was just as impossible to try and get out
by the door, for it was strongly guarded.

"There is only one way," I said to myself, angrily. "I must get the
dress of one of the men. But how?"

I could see no way, for I had no money to offer a bribe, and the
possibility of escaping grew more and more hopeless.

"It is of no use to try," I said, half aloud. "I may just as well
accept my fate. Ny Deen will never let me go."

But the idea of giving way irritated me to such an extent, and was so
bitterly contemptible that I leaped up, seized and buckled on the sword,
and for the minute had some wild idea of getting down into the court,
and cutting my way through the guards.

I could take them by surprise, I thought; but the next minute I was
forced to grant the fact that directly after they would recover and take
me by surprise in a way that might quite put an end to further ventures
on my part. As soon as I had reached this point of reasoning, I went
once more to the window, and looked down to see if the guards were still
there.

I had full evidence directly, for there they all were, and as fully on
the alert as men would be who knew that their heads would answer for a
prisoner's escape.

"I must wait my opportunity," I said bitterly, as I turned away, after
seeing one of the guards go by beneath my window, when there was a
faint, rustling noise, which made me turn in time to see something dark
at the window, whose feet rested for a moment lightly on the window-sill
before it sprang into the room, and darted behind one of the curtains.

I was so much startled that I half-drew my sword as I gazed at the
curtain, which was barely visible, the only light being that which came
from the lamps in the next room, and a trifle from the window as the
lanthorns, carried by the guard in the court, moved here and there.

"No, no, sahib," came in a faint whisper, which relieved me, for at that
moment I had been ready to fancy it was some curious wild beast.

"Dost!" I whispered back, as I crept softly to the curtain.

"Yes, sahib. But look! Did the men see me come in?"

I peered out of the window, and saw that the guard were marching slowly
to and fro, with their lanthorns swinging.

"No; they have seen nothing," I whispered; and then I passed through
into the next room, crossed it, and made sure that Salaman was not
coming.

"It is all safe," I said, as I returned. "How did you manage to get
up?"

"It was impossi