remain, and when they
found that I could not be tempted to stay, the populace turned out in
every town and village through which we passed on our way to the ship,
and bowing multitudes followed us to the very last. Nor did it cease
with that, for in all the years that have followed, even here in London,
the homage and worship have continued. My son can go nowhere but that he
is followed by Cingalese; can see no man or woman of the race, but he or
she prostrates herself before him and murmurs, 'Holy, most holy!' And
daily, almost hourly, rich gifts are showered upon him from unknown
hands, and he is watched over and guarded constantly. I tell you all
this, Mr. Cleek, that you may the better understand how appalling is the
horror which now assails us, how frightful is the knowledge that someone
now seeks his life, and is using every means to take it."

"In other words, my dear Cleek," put in Narkom, as her ladyship,
overcome with emotion, broke down suddenly, "there appears to be a
sudden and inexplicable change of front on the part of these fanatics,
and they now seem as anxious to bring evil to his little lordship as
they formerly were to protect and cherish him. At any rate, someone of
their order has, upon three separate occasions within the last month,
endeavoured to kidnap him, and, in one instance, even attempted to
murder him."

"Is that a fact?" queried Cleek sharply, glancing over at Miss Lorne.
"You are certain it is not a fancy, but an absolute fact?"

"Yes; oh, yes!" she made answer, agitatedly. "Twice when I have gone
into the Park with him, attempts have been made to separate us, to get
him away from me; and once they did get him away--so swiftly, so
adroitly, that he had vanished before I could turn round. But, although
a bag had been thrown over his head to stifle his cries, he managed to
make a very little one. I plunged screaming into the undergrowth from
which that cry had come, and was just in time to save him. He was lying
on the ground all bundled up in a bag, and his assailant, who must have
heard me coming, had gone as if by magic. His little lordship, however,
was able to tell me that the man was a Cingalese, and that he had 'tried
to cut him with a knife.'"

"Cut him with a knife?" repeated Cleek in a reflective tone, and blew
out a long, low whistle.

"Oh! but that is not the worst, Mr. Cleek," went on Ailsa. "Three days
ago a woman--a very beautiful and distinguished-looking woman--called