Three more of the Settlement men were missing; they had vanished in the night, none could say how, vanished though the doors were barred and guarded.

There where they had slept lay their guns and little possessions, but the men were gone, leaving no trace.

When he was consulted Olfan looked very grave, but could throw no light upon the mystery beyond suggesting that there were many secret passages in the palace, of which the openings were known only to the priests, and that possibly the men had been let down them--terrible information enough for people in their position..