brought them here to die thus; the Yellow Devil was at least a man, but
these people were sorcerers and lost spirits in human shape.

Nor did the horror stop here, for at last the headman Peter, a man whom
they all liked and respected, went mad with fear and ran to and fro in
the palace yard while the guards and women watched him with curious eyes
as he shrieked out curses upon Juanna and Leonard. This shocking scene
continued for some hours, for his companions would not interfere with
him, vowing that he was possessed by a spirit, till at length he put a
period to it by suddenly committing suicide. In vain did Leonard caution
the survivors to keep their heads and watch at night. They flew to the
beer which was supplied to them in plenty, and drank till they were
insensible. And still one by one they vanished mysteriously, till at
length all were gone.

Never might Leonard forget his feelings when one day at dawn, in the
fifth week of their incarceration, he hurried as usual to the chamber
where the last two of the unfortunate men were accustomed to sleep, and
found them not. There were their blankets, there was the place where
they had been, and on it, laid carefully in the form of a St. Andrew's
cross by some unknown hand, shone two huge sacrificial knives such as
the priests wore at their girdles.

Sick and faint with fear he staggered back to the throne-room.

"Oh! what is it now?" said Juanna, who, early as it was, had risen
already, looking at him with terrified eyes and trembling lips.

"Only this," he answered hoarsely; "the last two have been taken, and
here is what was left in the place of them," and he cast down the knives
on to the pavement.

Then at last Juanna gave way. "Oh! Leonard, Leonard," she said, weeping
bitterly, "they were my father's servants whom I have known since I was
a child, and I have brought them to this cruel end. Cannot you think of
any way of getting out of this place? If not, I shall die of fear. I can
sleep no more. I feel that I am watched at night, though I cannot tell
by whom. Last night I thought that I heard some one moving near the
curtain where you and Francisco lie, though Soa declares that it is
fancy."

"It is impossible," said Leonard; "Francisco was on guard. Ah! here he
comes."

As he spoke Francisco entered the room with consternation written on his
face.

"Outram," he gasped, "some one must have been in the throne chamber
where we slept last night. All the