here am I now?"

Before he could look further to get an answer to this question, he was
startled by the sound of footsteps.

What should he do?

Leap out?

Or should he wait?

He decided to wait.

He crept up into a corner, the darkest he could find, and there, with a
beating heart, he awaited the progress of events.

He had not long to wait.

Two dusky forms glided spectrally into the place, one bearing a lamp.

With this, they looked about, and Jack, with a sinking at heart,
recognised the two eunuchs again.

"What devilment are they working now?" thought Jack.

They flashed the light just then upon the objects of their search.

Two huge sacks lay upon the floor.

Jack but imperfectly discerned what they were; but a sickening dread
stole over him, as the two eunuchs raised one of the sacks from the
floor, and bearing it to the window, while its contents writhed and
struggled desperately, hurled it out.

A stifled groan.

A shriek.

A splash.

Jack could hear no more.

He was about to dart out from his hiding-place upon those black-hearted
wretches, when a third person stepped into the chamber.

He said something to the two men--a few sharp words in an authoritative
tone--and they retired.

Jack recognised the voice in an instant.

It was Osmond.

"What is he up to now?" muttered Jack, to himself.

A scene of intense excitement followed.

The Turk unfastened the cord which fastened the neck of the second
sack, and dragged it open.

Then, raising the sack on end, he proceeded hastily to drag it down,
revealing in the dim light the well-remembered form of one of the
Circassian girls.

"Lolo," said Osmond, "I come to give you one last chance."

"I defy and despise you!" said the girl.

"Reflect."

"I have."

"You know well, as I have seen again and again by your looks, that I do
not hate you----"

"Would you have me love the murderer of my sister?"

"Silence, slave!"

"I fear not your menaces," retorted the brave girl; "you must have seen
that. The triumph is yours now--mine is to come."

"When?"

"Hereafter. Murder is against your creed as it is against mine. Do your
worst."

Jack listened.

Osmond seized the girl by the wrist.

But she twisted himself free from his clutch without any particular
effort.

Thereupon the Turk, with a growl of rage, drew his sword, and would
have cut her down.

But Jack could stand no more.

Bounding forward from his hiding-place,