“These are underground passages, built years ago during a threatened uprising of the natives against the Spaniards,” Señorita Rodriguez whispered. “This passage leads to the secret chamber of the ‘Sociedad de Katipunan.’ To be present at a meeting the penalty for a non-member is to take the oath or suffer death. Only the direst necessity has brought me here to-night. I have no right to ask you, señores,” she said pleadingly, “to take this great risk for my sake, and if you so decide we can now turn back. Lopez, my father’s trusted patron, will go with me.” “We will go with you, señorita,” Phil answered without a second’s hesitation. “What are we to see?” he asked, unable to control his curiosity at the mystery of it all. “Come, you shall discover for yourself,” she said as she moved forward, her hand still in Phil’s, while Sydney held his companion by the coat sleeve and Lopez, as noiseless as an Apache, brought up the rear. “The meeting will not take place for some time, and meanwhile we shall have time to talk.” Silently they moved forward until presently, from the sound of their footfalls, Phil knew that the walls had receded and that they had entered a large chamber. “The stairs, señor,” Maria whispered, and the lads found themselves mounting earthen steps. Again their feet struck wooden boards and they knew that they had ascended from the passage and were in a large room directly over the one which they had just left. “This is the old Spanish inquisition room,” the girl said in a low voice, “and a fitting meeting-place for the Katipunan murderers. But come, they may be here any moment.” Phil admired the daring of this frail girl. She had led them into the very nest of these traitorous outlaws, for it now dawned upon him what was the true meaning of these meetings. “Do they enter the same way as we have come?” he asked anxiously, casting an apprehensive glance behind him. “No,” Maria answered, a smile on her face as she felt the lad’s hand tremble imperceptibly on her own. “We are not in the room; it is beyond us, as you shall see soon. We are in a covered gallery which is secret and known to but few even of the society. The passage through which we came has not been used for years, and until last night was closed with earth. Lopez has spent all day with some of his most trusty men clearing it in order that we might pass.” Phil cautiously peered about him, but his eyes could not penetrate the darkness. He knew that his feet were on boards, and that his hand rested upon a wall which was rough and dry. Then suddenly as if by a flash of lightning a vivid picture of his surroundings was shown him.