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"Divided, and again subdivided one-fifth Mohammedan and four-fifths Hindoo clan within clan, and each against the other. Do we own Rajputana? Nay! Do we rule it? Nay! What were we until Cunnigan-bahadur came?" "Ah!" All five men rose with a clank in honor to the memory of that man. "Cunnigan-bahadur! Show us such another man as he was, and I and mine ride at his back!" said Alwa.
We threw our weight behind him when he led, letting everything except obedience go where the devil wanted it! What came of that? Good tithes, good report, good feeling, peace!" "And then, the zemindary laws!" growled Alwa. "Then the laws that took away from us full two-thirds of our revenue!" "We had had no revenue, except for Cunnigan-bahadur!"
"To the Company, of course." "Nay! Not I! For the son of Cunnigan-bahadur I would slit the throats of half Asia, and then of nine-tenths of the other half! But by the breath of God by my spurs and this sabre here I have had enough of pledging! I swore allegiance to Howrah.
I can do nothing in the matter, yet were he in my shoes, and she a native woman at the mercy of the troops Cunnigan-bahadur would have assigned a guard for her." "Ho! So I am thy sepoy?" sneered Alwa, standing sideways looking sideways and throwing out his chest. Since when?" "I have yet to refuse to guard thy back, or thy good name, Alwa!"
But for four or five inches of straight stature, and a foot, perhaps, of chest-girth, he was a second edition of the Cunnigan-bahadur who had raised and led a regiment and licked peace into a warring countryside; and though he was that much bigger than his father had been, they dubbed him "Chota" Cunnigan on the instant. And that means "Little Cunningham."
Since the day when I first heard that the son of Pukka Cunnigan-bahadur was on his way I have schemed and planned and contrived to this end. It was at word from me that Byng-bahadur signed the transfer papers otherwise he would have kept thee by him.
"Ride in and take him!" ordered Cunningham and there was a thoroughly well acted make-believe of fear, while every eye watched "Cunnigan-bahadur," and the horses, spurred and reined at once, pranced at their bits for just so long as a good man needs to make his mind up. And Cunningham rode in.
Thy friend, bahadur!" He spoke low on purpose, but Mahommed Gunga heard him, caught Cunningham's eye, and grinned. He saw a way to save his face, at all events. "That was a trick well turned, sahib!" he whispered, as Alwa moved away. "Alwa will listen in future when Cunnigan-bahadur speaks!"
Now we are free of the plains of Rajputana within a ride of fifty of my blood-relations, and they each within reach of others! Ho! I can hear the thunder of a squadron at my back again! I am young, sahib young! My old joints loosen! Allah send the cloud has burst at last I bring to two thousand Rangars a new Cunnigan-bahadur! Thy father's son shall learn what Cunnigan-bahadur taught!"
"It is the son of Cunnigan-bahadur!" growled Mahommed Gunga, standing chin erect. He seemed in no doubt now of the outcome. He was merely waiting for it with soldierly and ill-concealed impatience. "But, sahib " "Alwa-sahib, we have no time for argument. It is yes or no. I must send an answer back by that Sikh. He must he shall take my answer! Either you are loyal to our cause or you are not.
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