“Let us see,” said Mr. Bruce, “that will be two days before the Day Of Resis. Cheer up friends, we shall yet escape,” and telling Sedai to keep his eyes open and to report to them the moment the zebras were returned, they dismissed him.
The next two days were spent by Mr. Bruce in the Secret Chamber, for he determined to learn from the tablets more of the history of this strange people and country. Harry and Enola scarcely left each other, for Enola now realized that she loved Harry, and now that there was a possibility of their being separated from each other forever, they determined to see as much of each other as possible in the few remaining hours before the Day Of Resis.
Mr. and Mrs. Graham and Nellie walked about the beautiful Temple and tried to calm their anxiety.
On the second afternoon Sedai came to them and said that the zebras had been returned, but that the young men who had come with them had been given quarters in a villa adjoining the stable, and some of them were constantly lounging about and would undoubtedly see them, and give the alarm if they tried to escape. It seemed as if they must remain until the dreaded day. Sedai was told to try and find some means to get rid of the men about the stable, and to endeavor to have everything ready for that night. Night came but Sedai reported that the men had ridden a long distance that day, and were lying on the lawn of the park and could not be persuaded to move, so comfortable were they in the cool evening breeze.
“When is the next relief?” questioned Mr. Bruce.
“At twelve o’clock,” said Sedai, “and they may go to their apartments before then, thus enabling us to get away.”
“We will wait,” said Mr. Bruce, who had constituted himself the leader of the party.
Slowly the evening wore into the night and twelve o’clock came. The attendants had all been dismissed. Sedai came in at last but his face showed disappointment.
“The men are still lying in the garden,” said he, “some asleep, while others are awake and talking.”
“How many of them are there?” asked Harry.