He looked down a passageway, with a flooring partly of brick and partly of stone. Where it led to, there was no telling.
Feeling that it would be unwise to use the light longer, he put it out. But he kept the lantern in his hand, for possible use in the future, either to show the way or as a weapon.
The passageway made several turns, and in the darkness he had to feel his way along. Then he reached a flight of stone steps, leading downward.
"I don't want to go down—I want to go up," he reasoned. But there seemed no help for it, and down he went, sixteen steps, to land in a small room at the bottom.
Here all was pitch-dark, and for the moment he stood still, not knowing in what direction to move next. All around him were stone walls.
Presently he felt a small iron door. He took hold of the handle and found the door locked.
Curious to learn his whereabouts, he felt for a match, struck it, and lit the lantern once more. A brief glance at the door caused a look of wonder to overspread his face. The door was locked with a combination lock similar in make-up to the lock on a safe.
He gazed around, and soon learned that there was no exit from where he was, save by the flight of stone steps. To get out, he would have to go back.
He gazed again at the small iron door, set in an iron frame, embedded in the stone wall. What could be behind that barrier? Most likely something of great value.
On the floor at his feet was a bit of dirty white paper. Mechanically, he picked it up and looked it over. On it was the following: