"Ramabai, soldiers! To the house of Umballa! We shall find him there," cried Ahmed.
Umballa squatted upon his cushions on the terrace. The second bar had been removed. The beasts were pressing their wet nozzles to the openings and growling deep challenges.
"Once more, and for the last time, will you reveal the hiding-place of the treasure?"
Not a word from the prisoners.
"The third bar!"
But it did not stir.
"The third bar; remove it!"
The slave who had charge of the mechanism which operated the bars refused to act.
The events which followed were of breathless rapidity. Ramabai and Umballa met upon the parapet in a struggle which promised death or the treadmill to the weaker. At the same time Bruce opened the door to the Court of Death as the final bar dropped in the cage. At the sight of him the colonel and his daughters rushed to the door. Roughly he hurled them outside, slamming the iron door, upon which the infuriated tigers flung themselves.