The hidden figure within darted forward and thrust out its lance.

Then it rose up and disappeared.

I thought I might now safely press on the seven stars; and did so.

Again the stone rolled back; and the 'Treasurer' flashed by to his hidden lair.
"I repeated both experiments several times; with always the same result.

I should have liked to examine the mechanism of that figure of such malignant mobility; but it was not possible without such tools as could not easily be had.