"We shall hardly get there before day breaks, sahib," Abdool
remarked.

"No; but that is of little consequence. Probably, by this time,
Holkar will have marched away--either to give battle or, what is
more likely, to recruit; and for many miles round Delhi the country
will be rejoicing, at having been spared the ruin that would have
befallen it, had he taken the city. So I have no fear that we shall
be hindered on the way; for though they may wonder at my
appearance--for the dye has now almost worn off, and anyone can see
that I am a white--they will be all the more willing to render us
any assistance.

"There is no fear of the rajah's horsemen keeping up the pursuit,
beyond halfway between Sekerah and the city; for they must know
that all the zemindars and people round it are in our favour, and
that they might be attacked, when beyond the limits of the rajah's
jagheer."

When morning broke they could see, in the distance, the minarets of
Delhi.

"They must be ten miles away, Abdool, and I will enter the next
house we come to. I fancy, from our position, we must be close to
the residence of the zemindar who, at once, brought in a force of
fifty men to aid in the defence of the town. There we are sure of
hospitable treatment and, indeed, I sorely need rest and food. I
have eaten nothing since yesterday morning and, counting the
distance we made to the north after leaving the fort, we must have
walked nearly fifty miles."

Half a mile farther they saw a house, and made straight for it.

"Is Shuja Khan within?" Harry asked an armed retainer standing at
the entrance.

The soldier recognized Harry--having seen him when he called upon
his master--and replied:

"He returned last night, my lord."

"Will you tell him that Captain Lindsay, who was treacherously
captured by the Rajah of Sekerah, has just escaped, and is on his
way to the city; and that he asks for his hospitality?"

"Enter, my lord," the man said, salaaming deeply. "Our master will,
I am sure, gladly receive you."

He showed Harry into a large room where, a few minutes later, the
zemindar joined him.

"Peace be with you, sahib! I am rejoiced to see you in safety; for
I heard, at Delhi, that you had not returned, and there were fears
that ill had befallen you and your escort."

"My escort were killed, and I myself carried a prisoner to the
rajah's hill fort; and I have owed my escape to the faithfulness of
my servant, who got away when the oth