Follow me!" There was wisdom in what he said, and Browne was not slow to see it clearly.

With a single penetrating glance at Genevra's despairing face, he shook his head gloomily, and turned to follow Deppingham, who was hurrying off through the corridor with her ladyship.
"Come," he called, and the Princess, feeling Drusilla's hand grasping her arm, gave one helpless look at the fire and hastened to obey.
In the grand hallway, they came upon Britt and Saunders white-faced and excited.

The white servants were clattering down the stairways, filled with alarm, but there was not one of the native attendants in sight.
This was ominous enough in itself.

As they huddled there for a moment, undecided which way to turn, the sound of a violent struggle in the lower corridor came to their ears.

Loud voices, blows, a single shot, the rushing of feet, the panting of men in fierce combat--and then, even as the whites turned to retreat up the stairway, a crowd of men surged up the stairs from below, headed by Baillo, the major-domo.
"Stop, excellencies!" he shouted again and again.