string
of lacquered beads that hung about his neck, muttering a prayer against
this that was like sacrilege.

When the jamadar was shown into the room his face took on a look of
uneasiness. It but added to the ferocity of the square scowling
massive head. His huge shoulders, stooped forward as he salaamed,
suggested the half-crouch of a tiger--even the eyes, the mouth, induced
thoughts of that jungle killer.

Nana Sahib, a sneer on his lips, turned to the Minister: "Play him,
Dewani, as you love us. There is some rare deviltry afloat."

"Why have you come, Jamadar?" the Dewan asked.

Hunsa's pig eyes shifted from Sewlal's face to roam over the other two,
and then returned a question in them.

"Tell him," Nana Sahib suggested, "that he has nothing to fear from us."

The jamadar was troubled by the English exchange, but the Dewan
explained: "The Prince says you are to speak what is on your mind."

"It is this, Sahib Bahadur," Hunsa began, "there is a way that the head
of Amir Khan might be obtained as a gift for Maharaja Sindhia. Then
Raja Karowlee would be pleased for he would receive his commission and
we would be given a reward."

"What is the way?" Sewlal queried.

"The Chief of the Pindaris, after the habit of Moslems, is one whose
heart softens toward a woman who is beautiful and is pleasing to his
eye."

"Ancient history," Nana Sahib commented in English, "and not confined
to Musselmen."

"Speak on," the Dewan commanded curtly.

"When I rode with Amir Khan," Hunsa resumed, "in loot there fell to the
Chief's share a dancing girl, and Amir Khan, perhaps out of respect to
his two wives, would visit her at night quietly in the tent that was
given her as a place of residing."

"Amir Khan seems to be less a Pindari and more a human than I thought
him," Nana Sahib commented drily.

"The world is a very small place, Prince," Baptiste added.

"But why has Hunsa brought this tale to men of affairs?" Sewlal queried.

Hunsa cast a furtive look over his shoulder toward the verandah, and
his coarse voice dropped a full octave. "The Presence has observed
Bootea, the one called Gulab Begum, who is with Ajeet Singh?"

"Ah-ha!" It was Nana Sahib's exclamation.

"Yes," the Dewan answered drily.

"If a party of Bagrees were to go to the Pindari camp disguised as
players and wrestlers, and the Gulab as a _nautchni_, Amir Khan might
be enticed to her tent for she causes men to become drunk when she
dances