Boldly the two men began the breathless ascent of the stone steps.  The top was reached, and far ahead, down a narrow hall, they saw the three men and the dim light moving.  Two of them wore uniforms of guards.  Keeping close to the wall their followers crept after them.  Up another flight of steps they went, and then through a spacious hall.  The Americans had no time and no desire to inspect their surroundings.  The wide doors at the far side of the room opened softly, and here the trio paused.  Down a great marble hallway a dim red light shed its soft glow.  It came from the lamp at the foot of the broad staircase.

The cook pointed to the steps, and then gave his thumb a jerk toward the left.  Without the least sign of fear Geddos and Ostrom glided into the hall and made for the staircase.  The watchers could not but feel a thrill of admiration for these daring wretches.  But now a new danger confronted them.  The cook remained standing in the doorway, watching his fellows in crime!  How were they to pass him?

There was no time to be lost.  The abductors were creeping up the steps already, and the cook must be disposed of.  He had blown out the light which he carried, and was now a very dim shadow.  Lorry glided forward and in an instant stood before the amazed fellow, jamming a pistol into his face.

“A sound and you die!” he hissed.

“Don’t move!” came another whisper, and a second revolver touched his ear.  The cook, perhaps, did not know their language, but he certainly understood its meaning.  He trembled, and would have fallen to the floor had not the strong hand of Lorry pinned him to the wall.  The hand was on his throat, too.

“Chloroform him, Harry, and don’t let him make a sound!” whispered the owner of the hand.  Anguish’s twitching fingers succeeded those of his friend on the cook’s throat, his pistol was returned to his pocket, and the little bottle came again into use.

“I’ll go ahead.  Follow me as soon as you have finished this fellow.  Be careful, and turn to the left when you come to the top.”

Lorry was off across the marble floor, headed for the stairway, and Anguish was left in charge of the cook, of whom he was to make short work.  Now came the desperate, uncertain part of the transaction.  Suppose he were to meet the two conspirators at the head of the stairs, or in the hall, or that the other traitor, Dannox, should appear to frustrate all.  It was the most trying moment in the whole life of the reckless Lorry.

When near the top of the steps he hugged the high balustrade and cautiously peered ahead.  He found himself looking down a long hall, at the far end of which, to his right, a dim light was burning.  There was no sound and there was no sign of the two men, either to the right or to the left.  His heart felt like lead!  They evidently had entered the Princess’s room!  How was he to find that room?  Slowly he wriggled across the broad, dark hall, straightening up in the shadow of a great post.  From this point he edged along the wall for a distance of ten or twelve feet to the left.  A sound came from farther down the hall, and he imagined he heard some one approaching.