o-Empire
was not there--he had been stolen away! Roy could have leaned his head
on Down's soft fur and cried his heart out in despair at his own
helplessness, but he set his teeth instead and dug harder with the sword
point.

Would the bar never loosen? So the minutes passed without a sound save
the grating of the eager sword and the soft, soothing purr of the cat as
she sat beside him watching him indifferently. Then suddenly the latter
ceased and Down leaped swiftly to the floor of the cell. Doubtless she
heard something. Cats hear so many things humans do not hear, and they
seem to know so many things humans do not know, so perhaps she heard a
mouse far down the arched passage, or even in the next cell. Anyhow she
marched straight to the door and stood by it, _miaowing_ to be let out.
Ah! if he only could let her out! If the door were only open, thought
poor Roy, as he worked away at the still immovable bar.

"No! Down, no! I can't," he murmured bitterly as the cat _miaowed_ more
and more insistently.

But still the _miaowing_ went on. Down became quite plaintive, then
ill-used; finally she leaped onto Roy's shoulder, licked his ear with
her rough red tongue as if to coax him, and was back again at the door
asking to be let out.

Why was she so set on it? Roy turned to look at her half stupidly and
for a moment forgot his task; forgot how rapidly time was passing;
forgot everything save that Down was asking to be let out. So wearily he
passed to the door, and scarcely conscious of what he was doing, laid
his hand on the latch.

"I can't, Down," he said; "I can't open--" He broke off hurriedly.

For the latch yielded, the door opened!!

It could never have been locked!!

Had they forgotten, or, having secured the Heir-to-Empire, had they not
cared what became of the henchman? The latter, most likely, for there
was no sentry in the arched passage along which Down had already
disappeared.

Another second and Roy, sword in hand, had disappeared down it also,
remembering as he ran a certain little fretted marble balcony which gave
on the gardens below. For Roy, of course, knew every turn of the Bala
Hissar. This balcony opened onto an unused gallery room. To gain this,
bolt the heavy door behind him, and so, secure from interruption, set to
work twining a rope from strips torn from his turban and waistband did
not take long; but it was a good twenty minutes before he had knotted
all fast; though while he worke