our work is completed we will follow. Indeed
they may know nothing but that there is some jewel, such as women love,
to be given them."

"Look you," cried Hunsa thrusting his coarse hand out toward the road,
"even Bhowanee is in favour. See you not the jackal?"

Turning their eyes in the direction Hunsa indicated, a jackal was seen
slinking across the road from right to left.

"Indeed it is an omen," Sookdee corroborated; "if on our journeys to
commit a decoity that is always a good omen."

"And there is the voice!" Hunsa exclaimed, as the tremulous lowing of a
cow issued from the village.

He waved a beckoning hand to Guru Lal, for they had brought with them
their tribal priest as an interpreter of omens chiefly. "Is not the
voice of the cow heard at sunset a good omen, Guru?" he demanded.

"Indeed it is," the priest affirmed. "If the voice of a cow is heard
issuing at twilight from a village at which decoits are to profit, it
is surely a promise from Bhowanee that a large store of silver will be
obtained."

"Take thee to thy prayers, Guru," Ajeet commanded, "for we have matters
to settle." He turned to Sookdee. "Your omens will avail little if
there is prosecution over the disappearance of the merchant. I am
supposed to be in command, the leader, but I am the led. But I will
not withdraw, and it is not the place of the chief to handle the
_roomal_. We will eat our food, and after the evening prayers will sit
about the fire and amuse this merchant with stories such as honest men
and holy ones converse in, that he may be at peace in his mind. As
Sookdee says, the women will be sent to the grove of trees we came
through on the road."

"We will gather about the fire of the merchant," Sookdee declared, "for
it is in the mango grove and hidden from sight of the villagers. Also
a guard will be placed between here and the village, and one upon the
roadway."

"And while we hold the merchant in amusement," Hunsa added, "men will
dig the pits here, two of them, each within a tent so that they will
not be seen at work."

"Yes, Ajeet," Sookdee said with a suspicion of a sneer, "we will give
the merchant the consideration of a decent burial, and not leave him to
be eaten by jackals and hyenas as were the two soldiers you finished
with your sword when we robbed the camel transport that carried the
British gold in Oudh."

"If it is to be, cease to chatter like jays," Ajeet answered crossly.

In keeping wit