but, by way of gaining time, he
answered: "Your Excellency's cleverness is extraordinary; to lie to your
Highness would be the work only of a fool. Perchance my master may be a
sahib, but there are many nations of sahibs, and why should this one be
English?" "Peace, prattler!" sternly replied the old autocrat; "there is
only one nation of real sahibs, and they are English."

Shah Sowar, driven into a corner, stroked his beard for some time under
the rebuke, and then said: "I perceive there is no good trying to
deceive so great a diviner as you. I will speak the truth. My master is
an English officer travelling on business. What then?"

"What then?" slowly replied the White Beard. "Why, I have sworn on the
Koran, and before all my tribe, to kill every Englishman I come across.
I fear no nation on earth but the English, and lest they swallow me up,
I have sworn to swallow them, one by one, whenever I meet them."

"If your Honour has thus sworn there is nothing else to be said,"
answered Shah Sowar. "But I have one petition to make, and that is to
give us till the morning before we die."

"Your petition is granted; but why say 'we'? I shall not kill you, for
you are a Mahomedan, and a Persian, and shall join my horsemen," said
the White Beard.

"When the Sahib dies, I die also," was the brave reply. And with that
Shah Sowar hurried back to tell the bad news to his master. Arrived at
their little camp, his worst forebodings were confirmed, for a strong
detachment of the White Beard's men guarded it on every side.

All that afternoon the prisoners racked their brains to find a way of
escape, and hope seemed to die with the setting sun. Then Shah Sowar
arose and said, "I will have one more try to see what can be done"; and
gaining permission, he went over again to the chief's camp, and asked
for another audience. The old man was at his prayers, and Shah Sowar
devoutly and humbly joined in. When they had finished he asked for a
private audience, as he had something of importance to say.

"Well, what is it?" said the White Beard when they were alone.

"It is this," gravely replied the Guides' trooper, "and be pleased to
listen attentively. When you bade me speak the truth this afternoon, I
spoke fearlessly and at once. I acknowledged that my Sahib is an English
officer. Hear now also the truth, and on the Koran I am prepared to
swear it. This English officer whom you propose to kill is the bearer of
an important letter