s, and two more in the shape of the women of whom Aida had told
us. These however were kept entirely separate from Ukozi and his
companions. No conversation between them was allowed.

Ukozi was sullen and impassive, but the younger prisoners glared around
with a savage scowl which deepened as it rested on Falkner. He for
response only grinned.

"All right my bucks," he said. "There's a rope and a long drop sticking
out for you. By George, but this has been a ripping bit of fun for one
night."

"That's all right," I said rather shortly. "But you might remember that
the reason for it hasn't been fun by any means."

"No, not for you, that's understood," he sneered, turning away, for he
was still more than a little sore over my success.

"Glanton, I've something devilish rum to tell you."

The speaker was Kendrew. "Come out of the crowd," he went on. "Yes, it
just is rum, and it gave me a turn, I can tell you. First of all, that
nest of murderers we tumbled into, is bang on the edge of--if not
within--my own place. Yes, it is my own place now--beyond a shadow of
doubt. For we've unearthed something there."

"You don't mean--" I began, beginning to get an inkling.

He nodded.

"Yes, I do. The furthest of those two poor devils stuck up there
against the rock--ugh!--was poor old Hensley--my old uncle."

"Good lord!"

"Yes indeed. I was able to identify him by several things--ugh, but it
wasn't a nice job, you understand. But the mystery is not how he
couldn't be found at the time, but how the deuce such a neat little
devil hole could exist on the place at all, unknown to any of us. Why,
you can't get in--or out of it--at all from the top, only through the
hole we slipped in by. It's like a false bottom to a box by Jove.
Yes--it's rum how such a place could exist."

I thought so too. So now poor old Hensley's disappearance stood
explained; and the explanation was pitiable. He had been beguiled--or
forcibly brought--to the hell pit of cruelty where these demons
performed the dark rites of some secret superstition, and there horribly
done to death by the water torture. When I thought of the one who had
been destined to succeed him, and who by the mercy of Providence had
been snatched from their fiendish hands just in the nick of time, a sort
of "seeing red" feeling came over me, and had they been in my power, I
could have massacred all four of the prisoners with my own hand.

"Let's see if we ca