ownwards. The slave descended them, and Reginald boldly made
his way after him. His ear then caught the sound of persons uttering
prayers in low monotonous tones; and on reaching the bottom of the steps
he saw, by the light of a lamp which burned on an altar on one aide of
the vault, a number of strange-looking beings. Some had long matted
hair hanging over their faces, and heavy iron hoops round their necks;
most of them with garments scarcely sufficient for decency. Some were
standing upright, beating their breasts; others were kneeling or
extending themselves flat on the ground, against which they were
striking their heads.

Before a tomb of richly-carved stone stood an aged man, with a long
white beard, but with scarcely more clothing on him than his companions
had. In his arms he held a large open volume, and though he could not,
from the position in which he held it, have read its pages, he was
apparently repeating the contents. Reginald doubted whether he was
sufficiently absorbed in his task not to observe him as he approached.
Bikoo glided noiselessly behind the tomb, while Reginald stood ready to
assist him, watching the countenances of the degraded beings engaged in
this strange mode of worship. Most of them stood as motionless as
statues, with their eyes seemingly fixed on vacancy their lips only
moving as they uttered their meaningless prayers. For a moment it
struck Reginald as a clever trick of the slave to effect his escape.
But at length he saw him emerge from the darkness, carrying something
wrapped in a cloth, which he held close to his side to prevent the
priests from seeing it. He hoped in another moment to have the
long-wished-for treasure in his hand, when the seemingly unconscious
beings before him dashed forward to seize Bikoo, who, springing for
protection to the young rajah, gave him the casket. The priests on this
turned on the white stranger, whom they now apparently perceived for the
first time.

"Sacrilege! Sacrilege!" they cried out. "You are robbing us of our
treasures. The curses of the gods will fall on you."

"My friends," exclaimed Reginald, presenting his pistol, "stand back,
and I will explain myself. This casket belongs to me, and was stolen by
one of your fraternity, so that I am but recovering my own. If I am
rightly informed, a considerable amount of property stolen from other
persons lies concealed in this vault. My guards are without, and,
summoned by me, t