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No, no, you will do bear-leader to the youngster, and keep Sher Singh and the Rani from scratching each other's eyes out, and I'll knock down some more robber castles in Darwan, and demand your help when I stir up a more vicious hornets' nest than ordinary.
Now came a messenger with a letter from Charteris, written in that extreme south-western corner of his dominions where Darwan and Habshiabad faced one another across the Tindar. "Here I am, old boy, gazing hungrily across to you, while Tindar rolls between. Come and pay me a flying visit, I adjure you.
Had he taken the road to Darwan with his escort, he might eventually have returned at the head of larger forces, but it would have been to find that the Rani had been drugged and hurried to the funeral pyre, and that Kharrak Singh had "died of grief" little likely as the vivacious youngster appeared to succumb to such a fate.
"Babu Surendra Nath Chuckerbutti," announced the darwan. The Babu entered. "Come and tell me if these are our dastaks," said Desmond. The Babu ran his eyes over the papers, and declared: "Yes, sir, they are the identical papers, and I perceive the signature of the Faujdar is dated three weeks ago." "Thank you," said Desmond. "Now, Coja Solomon, I must ask you to come with me."
It would leave Gerrard's force exposed to the full onslaught of the Agpur army, and even if they succeeded in escaping across the river, would set Sher Singh free to pursue his larger designs, which would probably begin with an invasion of Darwan, and a joyful reception from the unsettled Granthi artillery at Dera Galib.
The disputed boundary between Agpur and Darwan afforded an excellent excuse for the Rajah to journey to his frontier and meet Charteris, who would hold the brief for Darwan, and if it could be so arranged that Colonel Antony should accidentally be in the neighbourhood, the thing would be done.
"I might hold back your reports, or send on forged ones instead, or ruin you in about a hundred different ways." All Gerrard's communications with Ranjitgarh were to pass through Darwan, lest Partab Singh should intercept them on the shorter route. "When I am inclined to feel hipped, I shall spend a happy hour or so in devising uncomfortableness for you, my boy."
"I will take Darwan, sir. I don't expect to succeed, but I will do my best." Office, study. The secretary came in with his hands full of papers, and Gerrard left the office, hardly knowing whither he went.
"Why, it is not exactly in Agpur territory, but merely ready to enter it, in case Colonel Antony does not receive every day satisfactory reports from my friend here and myself." "Does Antni Sahib not trust me, that he thus blackens the face of his most faithful slave?" cried Sher Singh. "Ah, you should not have left Darwan without replying to my messages, you know," said Charteris.
Otherwise the doctor said he would let me off in another week. But you were not suggesting that I should take up Charteris's work?" "That is exactly what I do suggest. I have no other man to send, and no other place at this moment that is crying out for you. I should not send you to Agpur again, and you would hardly wish to go, I imagine. What is your objection to Darwan?"
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