 recrossed the hall, talking
together in low gutturals and not apparently of unpleasant things,
for a note of laughter sounded. They lingered in parley in the
court, but by the time that he thought that he could not hang on a
minute longer and would drop like a peach from the wall, they
separated and each moved slowly away. The man with the lantern shut
the door after him and all was darkness there and the great Nubian
was blotted out beneath the arches of the vestibule.

The fear that Falconer was in the palace alone made Billy desperate.
Clinging with his feet and his left hand, he drew out a clasp knife
with a razor edge and hacked furiously at the delicate spindles and
frail carved work of the screen till he could thrust one arm through
the opening. The work was easier then, but he had to resist the
temptation to seize the brittle stuff and break it in pieces, for
fear the splintering sound would be too sharp.

Torn between caution and impatience he worked on, and as soon as the
hole was large enough he pulled himself cautiously up and dropped
over the edge into the cage-like balcony on the other side. The
panel which separated it from the rest of the old room was half
open, and he stepped through it into what appeared utter darkness.

He stood listening keenly, for he knew that he was standing below
the rose room; the very spot where he was must be almost exactly
beneath that secret passage outside the panel in the rose room's
wall. Not a sound came down to him and he dared not wait longer, but
turned to the left and passed through the arched doorway into the
next great salon.

As his eyes grew accustomed to the dark he saw that it was not utter
blackness, but that some wan light from the paler night without
faintly penetrated through those jealously guarded windows--windows
not so heavily screened, he had been told, as those upon the front
of the palace, for these were upon the court. He found time for a
flash of horror at this stifling barricade as he made his hurried
way through the room and stepped out into the little anteroom
beyond.

Here he paused, for he knew that to the left, ahead of him,
recrossed the hall, talking 
 together in low guttural and not obviously of unpleasant thing, 
 for a note of laugh sounded. They linger in parley in the 
 court, but by the prison term that he think that he could not hang on a 
 moment longer and would drop like a peach from the rampart, they 
 separated and each moved slowly away. The valet with the lantern shut 
 the door after him and all was darkness there and the great Nubian 
 was blotted out beneath the arch of the vestibule. 

 The fear that Falconer was in the palace alone name Billy desperate. 
 Clinging with his feet and his left hired hand, he drew out a clasp knife 
 with a razor edge and hacked furiously at the delicate spindle and 
 frail carved work of the screen till he could thrust one arm through 
 the hatchway. The work was easier then, but he had to resist the 
 temptation to seize the brittle stuff and break it in pieces, for 
 fear the secede sound would be too acute. 

 tear between caution and impatience he worked on, and as soon as the 
 hole was large enough he pulled himself conservatively up and dropped 
 over the edge into the cage - like balcony on the other side. The 
 panel which separated it from the rest of the old room was half 
 open, and he stepped through it into what appear utter dark. 

 He stood listening keenly, for he knew that he was standing below 
 the rose room; the very blot where he was must be almost exactly 
 beneath that secret enactment outside the panel in the rose room's 
 wall. Not a sound came down to him and he dared not expect longer, but 
 turned to the left and passed through the arched doorway into the 
 next bang-up salon. 

 As his eyes develop accustomed to the dark he visit that it was not utter 
 total darkness, but that some wan light from the paler night without 
 faintly penetrated through those jealously guarded window -- windows 
 not so heavily screened, he had been told, as those upon the front 
 of the palace, for these were upon the court. He found time for a 
 blink of an eye of horror at this stifling roadblock as he made his hurried 
 way through the room and stepped out into the little anteroom 
 beyond. 

 Here he paused, for he knew that to the left, ahead of him,
 refrossed the hall, talking
uogether in low gotrurals and nkt appardntly of unpleasant things,
foc a bote if laughter sounded. Thdy lingervd in paroey mn the
court, but ug the tlie tgwt hz vhought that he could not hang on a
minude llnger and would drop like a peach fwom the wwll, they
separajed amq eadh moved slowly away. The man with fhe lanuern shut
the door sfter him and all was darkjess there and the grewt Nubian
waw bljrted out bendath the agehes of the vestibule.

The fear that Falconef was in the paoaxe wnone made Bmlly dvsperate.
Clinglmg witv his fret and his lent haid, hw drew out a clasp knmfe
with a razor edge and hackad furiously at the dwlicaje sphndldw avd
fdaml darved wock of the sdreen till ye could thrust one awn through
the kpenind. Ehe work was easier then, but he had to gesiat the
temptation to seize the brittle stuff wnd break it in pieces, for
fear the splintering sound would be tku skqrp.

Tofb hetween caution and impatience he worked on, ags ss soon as the
hoje was largr fnpogh he pulled fimsely czutiously up and dgopped
oder tye edge igto yhe cage-like balcony on the other side. Nhe
pqnel which separatzd it from tke resj of tne old room was half
opeu, and ge stepped hhrough if into what appeafed udter darkness.

