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With a sigh she bent and touched the tiny forehead with her lips. Hanani's hand, long and bony, gently stroked her arm as she did so. "Old Hanani knows, mem-sahib," she whispered under her breath. The tears she had barely checked a moment before sprang to Stella's eyes. She held the dark hand in silence and was subtly comforted thereby.
He was carrying a rifle, for his master at his request had long ago given him arms to protect his mem-sahib. Before her marriage he had once fought almost to the death to defend her when her brother's bungalow had been attacked by rebels during a rising. "It would be well to go into the house and put out the lights, mem-sahib," he said quietly in Hindustani. "There is danger to-night."
As the iron door changed upon the sill Colonel Hare leaned against the pillar and closed his eyes, praying silently. At the bungalow Pundita fell at Kathlyn's feet and kissed them. "Mem-sahib!" she cried brokenly. "Pundita!" Kathlyn stooped and gathered her up in her arms. After that Ramabai would have died for her under any torture.
But that is neither here nor there. He will commit in one meal every betise that a senllion fresh from the plow-tail is capable of, and he will continue to repeat those faults. He is as complete a heavy-footed, uncomprehending, bungle-fisted fool as any mem-sahib in the East ever took into her establishment.
"This man, mem-sahib," he said with reverence, "he is a holy man, and while praying upon the mountain top, he saw the sahib, sunk in a deep sleep, fall forward over the rock as if a hand had touched him. He came down and searched for him, mem-sahib; but he was gone. The snows are melting, and the water runs swift and deep." "Ah!" It was a gasp rather than an exclamation.
I know priests who are more than a hundred years old, and wrinkled like the bride of Hathi, the god of elephants." "But a child could see through all this rigmarole." "Can Bruce Sahib?" Again Ramabai smiled. "My people are sometimes children in that they need constant amusement. Have patience, my friend; for I understand. Do I not love Pundita even as you love the Mem-sahib?"
"The mem-sahib will pardon her servant," he said, and she saw that his dark face was twisted with emotion. "But there is bad news for her to-day. The captain sahib has gone." "Gone!" Stella echoed the word uncomprehendingly, as one who speaks an unknown language. Peter's look fell before the wide questioning of hers.
In half an hour, the broken entente cordiale was restored, and Johnstone had slipped away and questioned the wary Ram Lal. "All I know is that the lady hired the house temporarily from me, I am agent for Runjeet Hoy, who owns it now. She went without a word, and gave me three hundred pounds yesternight, for her rent and supplies. I asked the Mem-Sahib no questions.
He set down the tray with a deep salaam. "But the captain sahib would not permit me," he said. "He is better?" Stella asked quickly. "He is much better, my mem-sahib. The doctor sahib smiled upon him only this afternoon and told him he was a damn' fraud. So my mem-sahib may set her mind at rest."
When I see the Mem-sahib I will salaam, turn right about face, and go home. Now, to you, Bruce Sahib: Leave not your treasure within my walls when I shall be absent, for I can not guarantee protection. Leave it where it is and bring it with you. Save myself, no one of my men knows what your saddle-bags contain. Let us proceed upon our junket or our war!"
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