e.

The door was open, and they walked in. Buttons first; the ladies
timidly following; and the Don bringing up the rear. Suddenly a low
groan startled them. It seemed to come from the very depths of the
earth. The ladies gave a shriek, and dashing past their brother, ran
out. The Don paused. Buttons of course advanced. He never felt so
extensive in his life before. What a splendid opportunity to give
an exhibition of manly courage! So he walked on, and shouted:

"Who's there?"

A groan!

Further in yet, till he came to the inner chamber. It was dark there,
the only light coming in through the passages. Through the gloom he
saw the figure of a man lying on the floor so tied that he could not
move.

"Who are you? What's the matter?"

"Let me loose, for God's sake!" said a voice, in thick Italian, with
a heavy German accent. "I'm a traveller. I've been robbed by brigands."

To snatch his knife from his pocket, to cut the cords that bound the
man, to lift him to his feet, and then to start back with a cry of
astonishment, were all the work of an instant. By this time the others
had entered.

The man was a German, unmistakably. He stood blinking and staring.
Then he stretched his several limbs and rubbed himself. Then he took
a long survey of the new-comers. Then he stroked a long, red, forked
beard, and, in tones expressive of the most profound bewilderment,
slowly ejaculated--

"Gr-r-r-r-acious me!"

"Meinheer Schatt!" cried Buttons, grasping his hand. "How in the name
of wonder did you get here? What has happened to you? Who tied you up?
Were you robbed? Were you beaten? Are you hurt? But come out of this
dark hole to the sunshine."

Meinheer Schatt walked slowly out, saying nothing to these rapid
inquiries of Buttons. The German intellect is profound, but slow; and
so Meinheer Schatt took a long time to collect his scattered ideas.
Buttons found that he was quite faint; so producing a flask from
his pocket he made him drink a little precious cordial, which revived
him greatly. After a long pull he heaved a heavy sigh, and looked
with a piteous expression at the new-comers. The kind-hearted
Spaniards insisted on taking him to their carriage. He was too weak
to walk. They would drive him. They would listen to no refusal. So
Meinheer Schatt was safely deposited in the carriage, and told his
story.

He had come out very early in the morning to visit the Catacombs. He
chose the early part of the day so as t