his astonishment for a moment.

"Nay," he said softly, "the whole matter was recounted to me by one
whom I can trust, who was on the watch from the beginning to the end,
so that when Dwarika Nath, with many protestations of fidelity and
condolence, made known to me the treachery of my friend, I was able to
remind him that he had been willing to cover that treachery for money.
For this he has received due punishment."

Gerrard remained silent a moment, Dwarika Nath's interview with him in
his tent, and the expulsion of the disgraced Diwan from the city,
jostling one another in his mind. Then quite another thought came
upper-most. "So you set spies on me in my own tent, Maharaj-ji!" he
cried indignantly. "And you call me your friend!"

"The wise man calls no one friend whom he has not tested when they are
apart as well as when they are together," was the calm reply. "Do I
not honour my friend by enabling the lustre of his character to shine
forth even when he believes himself alone?"

"I said these walls seemed to have eyes!" muttered Gerrard. "I suppose
your Highness's spies are here also?"

"You are watched from morning to night, and again from night to
morning," said the Rajah with pride. "Even on your sacred day, when
you worshipped your God in the company of the half-breed physician, my
eyes were upon you."

Gerrard moved angrily. Among the verbal counsels with which Colonel
Antony supplemented his official instructions to his assistants, there
was one which invariably occurred; "I make no suggestion as to your
action when alone, though you are acquainted with my own practice. But
when there is even one other Christian within reach, it is my earnest
entreaty that you will invite him to join with you on Sundays in the
worship of God. Believe me, this will bring you no discredit among the
heathen, but rather the contrary." The "one other Christian" in this
case was Moraes, who regarded compliance with the invitation as an
additional sin to be confessed and expiated on his return home, and
Gerrard felt a natural resentment at the thought of the curious eyes
that had watched the proceedings. He rose abruptly.

"Since you trust me so little, Maharaj-ji, I had better go. Have I
your leave to depart?"

The Rajah made no movement. "O my friend, why this impatience? Said I
not that all I had seen had only served to justify my confidence? Had
I taxed you with treachery as the result of my watching, ther