As the wall here was four feet thick, the room was in semi-darkness and, standing well back, he was certain that his figure could not be perceived by anyone standing in the glare of sunshine outside.

The sounds grew louder and louder; and in a minute or two an officer, followed by some twenty men, emerged from the trees.

All paused, when they saw the temple.

The men would have drawn back at once; but the officer shouted to them to advance, although showing small inclination to do so, himself.
They were still standing, irresolute, when a superior officer on horseback, followed by some fifty footmen, came up the path.

He shouted orders for them to search the temple and, as the fear of him was even greater than their dread of the spirits, the whole of the men made their way over the fallen stones, and up to the face of the rock.