He could feel the body of the girl pressed close to his tremble
as her eyes rested upon the inmates of the room, and involuntarily
his arm encircled her shoulders as though to protect her from some
danger which he sensed without recognizing.

"Poor things," she whispered. "This is their horrible fate--to
be imprisoned here beneath the surface of the city with their
hideous offspring whom they hate as they hate their fathers.
A Wieroo keeps his children thus hidden until they are full-grown
lest they be murdered by their fellows. The lower rooms of the
city are filled with many such as these."

Several feet above was a second door beyond which they found a
small room stored with food in wooden vessels. A grated window
in one wall opened above an alley, and through it they could see
that they were just below the roof of the building. Darkness was
coming, and at Bradley's suggestion they decided to remain hidden
here until after dark and then to ascend to the roof and reconnoiter.

Shortly after they had settled themselves they heard something
descending the ladder from above. They hoped that it would
continue on down the well and fairly held their breath as the
sound approached the door to the storeroom. Their hearts sank as
they heard the door open and from between cracks in the vessels
behind which they hid saw a yellow-slashed Wieroo enter the room.
Each recognized him immediately, the girl indicating the fact of
her own recognition by a sudden pressure of her fingers on
Bradley's arm. It was the Wieroo of the yellow slashing whose
abode was the place of the yellow door in which Bradley had first
seen the girl.