ee the inhabitants
of the village, and the wanderers from farther, more isolated homes.
The oasis was composed of several disconnected tracts, and Timokles
heard that in the western part of the oasis there was a lake.

Suddenly the lad became aware of a number of angrily excited voices.
At a short distance stood Pentaur the merchant, surrounded by a
group of men, but what he said was lost in the confusion of tongues.

At length the merchant made a careless gesture, and walked away.

"Take the Christian!" shouted fierce voices.

A man ran straight from the group to Timokles. Without a word the
man seized the lad. Other hands assisted, and Timokles was hurried
away from the village, past palm trees and resting camels, toward
the north. Breathlessly the men dragged him a long distance over the
rising ground. No word of explanation was uttered. Timokles was
swept along, till at length the silent, determined company came to a
solitary, ruined building.

Timokles was pulled over the fallen stones, across what had once
been the court of the dwelling. Then the company reached a spot
where part of the house was still standing. Here a barred door shut
off further progress, but two of the men with great effort opened
the entrance.

All grasping hands fell from Timokles. The company waited.

"Go in, O Christian," commanded, a man. "Others have gone before
thee!"

Timokles looked fixedly forward. Before him was a hall-way, leading
into the portion of the dwelling-house yet remaining.

Timokles stepped forward. Eager hands pushed him quickly into the
hall and shut the door behind him. He heard the sound of bars that
fastened the door securely at his back. He was alone. What building
was this?

He felt here and there in the dark hall. A peculiar odor floated in
the heavy air. Timokles hesitated, fearing he knew not what. His
eyes could not pierce the deep gloom.

Resolving to see whither the hall led, he groped on, wondering if
this were the place in which the inhabitants of the oasis were wont
to confine prisoners. He came to a door. It opened readily to his
touch, and he passed into what had once been a large dwelling-room.
He stepped softly forward, noting the emptiness and desolation of
the place. The peculiar odor of the air was more noticeable than
before, but it was not till he had reached the middle of the
darkened room, and stood gazing about him, that he perceived at the
farther end, in the shadows, a space of