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Within an hour Jaimihr's men were streaming from the four quarters of the compass, hurrying to be on the winning side, and forming into companies as they were ordered. Then Cunningham gave another order. "Alwa-sahib, will you take another flag of truce, please, and ride with not more than two men to Maharajah Howrah. Tell him that I want him here at once to settle about this treasure."

It seemed to occur to none of the three that fifteen hundred mounted men were somewhat few with which to accomplish such a marvel. "If they are fighting already, we must interfere." "We are ready, bahadur. Fighting is our trade!" "But, before all things, we must keep our eyes well skinned for a hint of treachery on Jaimihr's part.

I want you and Mahommed Gunga to place yourselves near Jaimihr's cell so that you can hear what he says. There won't be any doubt then about who has broken promises. Are you ready, Miss McClean?" She was trembling, but from excitement and not fear.

But that boy will make a better soldier than his father! As a favor, he asked them no compulsion, mind you just as a favor! Allah! What is he asking now, I wonder! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho!" And inside, with a perfectly straight face and almost ghastly generosity, young Cunningham proceeded to impose on Howrah the transferred, unwelcome, perilous allegiance of Jaimihr's reassembling army.

The rebellion that had made her disobey her father back in Howrah City the spirit that had kept her in Howrah City and had given Jaimihr back cool stare for stare rallied her to resist to ridicule to rival Cunningham's pretensions. He saw her flush beneath his gaze, and turned away to where Mahommed Gunga watched from the parapet. The leaders of Jaimihr's calvary were arguing.

"I had three horses when they took me," he asserted, "three good ones, sound and swift, belonging to my master." "Then take three of Jaimihr's!" It took ten minutes more for Ali Partab and two of Alwa's men to search the stables and bring out the three best chargers of the twenty and more reserved for Jaimihr's private use.

This time Jaimihr's disheartened little army did not wait for him, but broke into wild confusion and scattered right and left, leaving their elephants to be captured. There were only a few men killed. The lance-tipped, roaring whirlwind loosed itself for the most part against nothing, and reformed uninjured to trot back again.

Back came Cunningham's close-formed squadrons, straight through the writhing mass again; and now the whole of Jaimihr's army took to its heels, just as part of the five-feet-thick stone palace-wall succumbed to the attacks of crowbars and crashed down in the roadway, disclosing a dark vault on the other side. Jaimihr made a rush for the six-horse carriage, and tried vainly to get it started.

Close to the big iron gate below Alwa's eyrie there were some of Jaimihr's cavalry nosing about among the trampled gardens for the dead and wounded they had left there earlier in the afternoon. They ceased searching, and formed up to intercept whoever it might be who rode in such a hurry. Above them, on the overhanging ramparts, there was quick discussion, and one man left his post hurriedly.

Before Alwa had thundered on Jaimihr's gate Joanna had mingled in the crowd outside the palace and was shrewdly questioning again.