Chapter XXXV: Eureka!

As soon as the Ghoojurs learned that the Europeans had fled, their courage came back, and they made a scrambling rush for the interior of the temple. A brief search proved the truth of their leader's declaration, the only objects found being the overturned idol and the inanimate body of Harkins. The latter was plundered so shamelessly that it told the truth to Luchman the moment his eyes fell upon it.

The Feringhees had departed, and, when the Ghoojurs found that nothing remained for them to do, they took up their march to the camp of Wana Affghar, which they reached a half hour after the departure of Luchman the guide.

The time has come in to make an explanation.

Going back a few hours in the thread of our narrative, the reader will remember that Dr. Avery and the family of the missionary were grouped together in the passage way, watching the meeting between Luchman and Wana Affghar. Not an eye was removed until the departure of their friend in the company of the Ghoojur chieftain.

They could not mistake the meaning of what they saw. The bargain had been struck between the two. The fugitives must remain within the temple until the hour fixed upon by Luchman for their departure.

"If nothing is seen or heard of them," said the surgeon, "by the time it is dark we shall gain the start that ought to secure safety for us all. But I wouldn't give much for the life of Luchman after he parts with the diamond."

At this juncture, while the conversation was of no special interest, Marian related her singular experience of the night before. Avery was interested at once.

"Have you any idea of the hour?" he asked.

"It must have been near midnight,--perhaps a little later."

"Are you sure of that?"

"As sure as I can be of anything."

"Then you are altogether mistaken in supposing it was Luchman. He can prove an alibi. There was not a minute from the time you withdrew to rest, or rather from the time he fired the pistol that you all heard, that he was not within my reach and under my eye. Not once did he pass inside."

"Who then could it have been?"

"A stranger."

"But he could not have come through the archway without being seen by one of you."

"He didn't come through it. My friends," said the surgeon, "that confirms a suspicion which I have entertained all along. There is some communication with the temple of which we know nothing."

"What can it be?"

"It is subterranean, such as you find in hundreds of buildings, in every country. I have no doubt it leads to the river bank, and was constructed with a view of allowing the priests and fakirs of the temple to go in and out unknown to others."

"But why was it not used against us?" asked the missionary.

"It may not have been known to Wana Affghar; some of his men, no doubt the guard along the river bank, stumbled upon it, and one of them explored it to find out whether it could be used. They didn't tell their leader, or, if they did, the old wretch must have seen that it was unknown to us. As a consequence, he has simply guarded the outlet."

"I wonder that it has not been employed against us."

"I believe it would have been used tonight, but for this ransom business. Wana Affghar is such a scoundrel that I am convinced he will attack us if we leave by the regular way. Let us hunt for the underground passage."

"I agree with you," remarked Mr. Hildreth, much impressed by what was said.

"Keep watch, then, for a few minutes, while I make search for it," said Avery, hurrying away in considerable excitement.

The story of Marian Hildreth proved that the intruder of the night before came from the larger apartment into the smaller, so that the opening must be looked for in the former. There, then, the doctor began his explorations.

He first stamped upon the floor, treading upon every portion of the stone and cement, and listening for the hollow sound which tells of the excavation below.

After making a complete circuit, he thought he detected this peculiarity near one of the corners, though it was not pronounced. He struck a light and carefully scrutinized the floor, but saw nothing to explain the phenomenon.

"In whatever way he entered, he did not come up through the floor. Since the opening can't be in the roof, it must be in the wall."

The same manipulation was repeated around the sides of the apartment. The only portion that gave the hollow response was in the corner where he had observed it before.

"It is here," he concluded, striking another match.

Eureka! he had found it. There were the divisions, so plainly marked that every one of the fugitives must have seen them before but for the dim light in the room. They had pressed against the door many times, but it was less yielding than the one which let them into the inner apartment.

It was not until he had pushed against it with all his might, that it slowly swung inward, the draught of air extinguishing the match he had just lighted. Igniting another, he shaded it with his hand and peered into the recess beyond.

At the bottom of the heavy door were three steps, leading down into the darkness. The draught that blew inward proved that it was connected with the outside world, and the surgeon had no doubt that the underground passage extended in a direct line to the river.

He hastened back to his friends with the announcement.

"If we had only known that last night," said Mr. Hildreth, "we might have gone right out of the temple.

"And right into an ambush."

"We may do that as it is, for it is difficult to understand why Wana Affghar has withdrawn his guard."

"They may not have told him."

"It lacks a half hour of eight," said Avery, leaning forward so as to let the moonlight fall on the face of his watch.

"I believe we should use the way that has been so providentially opened."

It was while this conversation was going on that Ramsurun Duss and his Ghoojurs stationed themselves about the entrance to the temple.

Mr. Hildreth and Dr. Avery thought best to look further into the tunnel before making use of it.

While the elder held the door open, the younger ventured down, and groped his way for fifty feet or so from the building. He was amazed by the perfection of the structure. The passage way was about three feet wide and almost twice as high. Top, bottom and sides were lined with the same excellent cement that was so plentifully used throughout the temple itself. It was hard and smooth, and during this dry season everything was as free as powder from moisture.

No public building could have required a better hallway than that along which the surgeon traveled for some distance.

"If it is like this all the way, it is a more pleasant means of egress than across the plain in the moonlight."

Listening for a few seconds it seemed that he caught the flow of water at the further end, but it was probably the absence of all sound, such as often deceives us when a shell is held to the ear.

When Avery came back and reported his discovery to the others, it was almost eight o'clock. He walked to the front of the archway and looked out to see whether the coast was clear. All seemed favorable and there was no call for further delay.

How little did any of the party dream that, at that very moment, Ramsurun Duss and his six murderous Ghoojurs were crouching near the entrance, impatiently waiting for him and his companions to come within range of their guns!

Dr. Avery led the way down the steps into the gloom of the underground passage. Pausing there, he struck a match, and then helped Marian to follow him. Her parents came next, the breadth of the tunnel allowing each couple to walk side by side.

"Close the door after you," said Avery, "for as likely as not there will be a search through the temple for us. Is there any means of fastening it?"

"There is not, fortunately."

"Why do you say fortunately?"

"If there was, do you suppose it would have been left so that we could open it?"

"The point of order is well taken," remarked the surgeon, whose spirits rose with the prospect before them.

Avery deemed it best to walk in front of Marian, so that if any slip took place it should not involve her. He kept burning matches at brief intervals, until they had progressed so far that Mr. Hildreth suggested that the light might attract attention from the other end of the passage way.

The tiny flame was allowed to flicker out, and for a time the journey was pushed in darkness. The surgeon's outstretched arms and shuffling feet could find no irregularity in the admirably made tunnel, which must have been constructed by some master mason of ancient times.

It has been stated that the distance from the ruined temple to the river was about two hundred yards, so that the subterranean passage was undoubtedly the same. When it seemed to Dr. Avery that he had gone that distance, he walked more slowly, and felt his way with extreme care.

At this juncture all the party heard the soft flow of water but a short distance beyond.