in the
interest of his co-religionists. I sat silently watching the varying
passions as they swept over the repulsive face of the old man. The
silence must have lasted a quarter of an hour.

"Give me the covenant," he said at last, "for I am in the tiger's
clutches. I will sign it, since I must. But it shall be requited to you,
Abdul Hafiz; and when your body has been eaten of jackals and wild pigs
in the forest, your soul shall enter into the shape of a despised
sweeper, and you and your off-spring shall scavenge the streets of the
cities of my kingdom and of the kingdom of my son, and son's son, to ten
thousand generations." A Hindoo cannot express scorn more deadly or hate
more lasting than this. Isaacs smiled, but there was a concentrated look
in his face, relentless and hard, as he answered the insult.

"I am not going to bandy words with you. But if you are not quick about
signing that paper I may change my mind, and send for the Angrezi sowars
from Peterhof. So you had better hurry yourself." Isaacs produced a
small inkhorn and a reed pen from his pocket. "Sign," he said, rising to
his feet "before that soldier outside passes the window three times, or
I will deliver you to the British."

Trembling in every joint, and the perspiration standing on his face like
beads, the old man seized the pen and traced his name and titles at the
foot, first of one copy, and then of the other. Isaacs followed, writing
his full name in the Persian character, and I signed my name last, "Paul
Griggs," in large letters at the bottom of each roll, adding the word
"witness," in case of the transaction becoming known.

"And now," said Isaacs to the maharajah, "despatch at once a messenger,
and let the man here mentioned be brought under a strong guard and by
circuitous roads to the pass of Keitung, and let them there encamp
before the third week from to-day, when the moon is at the full. And I
will be there and will receive the man. And woe to you if he come not;
and woe to you if you oppress the true believers in your realm." He
turned on his heel, and I followed him out of the room after making a
brief salutation to the old man, cowering among his cushions, a ceremony
which Isaacs omitted, whether intentionally or from forgetfulness, I
could not say. We passed through the house out into the air, and
mounting our horses rode away, leaving the double row of servants
salaaming to the ground. The duration of our private interview with