bidding!" he murmured. "Bowanee!
Bowanee! You have betrayed your servant!" was his cry as he sought the
safety of the Zenana.

Major Hawke tasted all the sweets of a great secret triumph as he cast
up his accounts. "The five thousand pounds frightened from this
old wretch, Ram Lal, really squares me with the estate of the 'dear
departed.' The jewels are worth twice as much more, and, with Ram Lal's
indorsement all the other drafts on Glyn's bank are as good as gold.
There is twenty thousand clear profit. I will send them on now for
acceptance, openly, through the Credit Lyonnaise when I get to Paris.
For Berthe Louison will give me, also, a good character. Old Ram's
indorsements make them perfectly good anywhere. I had better hide the
details of this windfall, out here. And, now, thank Heaven, I am 'fixed
for life,' and I can go in boldly and play the Prince Charming to Miss
Moneybags, the fair Nadine." He tossed a double rupee to the driver,
as the sentry swung the gate, but, hastily called him back as Captain
Jordan said, hastening from the house:

"Orders are waiting for you now, with the General. Let me give you a
trusty Sergeant. Drive right up there, Major. The General sent word that
he awaits you." And so the Major sped away to his chief.

No human being in Delhi ever knew the purport of the orders which
General Willoughby handed to Major Hawke, on this eventful evening, but
much marveled all Delhi that the favorite of fortune was absent from the
funeral of the late Hugh Fraser Johnstone, Esq., of Delhi and Calcutta.
He had vanished, with no P.P.C. calls, and a hundred-pound note tossed
to the poor little Eurasian girl in the cottage was her whole fortune in
life now.

But a grave-faced civilian public official, with Major Williamson, of
the Viceroy's general staff (a late arrival from Calcutta), ruled over
the marble house in place of Major Alan Hawke "absent upon special
duty." Only Ram Lal knew of the real destination of the lucky man,
who was only free from care when he had sailed from Bombay direct for
Brindisi, on the fleet steamer Ramchunder.

"I am safe now," laughed Alan Hawke, who rejoiced in the easy tour of
duty before him. "To repair to London and to report to Captain Anson
Anstruther, A.D.C., for special duty." Such were the Viceroy's secret
orders. It was General Willoughby who had absolutely invoked secrecy.
"Wear a plain military undress, and you must avoid most men, and all
women. Keep yo