ction of another fortress, and the persistent harrying of such
members of the clan as declined to come in and submit--all of which
occupied time and thought so fully that matters of sentiment were forced
to take a subordinate place in the ruler's mind.

As for Gerrard, he was beginning to hope that Agpur was inclined to
settle down under the Regents. Each month that passed without an
insurrection was so much to the good, and brought nearer the day when
Kharrak Singh would rule in safety in his own name. State affairs
followed a well-defined course--almost a stereotyped one. When Sher
Singh proposed any measure, the Rani objected to it, and if Gerrard
thought that it ought to be passed, it fell to him to argue her into
acquiescence. If the Rani originated a scheme, Sher Singh was the
obstruction, and had to be coaxed into good humour before the project
could be laid before the Durbar, who would have squabbled placidly to all
eternity had they been admitted to an open share in the differences of
their betters. Still, Gerrard was learning by this time how to handle
his unruly team, and was not without a sanguine belief that the Rani
would soon know something about the use of money and the management of an
army, and that Sher Singh was really settling down in his subordinate
place with something like contentment. Their mutual opposition, he
thought, was becoming rather formal than actual, and might even die down
in time. But Gerrard was no more omniscient in estimating the future
yield of his poultry-yard than other people, and it took little to set
the two protagonists, whom he had looked upon as reformed characters,
thirsting for each other's blood again.

Sher Singh's father-in-law died, leaving no son, and it was the natural
thing that his fief of Adamkot should descend to his daughter's husband.
The Prince pointed out, very reasonably, that it was hardly suitable for
one of the Regents to possess no stake in the country beyond a rented
house in Agpur, while the other enjoyed the revenues of several wealthy
villages. With Adamkot secured to him, he would be well provided for
when his allowance as Regent ceased in time to come, instead of being
obliged to linger on as a pensioner at his younger brother's court. The
Rani objected strongly to the proposal, and flung herself into the
struggle tooth and nail. The only hope of keeping Sher Singh loyal was
to make him strictly dependent upon his allowance, she declar