ced she
became that he was lying. But wisely she maintained her silence.

"Dead," he repeated. "Within a week you shall be my wife. You know.
They have told you. I want money, and by all the gods of Hind, yours
shall be the hand to give it to me. Marry me, and one week after I
will give you means of leaving Allaha. Will you marry me?"

"Yes." The word slipped over Winnie's lips faintly. She recalled
Ahmed's advice: to humor the man, to play for time; but she knew that
if he touched her she must scream.

"Keep that word. Your father and sister are fools."

Winnie trembled. They were alive. Kit and her father; this man had
lied. Alive! Oh, she would not be afraid of any ordeal now. They
were alive, and more than that they were free.

"I will keep my word when the time comes," she replied clearly.

"They are calling me Durga Ram the Mad. Beware, then, for madmen do
mad things."

The door opened and shut behind him, and she heard the key turn and the
outside bolt click into its socket.

They were alive and free, her loved ones! She knelt upon the cushions,
her eyes uplifted.

Alone, with a torch in his shaking hand, Umballa went down into the
prison, to the row of dungeons. In the door of one was a sliding
panel. He pulled this back and peered within. Something lay huddled
in a corner. He drew the panel back into its place, climbed the worn
steps, extinguished the torch and proceeded to his own home, a gift of
his former master, standing just outside the royal confines. Once
there, he had slaves anoint his bruised back and shoulders with
unguents, ordered his peg, drank it and lay down to sleep.

On the morrow he was somewhat daunted upon meeting Ramabai in the
corridor leading to the throne room, where Winnie and the council were
gathered. He started to summon the guards, but the impassive face of
his enemy and the menacing hand stayed the call.

"You are a brave man, Ramabai, to enter the lion's den in this fashion.
You shall never leave here alive."

"Yes, Durga Ram. I shall depart as I came, a free man."

"You talk like that to me?" furiously.

"Even so. Shall I go out on the balcony and declare that I know what a
certain dungeon holds?"

Umballa's fury vanished, and sweat oozed from his palms.

"You?"

"Yes, I know. A truce! The people are muttering and murmuring against
you because they were forbidden to attend your especial juggernaut.
Best for both of us that they be q