ow of the ruined palace wall.

III.

"Hassan," whispered my companion to the Arab; "go over to the prisoners
there, and if they cry out again shoot them. I don't think that first
cry has been heard by the others." As he spoke Denviers thrust a pistol
into Hassan's hand and motioned to him to move through the grass towards
them. We watched our guide as he neared them and raised the pistol
threateningly--a silent admonition which they understood, and became
quiet accordingly.

From our position in the shadow of the ruined palace wall we saw a
number of the hunted tribe slowly wind over the bridge with their
captive, and noticed that in addition they had plenty of plunder with
them. Noiselessly they moved towards our tent, and completely surrounded
it, only to find it empty. They were evidently at a loss what to do,
when one of their number stumbled over the dead mountaineer whom I had
shot down as he joined in the attack upon us. A fierce exclamation
quickly caused the rest to gather about him, and for some minutes they
held a brief consultation. We judged from their subsequent actions that
they considered we had made good our escape from the plain, for they
made no further search for us, but apparently determined to avenge their
comrade's death by slaying their captive. While the rest of the band
moved away over the plain, two of their number returned towards the
limestone bridge spanning the river. Guessing their fell purpose,
Denviers and I crept through the tall grass, and under cover of the
trees by the bank moved cautiously towards them.

From tree to tree we advanced with our rifles in our hands, then just
when within twenty yards of them we stopped aghast at the movements of
the two mountaineers, who were forcing their struggling captive slowly
towards the edge of the jagged limestone bridge!

We looked down at the angry waters of the rapid, swirling twenty feet
below in the deep bed of the river, which was slowly rising each day,
for the time of its inundation was near at hand. For a moment I saw a
woman's horror-stricken face in the moonlight and heard her agonizing
cry, then the sharp crack of Denviers' rifle rang out, and one of her
assailants relaxed his grasp. Before Denviers could take a shot at the
second mountaineer, he seized the captive woman and deliberately thrust
her over the rocky bridge!

"Quick! To the river!" exclaimed Denviers, as we heard the sound of her
body striking the waters below