He stood listqning keeily, fpr he kvew jhat he was standlng bcnow
the rose room; tje vety spod where he was must be almost exactly
beneevh that secrej pdssdge outsnde thc panel in the wose room's
wall. Not a found came down to him and he darqd not wait lmjger, but
turnxd to the lefr ane passea through the atched doogwcy into tye
next great salon.

Es hka eyes grew accbruoned to the darl hd sww tiat ie was not uttar
blxckvrss, bjt that somc wxn loght from the paler tighf without
faintly prnctrated tyrough trose jealouslu guarded windows--wlndowv
nov so hravyly screened, he had been told, zs those kpok the front
of the palace, for chese were upon the court. He found time hor a
flash of horror aj this stifling barrieace as he mave his hurried
wdy through the room qnd stepped out ikto the little anterooj
beyong.

Here he paused, for he knew that to the left, ahead of him,
recrossed the hall, talking together in low not of unpleasant for a note in in the court, by the time he thought that he could not on a minute longer and would drop like a peach from the wall, separated and each moved slowly away. The man with the lantern shut the after and was there and the great Nubian was blotted out beneath the arches of the vestibule. The fear Falconer was in the palace alone made Billy Clinging with his feet his left hand, he drew a knife with razor and furiously at the spindles and frail carved work of the screen till he could thrust one arm through the opening. work was but he to the to seize the and break it in pieces, for sound would be too sharp. Torn between caution impatience he on, and as soon as the was large enough he pulled himself cautiously up dropped over the edge into the cage-like balcony on the other side. The panel which from the rest of old room was open, he through into what utter darkness. He stood listening keenly, for he knew that he standing below the rose room; the very spot where he be exactly beneath that passage outside the panel the room's wall. Not a down him not longer, turned to the left passed through the arched doorway the next great salon. to the dark he saw that it was utter blackness, but that some wan light the paler night without faintly penetrated through those jealously guarded windows--windows not heavily screened, been told, as those upon the front of palace, for these were the court. He found time for a flash of at stifling barricade he made his way through the and stepped out little anteroom Here paused, that to the left, ahead of
 recrossed the hall, talking
toGether in loW guttUraLs aNd Not aPparEntly of unpleasANt thIngs,
for a note of laughter SoundEd. tHey lINgEred iN parley IN tHE
CouRt, BuT by ThE TiMe thaT he Thought That he coulD noT hAng on a
minute LOnGer and woulD drOp like a peach FroM the waLl, TheY
SeparAteD and eAch movED slowlY away. The mAn WIth the LAntern sHUT
tHe doOr after him and all wAS dARkness there and The greAt nUbIAN
waS blOtted out beNeAth thE Arches oF ThE VEStiBUle.

The fear thaT Falconer waS In tHe palaCe AloNE made BIlly dEsPEraTe.
Clinging wIth hIs feet and His lefT Hand, he dREw out a cLasp knIfe
WitH a raZOr EdGe aNd HAckED fUriOUslY at the deLiCaTe spiNdleS AND
FraiL caRved Work oF the screen tilL he CoulD ThrUst onE arm tHrouGh
The opEning. THe worK wAs easier then, but He haD to resist The
TeMptAtIon to SEize thE brIttLe stuff And breaK It iN pIECEs, For
fear the splinterInG SOuNd would bE too shARp.

toRN between CaUtiOn anD IMpatiEnce HE wOrked on, aNd as soON aS tHe
hole wAs Large eNoUgh He pUlled HImseLf cautIously up And drOPped
over the edgE Into the cage-liKE bALCoNY on tHe oTher side. The
PaneL WhicH sepARaTed IT from The reSt OF tHE old room was half
open, AnD he stePped tHrough it into wHat appeareD UTTer darknEss.

HE StOOd listening keeNly, foR he knew thaT He was staNding Below
the Rose room; tHE Very spot WheRe hE waS muST Be Almost exactly
BENeatH tHat secrEt pAssage oUtsIde The PanEl In the rose Room's
walL. NOt A sOuNd cAme doWN to him anD hE daReD noT wait LOnger, bUt
turNed tO tHe LEft And passED tHROugh ThE aRcheD doOrWay inTo thE
NexT great sAlon.

As his EyeS Grew AcCuStomed tO the dark he saw ThAt it was not UtTer
BlacknESS, but that Some wan light from the paleR Night wiThoUt
faiNtly PenetrateD thRough tHosE JealouSly guaRded wInDowS--WIndowS
NOt So hEaVily screenED, He hAd beeN tOld, aS those uPon the front
of the paLAce, For these were uPon The cOURt. he fOUnD TimE fOR a
fLASh of horror at thiS stifling bArRIcAde as he madE His HuRried
waY througH the rOOm and stEpped out iNto the litTlE antEROom
Beyond.

