of Petroff Gortschakin.

The durbar proceeded. Formally, and according to strict
precedence, each man spoke. With great amiability Colonel Starr
presented the demands of the English Government; with greater
amiability the Maharajah and his officers repelled them. But
Colonel Starr was firm, and he had the unanswerable argument of
three hundred well-armed men and two nine-pounders, which Maun Rao
would have to meet with Petroff Gortschakin's cartridges. After
duly and sadly reflecting upon this, the Maharajah concluded that
he would give up ee-Wobbis's murderers--one of them at any rate--and
let himself be arranged, at all events for the present. Afterwards
he would say to Maun Rao that it was only for the present. He
summoned all his politeness to his aid, and said in the end that
such was his admiration for the English Lord Sahib in Calcutta,
such his friendship and respect, that he would welcome any one
who came to Lalpore in his name.

'Accompanied by a small force,' added Colonel Starr in the
vernacular, and the Maharajah also added, while Maun Rao behind him
ground his teeth, 'Accompanied by a small force.'

'One word more,' said the Maharajah, 'and the durbar is ended. The
opium pledge will appear, and we will drink it with you. From the
palm of your hand I will drink, and from the palm of my hand you
shall drink; but the lips of the boy who comes with you shall not
taste it. The Rajputs do not drink opium with their betrayers.'

Sunni heard, and his face grew crimson.

'Maharajah!' he shouted, 'I did not tell; I did not tell.'

The Maharajah shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.

'He is not of our blood; why should he have kept silence?' said the
old man.

'But he did keep silence,' said the Colonel, looking straight into
the Chitan's sunken eyes. 'I asked him about your men and your
ammunition. I commanded him, I threatened him. I give you my word
of honour as a soldier that he would say nothing.'

The English in India are always believed. A cry went up from the
other Chitans. Moti clapped his hands together, Maun Rao caught
the boy up and kissed him.

'Then,' said the Maharajah slowly, 'I love you still, Sunni, and
you shall drink the opium with the rest. Your son,' he added to
Colonel Starr, 'will bring praise to his father.'

The Colonel smiled. 'I have no children,' said he. 'I wish he
were indeed my son.'

'If he is not your son,' asked the Maharajah cunningly, 'why did
you