The Rajah's Fortress — page 233: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

220 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. Horribly scared, Guy slipped behind the curtain at his side, and awaited developments. The newcomers woke up the sleeping guards, to judge from the confusion. They were evidently about to change places, and the horrible thought now flashed across Guy that the relieved guard would come straight to the arsenal to finish their sleep. Happily theydid not. Something unusual was transpiring outside the fortress, for the new arrivals were somewhat boisterous and noisy, and dropping in various attitudes on the floor began to gamble with silver coins and odd shaped dice, while the others, without loss of time, strode down the corridor and vanished round a sharp corner at the far end. Guy remained in his place of concealment until he saw that all were deeply engrossed in the game. He was just in the act of creeping from the curtain when a sound fell on his ear that almost froze the blood in his veins. It was a heavy, rustling noise, and came from the far corner of the chamber. | He drew back, crouching close to the cold wall, and yet retained presence of mind to peep out from the edge of the curtain. The noise was not repeated for a moment or two, and, as Guy still strained his eyes into the gloom he suddenly became aware that a man was standing erect in the shadow on the other side of the hang- ing. COLUM 1OOO SS co