back in sudden fear of detection; but a second glance convinced
him that the Englishman was dead. From a great gash in the man's
head a pool of blood had collected upon the concrete floor.

Quickly, the Belgian leaped over the prostrate form of his erstwhile
host, and without a thought of succor for the man in whom, for
aught he knew, life still remained, he bolted for the passageway
and safety.

But his renewed hopes were soon dashed. Just beyond the doorway
he found the passage completely clogged and choked by impenetrable
masses of shattered rock. Once more he turned and re-entered the
treasure vault. Taking the candle from its place he commenced a
systematic search of the apartment, nor had he gone far before he
discovered another door in the opposite end of the room, a door
which gave upon creaking hinges to the weight of his body. Beyond
the door lay another narrow passageway. Along this Werper made his
way, ascending a flight of stone steps to another corridor twenty
feet above the level of the first. The flickering candle lighted
the way before him, and a moment later he was thankful for the
possession of this crude and antiquated luminant, which, a few hours
before he might have looked upon with contempt, for it showed him,
just in time, a yawning pit, apparently terminating the tunnel he
was traversing.

Before him was a circular shaft. He held the candle above it
and peered downward. Below him, at a great distance, he saw the
light reflected back from the surface of a pool of water. He had
come upon a well. He raised the candle above his head and peered
across the black void, and there upon the opposite side he saw the