Yussuf the Guide Part 52

But the next minute the fascination to gaze down was too strong to be resisted, and he found himself looking round and about him, almost stunned by the aspect of the place. But the sure-footed Turkish ponies went steadily on higher and higher round curves and sharply turning angles and elbows, till at last at a dizzy height the foremost horseman rode in between two ma.s.ses of rock surmounted by ruined buildings. Then on across a hideous gap of several hundred feet deep, a mere split in the rock bridged with the trunks of pine-trees, but awful to contemplate, and making the travellers hold their breath till they were across, and amid the gigantic ruins of an ancient stronghold.

"Stupendous!" cried the professor, as they rode on amidst the traces of the former grandeur of the place.

"How bitterly cold!" said the professor.

"We are to dismount here," said Yussuf quietly, "and go into this old building."

They obeyed, glad to descend from their horses, which were taken away, and then they were ushered to a great stone-built hall where a fire was burning, which seemed cheery and comfortable after their long ride.

There were rugs on the floor, the roof was sound, and the window was covered by a screen of straw which made the place dark save for the warm glow of the fire, near which a little Turkish-looking man was seated, and a largely proportioned Turkish woman reclined on a rough kind of divan.

"These are to be our quarters, effendi," said Yussuf, after a brief colloquy with the chief, who had accompanied them, "and these are our fellow-prisoners. But he warns me that if we attempt to escape we shall be shot, for there are sentries on the watch."

"All right," said Mr Burne approaching the fire; "tell him not to bother us to-night, only to give us the best they've got to eat, or else to let us have our baggage in and leave us to shift for ourselves."

Just then an exclamation escaped the big Turkish woman, who sprang to her feet, and ran and caught the professor's hand.

"Mr Preston!" she cried. "Do you not know me?"

"Mrs Chumley!" cried the professor. "You here!"

"Yes, we've been prisoners here for a month. Charley, you lazy fellow, get up; these are friends."

"Oh, are they?" said the little Turk, rising slowly. "Well, I'm jolly glad of it, for I'm sick of being here. Hallo, young Lawrence, I've often thought about you; how are you? Getting better? That's right.

See you are. How do, Preston? How do, Mr Burne? I say! Ha-ha-ha!

You're all in for it now."

"For shame, Charley, to talk like that," cried the lady. "Come up to the fire all of you. I am very glad to see you here."

"Oh, you are, eh, madam?" said the old lawyer sharply, as he warmed his hands over the blaze.

"Well, I do not mean that," said the lady; "but it is always pleasant to meet English people when you are far from home."

Just then the robber chief nodded, said a few words to Yussuf, and the prisoners were left alone.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

A QUESTION OF RANSOM.

"Nice state of affairs this, Mr Preston," said the little prisoner holding out his arms. "Here's a dress for a gentleman;" and he displayed the rags of Turkish costume he wore. "Chaps saw me at my club now."

"Charley, will you hold your tongue," cried his lady angrily. "How am I to explain our position if you will keep on chattering so?"

"But, my darling--"

"Will you be quiet, Charley. Look here, Mr Preston," she continued, "it's just three weeks ago, as we were travelling in this horrible country at least ten miles away, we were seized by these horrid men, and brought here. They've taken everything we had, and given us these miserable clothes, and every night they come to us and say--"

"They'll cut off our heads to-morrow morning."

"Will you be quiet, Charley," cried the lady, stamping her foot. "How am I to explain? Am I not always telling you what a chatter-box you are."

"Yes, my dear, always."

"Silence, sir! Mr Preston," she continued, as her little husband went softly to Lawrence, and drew him aside to go on whispering in his ear--"Mr Preston, no one knows what we have suffered. As I was saying--I hope you are listening, Mr--Mr--Mr--Mr--"

"Burne, ma'am," said the old lawyer bowing.

"Oh, yes, I had forgotten. Mr Burne. I beg your pardon. As I was saying they come every night, and say that to-morrow morning they will cut off our heads and send them to Smyrna as an example, if our ransom does not come."

"Your ransom, madam?" said the professor.

"Yes. Five thousand pounds--three for me and two for poor Charley; and though we have sent for the money, it does not come. Isn't it a shame?"

"Scandalous, madam."

"And you can't tell how glad I am to see you here. Have you brought the money?"

"Brought the money, ma'am? Why, we are prisoners too."

"Oh, dear me, how tiresome!" cried the lady. "I thought you were at first; and then I thought you were sent with our ransom. What are we to do? Mr Burne," she continued, turning to him, "you said you were a lawyer. Pray, send for these people at once, and tell them that they will be very severely punished if they do not set us at liberty."

"My dear madam," said the old lawyer, "I am only just getting myself thawed, and I have had nothing but snuff since breakfast. I must have some food before I can speak or even think."

Meanwhile little Mr Chumley was whispering to Lawrence on the other side of the fire, and relating all his troubles. "Taken everything away, sir," he said--"watch, purse, cigars, and I actually saw the scoundrel who is at the head of them smoking my beautiful _partagas_ that I brought with me from England. I say, what had we better do?"

"Try and escape, I suppose," said Lawrence.

"Escape! Look here, young man; are you a fly, or a bird, or a black beetle?" whispered the little man.

"I think not," said Lawrence laughing.

"Then you can't get away from here, so don't think it. Why, it's impossible."

Just then the fierce-looking chief entered, followed by a man carrying a great smoking dish, and as the leader drew near the fire, Lawrence bit his lip, for he saw that the tall ruffian was wearing his sword, and carrying his handsome gun in the hollow of his arm.

The chief turned to Yussuf, who was seated in one corner of the room, and said a few words to him.

Yussuf rose and addressed his little party in a low voice.

"The brigand captain says, excellencies, that you are to be prepared to send in one of his men to-morrow morning as messenger to your agent where you like. You are to write and say that, if injury is done to the messenger, you will be killed. The messenger is to bring back six thousand pounds--two for each of you--as a ransom, and that, upon the money being paid, you will be set free."

"And if the money be not paid, Yussuf, what then?" said the professor quietly.

"The chief says no more, excellency."

"But he will to-morrow or next day," cried Mr Chumley. "He'll say that if the money is not paid he'll--"