Francis Worcester Doughty

“ A man’s life is all he has in this world, and——”
“And I am beginning to believe in the existence of another where for our deeds, good or evil, we shall be held in strict account.
“Bah! Leave preaching to me; it’s my business, not yours! We can easily overcome the old fellow and take our chances in the car. I tell you the lamasery is doomed! There is no earthly show for us unless we do it. Have common sense and listen to me. If you don’t want to attack Padma now, we can hang around here and do it later on.”
“Neither sooner or later, without Maurice.” ”

“ He is trying to throw us off the scent and means to go by the car himself, leaving us to be drowned out here when the water comes. Now then, here’s the last call. Will you go with me, or will you not?”
“Not without Maurice.”
“Fool!”
“Put it as you will.”
“I put it as it is. Think twice.”
“No! Doctor beware! No good can come of so selfish a proceeding. Remember that the rope may hold out. Would you deprive these other poor wretches of their chance of life?” ”

“ With his usual self-assurance Philpot began rattling away, assuming that patronizing manner which I had grown to dislike so much.
“Look here, George, I’ve been having a long talk with Padma,” he said as we passed through the temple. “As near as I can understand, this whole region is undermined with vast caverns; we are to pass through these caverns by some means which I can’t make out and are to fetch up at another lamasery close to Lh’asa. You see I’ve been busy while you’ve been moping about.”
“It makes no difference to me where we go,” I replied, “providing we take Maurice’s body with us. ”

“ I could not imagine what all this meant until the Doctor began to explain.
“Padma says that this inclined plane leads into another cavern miles and miles away, Wylde,” he said hurriedly. “There is a car of some sort attached to the rope and we are to be let down in it, From the cavern to Lh’asa the distance is short and the way easy. We are to leave at midnight, providing the water holds off that long. By that time they will have all the treasures of the lamasery safely stored away. See! He is pulling the car up now.” ”

“ I replied. “So long as Maurice’s body remains as those other bodies are down there, I shall never leave it, even if it costs me my life.”
“Well, by Jove! You’re a friend worth having; but—wait! Padma wants to speak.”
What was the old priest saying? I would have given anything to have been able to understand.
As it was I could only follow them down into the underground chamber again, where we found Walla beside Maurice, a sight which aroused feelings amounting almost to jealous hatred within me. She could stay there where I felt that I ought to stay ”