sted from the combined
effects of excitement, horror, and the unaccustomed ride across
the desert--most anxious for his daughter--worried, to the verge of
desperation, by the ghastly news of the rebellion.

"Mr. Cunningham, I hope you are the forerunner of a British force?" he
hazarded.

But Cunningham was too intent on cross-examination to waste time on
giving any information.

"I want you to tell me, quite quietly and without hurry, all you can
about Howrah," he said, sitting close to Miss McClean. "I want you to
understand that I am the sole representative of my government in the
whole district, and that whatever can be done depends very largely on
what information I can get. I have been talking to the Alwa-sahib, but
he seems too obsessed with his own predicament to be able to make things
quite clear. Now, go ahead and tell me what you know about conditions
in the city. Remember, you are under orders! Try and consider yourself
a scout, reporting information to your officer. Tell me every single
thing, however unimportant."

On the far side of the courtyard Alwa and Mahommed Gunga had gone to
lean over the parapet and watch something that seemed to interest
both of them intently. There were twenty or more men, lined round
the ramparts on the lookout, and they all too seemed spellbound, but
Cunningham was too engrossed in Miss McClean's story of the happenings
in Howrah City to take notice. Now and then her father would help her
out with an interjected comment; occasionally Cunningham would stop her
with a question, or would ask her to repeat some item; but, for more
than an hour she spun a clear-strung narrative that left very little to
imagination and included practically all there was to know.

"Do you think," asked Cunningham "that this brute Jaimihr really wants
to make you Maharanee?"

"I couldn't say," she shuddered. "You know, there have been several
instances of European women having practically sold themselves to native
princes; there have been stories--I have heard them--of English women
marrying Rajahs, and regretting it. There is no reason why he should not
be in earnest, and he certainly seemed to be."

"And this treasure? Of course, I have heard tales about it, but I
thought they were just tales."

"That treasure is really there, and its amount must be fabulous. I
have been told that there are jewels there which would bring a Rajah's
ransom, and gold enough to offset the taxes of the whole of