“Did not Cook tell you he intended to attack Deth?” asked Ajeeb. “He uttered not a word of his plan to me,” replied Stolburst. “Why did you not follow him?” Stolburst did not reply. “Come away from here,” remarked Barry. “What for?” “We can talk more at our leisure up-stairs.” There was a piece of rope lying on the floor. Ajeeb picked it up and bound his prisoner’s wrists together. Then he followed his friend from the cellar, leaving Stolburst alone with the dead. “Ajeeb,” said Billy, “your luck has begun to turn.” “What do you mean?” “The next man you will have to deal with is Burt Cromwell.” “Pursuit of me,” said the Abyssinian savagely, “will mean death for him!” CHAPTER XXIII. THE BIRD FLOWN. When Burt visited his office the morning after the occurrence at Ajeeb’s, he found Enoch Cook awaiting his coming. Burt had spent nearly the whole of the night previous in looking for Mike Quick without succeeding in finding him. “Well,” he said, “you look rather excited, Enoch.” “I ought to be excited.” “Why?” “I may say that I came near croaking,” said Cook. “How?” “Mister Ajeeb would have cooked my little goose if I did not leave his neighborhood when I did,” replied Enoch. “You talk in riddles.” “I found Ajeeb.” “And tracked him to his lair?” “Yes.” “Did you see Stolburst?” “Yes.” “Then he still lives?” “Yes; but Ajeeb has deprived him of his right ear.” “The monster!” It was now the detective that was excited. “I guess Ajeeb would have had me killed offhand.” “Then you were also in his power?” asked Burt. “Yes; I met him at Union Square, and followed him to his house. Ashah shadowed me, but I didn’t know it at the time. To make a long story short, the giant knocked me out, and carried me a prisoner into the house.” “How did you manage to escape?” asked the detective. “I stabbed the Abyssinian who stood guard over me and Stolburst with his own knife. I guess I killed him; but that won’t count as murder, will it?” “No. But why did not Stolburst come away with you?” “That’s something I cannot understand,” replied Enoch. “I called to him to follow. I guess Ajeeb and his friend intercepted poor Stolburst’s flight.” “Who is Ajeeb’s friend?” “An English crook.” “His name?” “Stolburst told me he learned the fellow’s name was Billy Barry.” “I know him,” said Burt; “and I can’t understand how he came to know this heathen priest.” “He is the chap that engineered the job that led to Stolburst’s capture.” “How was that job worked?” Enoch related the story as he heard it from Stolburst. The latter still believed that the beautiful Zulima was a party to the plot. As he had once almost loved the girl, the poor captive now loathed her. “How many people are there in this house,” asked Burt, “besides Ajeeb and Barry?” “I saw no one, now that Deth is dead, except Ashah.” “I guess we can manage him.” “You will surely not enter that den alone?” remarked Cook.