; the
fat pig of a Dewan wants it, but I have taken it for you."

But Bootea pushed his hand away: "I take no present from you, Hunsa."

Hunsa put the jewel back in his turban and commanded the two men, who
stood waiting, "Make fast the bullocks to the cart quickly lest we be
captured, because other soldiers are coming behind."

The two Bagrees turned to where the slim pink-and-grey coated trotting
bullocks were tethered by their short horns to a tree and leading them
to the cart made fast the bamboo yoke across their necks.

"Get into the cart, Bootea," Hunsa commanded, for the girl had not
moved.

"I will not!" she declared. "I'm going back to Ajeet; he is not
dead--it is a trick."

"He _is_ dead," Hunsa snarled, seizing her by arm.

The Gulab screamed words of denunciation. "Take your hands off me, son
of a pig, accursed man of low caste! Ajeet will kill you for this,
dog!"

At this the wife of Sookdee fled, racing back toward the camp. One of
the men darted forward to follow, but Hunsa stayed him, saying, "Let
her go--it is better; I war not upon Sookdee."

He had the Gulab now in the grasp of both his huge paws, and holding
her tight, said rapidly: "Be still you she-devil, accursed fool! You
are going to a palace to be a queen. The son of the Peshwa desires
you. True, I, also, have desire, but fear not for, by Bhowanee! it is
a life of glory, of jewels and rich attire that I take you to; so get
into the cart."

But Bootea wrenched free an arm and struck Hunsa full upon his ugly
face, screaming her rebellion.

"To be struck by a woman!" Hunsa blared; "not a woman, but the spawn of
a she-leopard! why should not I beat your beautiful face into ugliness
with one of these sandals of a dead pig!"

He lifted her bodily, calling to the man upon the ground, the other
having mounted behind the bullocks. "Put back the leather wall of the
cart that I may hurl this outcast widow of a dead Hindu within."

Bootea clawed at his face; she kicked and fought; her voice screaming a
call to Ajeet.

There was a heavy rolling thump of hoofs upon the roadway, unheard of
Hunsa because of the vociferous struggle. Then from the shimmer of
moonlight thrust the white form of a big Turcoman horse that was thrown
almost to his haunches, his breast striking the back of the decoit.

The bullocks, nervous little brutes, startled by the huge white animal,
swerved, and before the man who sat a-straddle of the one shaft
ga