violets, and Head-nurse and Foster-mother
had offered up their respects, they all went and sat down on a grassy
spot, and Dearest-Lady, who was always full of youthful curiosities
concerning all things, began to question Roy, who as a mere lad had been
allowed to come with them, as to what he could remember of the time
before he was picked up in the desert.

"Hold my hand, child, and think," she said at last, "mayhap it may come
to thee then. The touch of kinship has power, and if I do not mistake
me, there is that in thy blood that is in mine--royalty!"

So she clasped Roy's slim long-fingered hand and held it tight, and the
boy's face changed, his eyes grew startled, he shivered slightly.

"Yea!" he said, "now I do remember. Mother was like you, and she told me
I had the mark of Kingship strong enough, for all the rebels might
say--" As he spoke, he drew down his loose garments, and there upon the
clear olive of his breast, just above the heart, showed a small dark
stain.

Dearest-Lady bent close to look at it. "What is't?" she asked.

"Mother said it was the sign of uttermost truth, and that we all had
it," he replied, speaking dreamily.

"But who were we?" persisted Dearest-Lady, her kind eyes on the lad's.

Just at that moment, however, Tumbu, who had, of course, accompanied
them, burst out with a series of shrill, short barks, and Roy was on his
feet in a second, his hand on Old Faithful's sword, lest any newcomer
might bring danger to his little master. But as it turned out Tumbu was
only excited by a water-rat! All the same the interruption prevented
Dearest-Lady's question from being answered, for the spell was broken.

"Yea! thou wilt be true to the very uttermost, of that I am sure," said
Dearest-Lady, half pleased, half amused at the young Rajput's quick leap
to arms, "and so long as I have charge of the Heir-to-Empire thou shalt
be his esquire. So go call the litter-men, boy, it is time we returned.
I must remember I am gaoler as well as grand-aunt."

CHAPTER XVI

CRUEL BROTHER KUMRAN

If Dearest-Lady was in truth a gaoler, she was a very kind one, and her
prison the pleasantest prison in the world. It would take too long to
tell how happily the next four months passed, not only for the two
children, but for Roy and Foster-father, Head-nurse and Foster-mother.
Even misshapen Meroo, in the kitchen, felt the better for helping to
cook the Khanzada Khanum's dinner. For that was one of Deare