y their kind, who
would not start innovations but would let affairs drift on as they had
done for centuries.

Nor was Bruce inactive. Many a time Umballa had stood within an arm's
length of death; but always Bruce had resisted the impulse. It would
be rank folly to upset Ramabai's plans, which were to culminate in
Umballa's overthrow.

But upon a certain hour Ramabai came to Bruce, much alarmed. During
his absence with Pundita at some palace affair his home had been
entered, ransacked, and ten thousand rupees had been stolen. His real
fortune, however, was hidden securely. The real trouble was that these
ten thousand rupees would practically undo much of what had been
accomplished. He was certain that Umballa had instigated this theft,
and that the money would be doled out to the soldiers. For upon their
dissatisfaction rested his future.

"Take Bala Khan at his word," suggested Bruce, "and ask him for his
five thousand hillmen."

Ramabai smiled. "And have Bala Khan constitute himself the king of
Allaha! No, Sahib; he is a good friend, but he is also a dangerous
one. We must have patience."

"Patience!" exploded Bruce.

"I have waited several years. Do you not see that when I strike I must
succeed?"

"But these warnings to Umballa?"

"He is not molesting me, is he?" returned Ramabai calmly.

"Well, it is more than I could stand."

"Ah, you white people waste so much life and money by acting upon your
impulses! Trust me; my way is best; and that is, for the present we
must wait."

"God knows," sighed Bruce, "but I am beginning to believe in the
colonel's guru."

"Who can say? There are some in this land who possess mighty wills,
who can make man sleep by looking into his eyes, who can override and
destroy weaker minds. I know; I have seen. You have heard of
suspended animation? Well, I have seen examples of it; and so have my
people. Can you wonder at their easiness in being swayed this way and
that? But these men I refer to do not sit about in the bazaars with
wooden bowls for coppers. It is said, however, that all curses die
with their makers. It depends upon how old the Colonel Sahib's guru
is. I know priests who are more than a hundred years old, and wrinkled
like the bride of Hathi, the god of elephants."

"But a child could see through all this rigmarole."

"Can Bruce Sahib?" Again Ramabai smiled. "My people are sometimes
children in that they need constant amusement. Hav