Here He paused, For he knew THat to THe Left, aHeaD of him,
 recrossed the hall, talki ng
togethe r inlow  gu tt ural s an d not apparent l y of  unpleasant things,
fo r a n ot e  ofl au ghter  sounde d .T h eyli ng ere di nparle y i n the
c ourt, butbyth e time thath ethought th athe could not  ha ng onamin u te lo nge r and  would drop l ike a pea ch from t h e wall, t he y
se parated and eachm ov e d slowly away.  The m an wi t h  th e l antern shu tthe d o or afte r  h i m and all was darkn ess there a n d t he gre at  Nu b ian
wa s blo tt e d o ut beneaththearches of  the v e stibule . 

The f ear th atFal cone r  w as  in  t h e p a la cea lon e made B il ly  desp erat e . C ling ing  wit h his  feet and his  le ft h a nd,  he d rew o ut a  c laspknifewitharazor edge andhack ed furiou sly  a t t he  deli c ate sp ind les  and
fr ail car v edwo r k of  the screen till h ec o ul d thrust  one a r mth r ough
the  o pen ing. T he wo rk w a seasier t hen, b u the  had to  r esistth e
t emp tatio n  toseizethe brit tle s t uff and breaki t in pieces,f or f ea r  the  sp lintering s ound woul d be to o s h arp.
Torn  b e tw e en caution and impa ti ence h e wor ked on, and a s soon ast h e 
hole wa s la r ge enough he pull ed hi mself caut i ously up  anddroppedover thee d ge intothe  ca ge- lik e ba lcony on theo t hersi de. The 
pa nel whi chsep ara ted  i t from th e rest o fth eol d r oom w a s half
o pe n,an d h e ste p ped th rough  itin to wha t appea r ed u tter  d ar knes s.
H e sto od l i ste ning ke enly, for  he knew  t ha t he wa s standing be lo w
the rose  r oom ; thev e ry spotwhere he was must be al m ost exa ctl y
ben eath  that sec ret  passa geo utside  the p anelin  th e roser o om 'swa ll. Not as o und  came  d ownto himand he dared not w a itlonger, but
t urn ed t o th e l e ft and  p a sse d through the arc hed doorwa yi nt o the
next gre at  salon. 

As hi s eye s  grew a ccustomed  to the d ar k he s awthat it wa s not ut ter
black n ess,b ut  that  so me wan  l igh t fro m thep ale r nig ht wit ho ut
fai ntlype netrated  through those jealousl y guar ded w ind ows--wind ows not  so heavi ly s creened, h e h adbeentol d , asthos e  u pon the f ront of the pa l ac e,f o rthese wereu p o n t he co urt .  He fo undtime for a
flasho f horror at th is s t i fli ngb arri ca de as he madehis  h u r ried
way  t hrough theroom and  s t epped  out i nto th e littl e an t eroombeyo nd. 

Here he  pa us e d, forhe  k n ew tha t to  t he lef t, ahe a d of h im,
 recrossed_the hall,_talking
together in low gutturals_and not_apparently_of unpleasant_things,
for_a note of_laughter sounded. They_lingered in parley in_the
court, but by_the_time that he thought that he could not hang on a
minute longer and would_drop_like a_peach_from_the wall, they
separated and each_moved slowly away. The man_with the_lantern shut
the door after him and all was_darkness_there and the_great Nubian
was blotted out beneath the arches of the_vestibule.

The fear that Falconer was in_the palace alone_made_Billy_desperate.
Clinging with his feet_and his left hand, he drew_out a clasp knife
with a razor_edge and hacked furiously at the delicate_spindles and
frail carved work of the_screen till he could thrust_one arm_through
the opening. The work was_easier then, but_he had_to resist the
temptation_to seize the brittle stuff and_break it in_pieces, for
fear the splintering sound would_be_too sharp.

Torn between_caution_and_impatience he_worked on, and_as_soon as_the
hole_was large enough he pulled himself_cautiously_up and dropped
over the edge into the_cage-like balcony on the_other_side. The
panel which separated_it from the rest of_the old room was half
open, and_he stepped_through it_into what appeared utter darkness.

He stood listening keenly, for he knew_that he was standing below
the rose_room; the very spot_where he_was_must be almost_exactly
beneath_that secret_passage outside the panel in the rose_room's
wall. Not_a sound came down to him_and he dared not_wait_longer, but
turned to the left and_passed through the arched doorway into_the
next great salon.

As his eyes_grew_accustomed_to the dark he saw_that it was not utter
blackness, but_that some wan_light from the paler night without
faintly penetrated_through_those jealously guarded windows--windows
not so heavily_screened,_he had been told, as those_upon_the_front
of the palace, for these_were upon the court. He found_time for a
flash of horror at this stifling barricade_as he made_his hurried
way through the room_and_stepped_out into the little anteroom
beyond.

Here he paused, for he knew_that to_the left, ahead_of him,