. 'Your speech would betray you at once.'
As they drew near the gates they were pushed open, and a number of men
in the purple dresses they had seen inside marched in, with soldierly
bearing and military precision.
One, who seemed to be an officer, stopped and spoke to Malto; and again
Alondra heard the strange tongue which he had noted before.
Malto remained a short time in talk, while his companions walked on with
as good an imitation of carelessness as they could summon up on the spur
of the moment.
When Malto came up with them he was smiling quietly to himself.
'It's lucky they did not see us come out of that door,' he said to
Malandris, 'or they would have asked awkward questions as to how I came
to have a key.'
'Ah, that is what has been puzzling me all this time,' observed
Malandris.
'That is my secret for the present,' returned Malto. 'It is a little
secret which would interest Kazzaro even more than it does you, if he
happened to be aware that I had such a key.'
'What has been puzzling me,' said Alondra, addressing Malandris, 'is how
you came to be in that cage, and in such an extraordinary dress--if one
can call it a dress. I suppose some one must have placed you there.
Who could have been guilty of such an atrocious act?'
Malandris, who was a tall, elderly man, with grizzled hair and a worn,
haggard-looking face, shook his head with a sigh, as he answered, 'That
you should wonder, young sir, only shows that you must be a stranger
hereabouts--one who knows not the master we serve, or what he is capable
of.'
'Hark! what is that?' exclaimed Malto suddenly. 'I 'm afraid they 've
got upon our track! Do you see that tower yonder?'
Before them lay a wide, grassy expanse, at the end of which was a sort
of ornamental pavilion or small tower.
'That is the place we have to make for,' he went on. 'If we can reach
it, we shall be safe--at all events, for a time--till assistance comes.
If necessary, we must run for it.'
As he spoke, the low murmur which he had noted behind them grew into a
clamorous shouting, and a moment later a crowd of pursuers came running
through the gateway they had so recently passed through.
*CHAPTER XXIV.*
*AT THE PAVILION.*
'You said a little while ago that you could run if needs were,' said
Malto, addressing Malandris. 'You must try now, at any rate. I will
help you.'
'I am quite recovered,' was the answer. 'We must look after these young
people.'
'Oh, that I had my wings! Why did I leave them behind this morning!'
exclaimed Alondra.
'You may as well throw off those disguises,' Malto advised. 'They are
of no use now, and will only hamper you.'