My Strangest Case | Page 8

is all right, but if it
comes to fighting, he might just as well be in Kensal Green. Isn't that so,
little man?"
Mr. Codd nodded his head.
"I said, send for Hayle," he remarked in his quiet little voice. "Kit sent
and now you're here, and it's all right."
"Codd speaks the truth," said Kitwater. "Now what we have to do is to
arrange the business part of the matter, and then to get away as quickly
as possible."
The business portion of the matter was soon settled and Hayle was
thereupon admitted a member of the syndicate for the exploration of the
ancient town of Sengkor-Wat in the hinterland of Burmah.
For the remainder of the day Hayle was somewhat more silent than
usual.

"If there's anything in their yarn it might be managed," he said to
himself that night, when he was alone in his bedroom. "Kitwater is
clever, I'll admit that, and Coddy is by no manner of means the fool he
pretends to be. But I'm Gideon Hayle, and that counts for something.
Yes, I think it might be managed."
What it was he supposed might be effected he did not say, but from the
smile upon his face, it was evident that the thought caused him
considerable satisfaction.
Next day they set sail for Rangoon.


PART II
The shadows of evening were slowly falling as the little party of which
Kitwater, Codd, and Hayle, with two Burmen servants, were members,
obtained their first view of the gigantic ruins of which they had come
so far in search. For many days they had been journeying through the
jungle, now the prey of hope, now of despair. They had experienced
adventures by the score, though none of them were of sufficient
importance to be narrated here, and more than once they had come
within a hair's-breadth of being compelled to retrace their steps. They
rode upon the small wiry ponies of the country, their servants clearing a
way before them with their parangs as they advanced. Their route, for
the most part, lay through jungle, in places so dense that it was
well-nigh impossible for them to force a way through it. It was as if
nature were doing her best to save the ancient city from the hand of the
spoiler. At last, and so suddenly that it came upon them like a shock,
they found themselves emerging from the jungle. Below them, in the
valley, peering up out of the forest, was all that remained of a great city,
upon the ruined temples of which the setting sun shone with weird
effect.

"At last," said Hayle, bringing his pony to a standstill, and looking
down upon the ruins. "Let us hope we shall have penetrated their secret
before we are compelled to say good-bye to them again."
"Hear, hear, to that," said Kitwater; Septimus Codd, however, never
said a word; the magic hand of the past was upon his heart, and was
holding him spellbound.
They descended the hill, and, when they had selected a suitable spot,
decided to camp upon it for the night.
Next morning they were up betimes; the excitement of the
treasure-hunt was upon each man, and would not let him tarry. It would
not be long now, they hoped, before they would be able to satisfy
themselves as to the truth of the story they had been told, and of the
value of the hopes in which they had put their trust. Having eaten their
morning meal, they took counsel together, examined the plan for the
thousandth time, collected their weapons and tools, bade their servants
keep a sharp lookout, and then set off for the city. The morning sun
sparkled upon the dew, the birds and monkeys chattered at them from
the jungle, while above them towered the myriad domes and sculptured
spires of the ancient city. It was a picture that once seen would never be
forgotten. So far, however, not a sign of human life had they been able
to discover; indeed, for all they knew to the contrary, they might be the
only men within fifty miles of the place.
Leaving the jungle behind them, they found themselves face to face
with a curious stone bridge, spanning the lake or moat which
surrounded the city, and in which the lotus flower bloomed luxuriantly.
When they had crossed the bridge, they stood in the precincts of the
city itself. On either hand rose the ruins in all their solitary
grandeur--palaces, temples, market-places, and houses in endless
confusion; while, at the end of the bridge, and running to right and left
as far as the eye could reach, was a high wall, constructed of large
stones, each one of which would have required the efforts of at