“Keep to the spirit steps,” said Talham, “and go down below again. We may find something there. I think you will have plenty of opportunity, at any rate,” he added grimly, “to discover the lighting secret of this place.” Back they went again to the chamber of the dead. The little quicksilver rivers were running merrily, as they had for two thousand years, and they might run for all eternity until through countless thousands of years the quicksilver became volatised. There were stacks of ancient arms placed near the stone door, but none of these would be of any use to the men. They made a diligent search for some other means of exit, but in vain. There was no time to waste in purely scientific exploration. They had obviated the necessity for one of them standing on the lower step, by lifting thereon one of the heavy irons which stood at the four corners of the pedestal, and this weight was apparently sufficient to keep the light going. “I’m afraid we’re caught,” said Talham at last, and Tillizinni nodded. It was a curious end to all his extraordinary adventures, yet if an end could be attractive, surely this was one, to go down in this treasure-house of the past--to go out in the shadow of the great Emperor’s tomb. A romancer to the finger-tips, Tillizinni found some consolation in the prospect, but Talham was devoid of sentiment. “It isn’t the death I mind,” he said quietly; “but we ought not to have come, we should have made straight for Yvonne. We know she is in that fiend’s power; how could I have been so mad as to have neglected her for one moment--all the treasures in the world were not worth it.” On one of the steps he had placed the jade box. He lifted it up and looked at it resentfully, and raising it above his head he sent it crashing down amongst the artificial landscape which covered one half of the floor. The box burst and a roll of parchment fell out. “Leave it alone,” said Talham roughly, “there is only one thing in the world that counts.” He did not say what that one thing was, but Tillizinni guessed. Another examination of the chamber offered no better result. At the foot of the bier Tillizinni found a square box, which he prised open without any difficulty. It was filled to the brim with pearls of varying sizes from that of the average pea to pearls as large as pigeons’ eggs. If only they could make their escape from here the box would represent an enormous fortune. If Talham despised the secret of the philosopher, here might be some compensation for all his trouble if they made their escape. The chances were very slight, but---- Tillizinni took a handful of the gems, and put them in the loose pocket of his coat. He took another and another, until the pocket bulged. He made his way back with difficulty to where Talham stood by the lower step. The air was getting foul, and he found a difficulty in breathing; the end would come very soon--the scientist in him told him that. “Have you found anything?”