The other controlled himself, and said with a groan, "Ladronius, we are
ruined. I am held fast in a trap, and I think my leg is broken. O Horus,
Lord of Life, deliver me!"

With some difficulty Ladronius crawled through the opening to aid his
brother, for, though a thief, he was no coward.

"Go back, Ladronius, go back!" cried his brother. "Leave me to my fate! I
think I hear the cries of the guard. No, brother, waste no more time!" he
entreated, as Ladronius tugged in vain at the cruel teeth of the trap.
"One thing remains to be done. Cut off my head, and take it away with you,
that I may not be recognized and so we both perish! I hear the footsteps
of men approaching. Do not rob our mother of both her sons!"

And Ladronius, seeing that there was nothing else to be done, drew his
sword, cut off his brother's head, and escaped through the opening, not
forgetting to replace the stone behind him. He was only just in time, for
scarcely had he gained the cover of a clump of trees, when the soldiers of
the guard came running to the place and began to belabor the door. To
their surprise they found everything quiet and nothing displaced. They
examined the outside of the building thoroughly, and then, supposing that
they had been roused by a false alarm, they returned to the palace.

In the morning, Rhampsinitus paid his daily visit to the chamber, and
discovered the headless body in the trap. He was more puzzled than ever.
He examined the fastenings of the door and the whole of the chamber over
and over again, and no hole nor crevice could he find.

"Nevertheless," said he, "I have now bait for my trap. What can I do
better than set a thief to catch a thief?"