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The morning came and found her still sitting at the open door, waiting for the return of her boy. The sun rose over the rugged hills and shed his rays down into the glen, tinging the points of the rocks on either side, and casting a bright glow over the ocean; still Dermot did not appear. She determined to go forth and search for him, but whither should she go?
If only he could see Muriel and plead with her. Perhaps in time she might bring herself to forgive him. But how was he to meet her? Now that Mrs. Dermot had gone to England, the girl would not come again to Ranga Duar. She was, he knew, accompanying her father in his tour of the forests of the districts in his charge.
"When you get to the Mess, Parker, please tell them I'll be up to breakfast as soon as I've had a tub and a shave." Two hours later Dermot showed Parker the position of the defile on the map and explained his notes and sketches of it; for it was important that his subordinate should know of it in the event of any mishap occurring to himself.
Then in his turn Wargrave was presented to the two Asiatics, and the Envoy, calling an attendant in, took from him two white scarves of Chinese silk and placed one round each officer's neck in the custom known as "khattag". All sat down and the Envoy plunged into an animated conversation with Colonel Dermot, first producing a metal box and taking betel-nut from it to chew, while the attendant placed a spittoon conveniently near him.
The muzzle of a rifle was pointed at him over the barricade, and a bearded face peered at him. "It is the Major Sahib!" said the Mohammedan. "In the name of Allah, Sahib, have you brought your sepoys?" "No; I am alone. Where are the Sahib and the missie baba?" "In the bungalow. Enter, Sahib." Dermot climbed over the barricade and pushed open the door of the dining-room, which was in darkness.
"Why, you're wounded, Dermot!" exclaimed Payne. "Oh, no. Just a scratch." "Yes, he is wounded, but he pretends it's nothing," said Noreen. "Do see if it's anything serious, Mr. Payne." "I assure you it's nothing," protested the soldier, resisting eager and well-meant attempts to drag him into the house and tend his hurts by force.
The registered one, however, held a smaller envelope heavily sealed, marked "Secret" and addressed to him by name. In this was a letter in cipher. Dermot got up from his chair and, going into his bedroom, opened a trunk and lifted out of it a steel despatch box, which he unlocked. From this he extracted a sealed envelope, which he carried back to the sitting-room.
As the first approached it lifted its trunk, and to Dermot's astonishment gently touched him on the leg with it. Then it passed on and the next animal took its place and in its turn touched the man. The succeeding ones did the same; and thus all the elephants defiled by their domesticated companion and touched or smelt Dermot as they went by.
But ere all this was fully accomplished, the three sons of King Harold Godwin, Edmund and Magnus who had been kindly received by Dermot, King of Leinster in Ireland, reappeared in the southwest, and although, after some partial success, they were forced to retreat, yet they aroused anew the spirit of resistance to the Norman yoke, and kindled the expiring embers of patriotism.
The rebel force now drew up close round the castle, and a consultation was held among the chiefs as to how the attack should be commenced. Dermot was led up on his pony close to where the leaders were assembled holding their consultation of war.
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