While he was still speaking Helmar had heard the scratching at the door—the signal was given. He now only waited for Arden to go and carry out his threat to call his guards. During his tirade the villain's face had shown the sneer so habitual to him, but, as Helmar's words gradually struck home, his expression changed to one of rage, and, as George ceased, Arden sprang up, and shaking his fist in his face, cried—
"You shall never live to see daylight! You have dared me to do this deed, and I will see that it is carried out! You have flouted my generosity and defied me, then your blood shall be on your own head," and striding to the wall, he disappeared through the secret door.
Helmar waited for the door to slam behind his retreating enemy, and then, dashing out into the passage, ran swiftly down it. A few moments sufficed to bring him to the door Naoum had told him of, and without hesitation he pushed it open and entered the room. As he passed in he heard the sound of the approaching guard, with Arden's voice excitedly urging them on.
He closed the door after him immediately, and as he did so he heard a voice close beside him from out of the darkness in which he found himself.
"Amman!" it said quickly.
"Allah is good!" replied George, without hesitation.
"And ever watchful!" was the instantaneous response.
Then, without another word, George felt himself seized by the arm, and unresistingly allowed himself to be led whither his guide pleased. A few steps, and the voice said—
"Bend low."
George complied, and passed through a narrow doorway. As he did so, he heard the door of the room he was leaving open and the guard rush in. The same instant the secret door, by which he was escaping, silently closed and the lock snapped to. No sooner had this occurred than his guide struck a light, and he found himself at the head of a flight of tiny, narrow, stone steps. Hurriedly they descended these, which seemed unending, and, before they reached the bottom, Helmar concluded they had passed down several hundreds of them.