n Ram Lal. "A train 'on government
service'--a special--came in that night from Allahabad at ten o'clock.
Then two small trains were kept in waiting for some hours; one left for
Simla before daylight, and the other drew out for Allahabad. There was a
crowd of ladies, officers' ladies, and some children and servants in
the waiting-room. They like to travel at night in the cool shade. No
one knew them. Now, at Allahabad, the east-bound train could branch off
either for Calcutta, Madras, or Bombay."

"So you know not which way these women fled?" The old merchant seemed
absolutely at sea. As Hawke shook his head the story was soon finished.

"My men at the marble house tell me that a strange young man arrived at
ten o'clock. He was admitted by Simpson, the private man of Johnstone
Sahib. The Swiss woman talked with him alone a half hour in the library,
and then Johnstone's daughter came down there, but only for a few
moments. My men watched him writing and reading papers in the library;
then they all went away."

"That is all. I slipped into the house when Simpson went away next day.
He often goes out to drink secretly, and he has a pretty Eurasian friend
or two, besides, down in the quarter." Ram Lal winked significantly. "I
went all over the upper part of the house myself. The women's rooms were
left just as if they had gone out for a drive along the Jumna. If they
took anything it was only a few hand parcels. Now you know all that I
know. No one ever saw the strange man before. And these people are gone
for good, that is all. Go now to the Mem-Sahib at the Silver Bungalow. I
fear her. But tell me what I must say to her." The old man was evidently
in a mortal fear. "There is that French devil--that old soldier. He is
a fighting devil, that one, and the woman a tiger. The lady herself is a
tiger of tigers!"

"Say nothing, Ram Lal," soothingly said Hawke. "Leave it all to me. I
see it. Old Johnstone has sent the girl to the hills to keep her away
from the young fellows who will crowd the house, while this General
Abercromby is here. There'll be drink and cards, and God knows what
else."

"I know," grinned Ram Lal. "I knew old Johnstone in the old days, a
man-eater, a woman-killer, a cold-hearted devil, too! What does he do
with this General?" The jewel merchant's eyes blazed.

"Oh! Buying his new title with some official humbug or another. I don't
know. Perhaps he is really settling his accounts," laughed Hawke.

"I