Draw Swords! Part 64

The sergeant ought to have been there, and, as he was not. d.i.c.k determined to go by himself, and rose at once to combat a slight sensation of nervousness that began to attack him.

"It will be easy enough," he said. "I have a right to be here; the Rajah considers the place as much in my charge as Wyatt's, and I will go now."

Crossing the intervening s.p.a.ce at once, he paused for a moment or two to look back and listen, but nothing was visible from there but a faint dawn of light, and there was not a sound to be heard.

Then slipping in behind the square pillar, he made his way along the narrow pa.s.sage in the darkness, feeling the side and guessing the distance, growing more and more cautious as he proceeded, lest he should step too far and go headlong down the stairs.

Ah, there was the lamp in its place; but suppose it had not been trimmed since!

He raised it and shook it, to feel that it was ready and full of oil; but he set it down in dismay, for it suddenly occurred to him that his adventure was nipped in the bud--he had no flint, steel, match, or tinder.

"How absurd!" he muttered at his folly; and he stood for a moment, thinking that there was nothing left for him to do now but to go back to see if the sergeant had returned, and if he had not, to give up the project for the day.

The thought had hardly pa.s.sed across his brain when he heard steps outside--not the martial tread of the man he awaited, but a hurried pace of one wearing the native shoes.

Whoever it was must be coming there, and if he stayed where he was, d.i.c.k knew that he would be discovered.

There was no time for consideration; he must either face the fresh-comer or retreat.

To face the fresh-comer in the dark meant startling one who might reply with a knife-stroke, and, without hesitation now, d.i.c.k felt for the top of the steps with one foot, and then descended silently to the place below, where, guarding his face with outstretched hands, he cautiously advanced till his fingers came in contact with one of the great, squat pillars which supported the temple floor, and now stood ready to afford him shelter and concealment.

He did not get behind it at once, but stood resting one hand against it, as he turned back to peer through the darkness and listen for his interrupter.

He was not left long in suspense.

At first there was a dead silence, and he was beginning to hope that he had been mistaken, but not for long. All at once there was the rattle of the metal lamp on the stone ledge, showing that the fresh-comer was perfectly acquainted with the place; and then the clicking of a flint and steel was heard, evidently being used in vain, for the user uttered hasty e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns, full of annoyance, again and again before he succeeded in getting a spark to alight upon the tinder, and began to blow till the match was applied and a faint, fluttering sound was heard, followed by the appearance of a pale, bluish light, and then this brightened into the flame of a burning splint of wood.

This flashed out quite quickly, and d.i.c.k started, fully expecting that he must have been seen, for the face and dress of the visitor stood out quite clear in the darkness, and the young officer's hand flew to his sword as he waited for the man's angry e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n. But to the lad's intense relief, there was a fresh rustling sound as the lamp was taken down from the ledge, and the visitor stood in profile to his watcher, with his clearly-cut aquiline features standing out as he lit the lamp, extinguished the match, and then turned to descend.

As he put his foot upon the first step with the confidence of one evidently accustomed to descend, d.i.c.k now silently glided behind the pillar, kept it between him and the light, and softly stepped farther into the interior, making for the next pillar, so as to place that between him and the new-comer, whose presence made him hold his scabbard raised in his left hand, prepared to bring the hilt of his sword ready for his right.

By this time the man had reached the floor of the great crypt, and, as if startled by some sound, he stopped short, and, raising the lamp high above his head, leaned forward, gazing straight in d.i.c.k's direction, the lad as he peered round seeing the figure's hand, in the faint light cast by the lamp, steal slowly towards his knife.

"He has seen me and means mischief," said d.i.c.k to himself. "Well, let him come on; I have my sword."

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

ROBBERY.

"Yes, what is it?" said Hulton as an orderly tapped at the door when he was in earnest conversation with Wyatt and the doctor, evidently upon some question of great moment to them all. "His highness the Rajah has sent a messenger, sir. He wants to see Captain Wyatt directly."

"That will do," said Hulton, and the man saluted and left.

"Now," continued Hulton, "what does this mean?"

"I don't know," said Wyatt grimly. "The plot is beginning to unfold. I believe there is some trap."

"No, no," cried Hulton. "I begin to feel that the Rajah is sincere."

Wyatt shook his head.

"Well," he said, "what shall I do? Go and see him?"

"Alone?"

"Why not?" said Wyatt. "If he is sincere there is nothing to mind."

Hulton hesitated.

"I hardly like you to go alone, Wyatt," he said. "We will go with you."

"And give them the opportunity to trap us all together if he means anything wrong. No; you stay here and quietly be getting everything ready. If I am not back in half-an-hour, come for me; and if things have gone wrong, seize him and the Ranee. It is our only chance."

"And you'll go alone?"

"Yes," said Wyatt, drawing himself up and frowning, "I'll go alone; and if I feel satisfied that he has done this, I'll cut him down even if I die for it the next minute."

Captain Hulton's lips parted to speak, but Wyatt strode out without turning, walked across the hall, and went straight to where a group of the Rajah's guards stood on duty outside the room he occupied.

One of the officers went in, and returned directly, to make way for him to enter.

He had expected to find the Rajah seated there alone, but, to his surprise, he found him surrounded by his people, princ.i.p.al among whom were the Wazir and the chief Brahmin; and in place of the usual smiling faces, he found himself meeting frowns and scowls.

There was a dead silence as Wyatt entered, and after a glance round he spoke.

"Your highness wished to see me?"

"Yes, Captain Wyatt," said the Rajah sternly. "You are Mr Darrell's friend?"

"Yes, sir, and brother-officer."

"I have sent for him four times this morning. I wish to speak to him on a matter vital to his honour, and I keep receiving the reply that he is not in his room."

"That was the true reason why he did not come, sir," said Wyatt sternly; "he is not in his room."

"Then why is he not in his room? Where is he?"

"That is what I want to know, sir," said Wyatt sternly. "He left his quarters about midday yesterday."

There was a keen exchange of glances between the Rajah and his officers, which Wyatt noted as he went on:

"And he has not returned since."

There was another quick look exchanged.

"Perhaps your people can give some explanation of why this is, sir?"