Old Death and Tom Rain had proceeded about sixty yards, as well as the latter could guess, along the vaulted passage, when the former suddenly stopped, and the highwayman perceived that their farther progress was barred by a huge door, studded with iron knobs.
"You are now about to enter my sanctuary—as I may call it," said Old Death, turning abruptly round on Rainford; "and again I ask you what guarantee I have that you will not betray me?"
"The same security which I have that you will not prove treacherous to me," answered Tom.
Old Death hesitated for a few moments, as if he were about to make another observation: but, yielding to a second thought, which most probably showed him the inutility of farther remonstrance, he proceeded to unbar the massive door.
It opened inwards, and led to a spiral flight of stone steps, up which the two men mounted, Rainford having previously secured the door, which had huge bolts on each side.
Having ascended some forty steps, Old Death, who went first, placed the candle in a niche, and pushed up a trap-door, which immediately admitted a strong current of air: but the precaution observed in respect to the light, prevented it from being extinguished.
"I ought to have brought a lantern with me, by rights," murmured Old Death. "But come along."
"You go on first," said Rainford; "and I'll take care of the candle."
"No—give it to me," replied Bones hastily; and he extended his hand to grasp it.
But Rainford hit him a hard blow on the wrist with the butt-end of his pistol, and then seized the candle.