t the merchant, with his license of exit
and entry, was in an exceptional position to acquaint himself with
considerable merchandisable information.

"Ram Lal, therefore, in response to the pernicious industry of his evil
genius, like an unstable pendulum, was in danger of detention at either
extreme.

"The prince speculated like a Machiavelli upon the advantages of such
action on the part of the colonel, and the latter looked to the former
to relieve him of the responsibility.

"However, diligence, even when baneful, has its rewards, for one day,
when Ram Lal arrived at the British horn of the dilemma, he was
arrested upon a charge framed to suit the emergency and subjected to a
military court of investigation.

"At the end of eight days the merchant was released, acquitted, and on
the ninth he directed his course homeward.

"The colonel, however, had provided the prince with his opportunity, for
when the irritated merchant arrived at his dwelling, he was informed
that sundry officials from the palace had searched the premises for
evidence of sedition, and, failing in that, had decided to accept all of
his portable chattels as a substitute.

"This was depressing enough, but still might have been accepted with the
customary Oriental impassiveness had it not been for the fact that the
marauders had added his daughter to the collection.

"At any rate, she could not be found, and as she had never ventured from
the shelter of the paternal roof without the paternal consent, Ram Lal
felt that his deductions as to her whereabouts were entitled to
consideration.

"He was unable to get any indorsement of his unhappy logic, for the
servants had all disappeared.

"He determined, however, to act in accordance with his assumption, and
after taking an inventory of whatever had been overlooked in the foray,
which was little else than the premises, he seated himself upon a mat
beneath a banyan tree in the garden, which concluded the rear of his
dwelling, and was presently ells-deep in a profound reflection, which
was not only ominous in its outward calm, but curiously prolonged.

"The only evidence of mental disquiet which, it was natural to suspect,
disturbed him, was a strange light which gleamed from his eyes at
intervals with baleful significance.

"At the conclusion of two oblivious hours Ram Lal appeared to have
arrived at some definite purpose.

"He rose to his feet and strode, with a marked degree of decision, to