Chunerbutty.

"Go now; you have my leave. His Highness wishes to see you. I have sent him
word that you are here."

The engineer rose and salaamed respectfully. Then, with a nod to Macgregor,
he withdrew full of thought. He had not known before that the conspiracy to
expel the British was so widespread and promising. He had not regarded it
very seriously hitherto. But he had faith in the _Dewan_, and the pledge of
the great political party in England was reassuring.

Admitted to the presence of the Rajah, Chunerbutty found him reclining
languidly on a pile of soft cushions on the floor of a tawdrily-decorated
room. The walls were crowded with highly-coloured chromos of Hindu gods and
badly-painted indecent pictures. A cut-glass chandelier hung from the
ceiling, and expensive but ill-assorted European furniture stood about the
apartment. French mechanical toys under glass shades crowded the tables.

The Rajah was a fat and sensual-looking young man, with bloated face and
bloodshot that eyes spoke eloquently of his excesses. On his forehead was
painted a small semicircular line above the eyebrows with a round patch in
the middle, which was the sect-mark of the _Saktas_. His white linen
garments were creased and dirty, but round his neck he wore a rope of
enormous pearls. His feet were bare. On a gold tray beside him were two
liqueur bottles, one empty, the other only half full, and two or three
glasses.

He looked up vacantly as Chunerbutty entered, then, recognising him, said
petulantly:

"Where have you been? Why did you not come before?"

The engineer salaamed and seated himself on the carpet near him without
invitation. He held the Rajah far less in awe than the Prime Minister, for
he had been the former's boon-companion in his debauches too often to have
much respect for him.

He answered the prince carelessly.

"The _Dewan_ sent for me to see him before I came to you, _Maharaj Sahib_."

"Why? What for? That man thinks that he is the ruler of Lalpuri, not I,"
grumbled the Rajah. "I gave orders that you were to be sent to me as soon
as you arrived. I want news of the girl. Is she still there?"

"Yes; she is still there."

"Listen to me," the Rajah leant forward and tapped him on the knee. "I must
have that girl. Ever since I saw her at the _durbar_ at Jalpaiguri I have
wanted her."

"Your Highness knows that it is difficult to get hold of an Englishwoman in
India."

"I know. But I do not care. I must