had been dining with Dr. Wade were smoking in the
veranda.

"I was hopeful before, Major, and I am hopeful now; but I can't say that
today's parade has influenced me in the slightest. Whatever virtues
the Hindoo may have, he has certainly that of knowing how to wait. I
believe, from what took place, that they have no intention of breaking
out at present; whether they are waiting to see what is done at other
stations, or until they receive a signal, is more than I can say; but
their assurances do not weigh with me to the slightest extent. Their
history is full of cases of perfidious massacre. I should say, 'Trust
them as long as you can, but don't relax your watch.'"

"You are a confirmed croaker," Captain Rintoul said.

"I do not think so, Rintoul. I know the men I am talking about, and I
know the Hindoos generally. They are mere children, and can be molded
like clay. As long as we had the molding, all went well; but if
they fall into the hands of designing men they can be led in another
direction just as easily as we have led them in ours. I own that I don't
see who can be sufficiently interested in the matter to conceive and
carry out a great conspiracy of this kind. The King of Oude is a captive
in our hands, the King of Delhi is too old to play such a part. Scindia
and Holkar may possibly long for the powers their fathers possessed,
but they are not likely to act together, and may be regarded as rivals
rather than friends, and yet if it is not one of these who has been
brewing this storm. I own I don't see who can be at the bottom of it,
unless it has really originated from some ambitious spirits among
the Sepoys, who look in the event of success to being masters of the
destinies of India. It is a pity we did not get a few more views from
that juggler; we might have known a little more of it then."

"Don't talk about him, Doctor," Wilson said; "it gives me the cold
shivers to think of that fellow and what he did; I have hardly slept
since then. It was the most creepy thing I ever saw. Richards and I have
talked it over every evening we have been alone together, and we can't
make head or tail of the affair. Richards thinks it wasn't the girl at
all who went up on that pole, but a sort of balloon in her shape. But
then, as I say, there was the girl standing among us before she took her
place on the pole. We saw her sit down and settle herself on the cushion
so that she was balanced right. So it could not have been