Risaldar, whirling round on him, his eyes
ablaze.

"'For power! Kharvani's temple here has images and paintings and a voice
that speaks--but no Kharvani!"

The Rajput turned away again and affected unconcern.

"Could Kharvani but appear, could her worshipers but see Kharvani
manifest, what would a lakh, two lakhs, a crore of rupees mean to me,
the High Priest of her temple? I could give thee anything! The power
over all India would be in my hands! Kharvani would but appear and say
thus and thus, and thus would it be done!"

The Risaldar's hand had risen to his mustache. His back was still turned
on the priest, but he showed interest. His eyes wandered to where Ruth
lay in a heap by the inner door and then away again.

"Who would believe it?" he growled in an undertone.

"They would all believe it! One and all! Even Mohammedans would become
Hindus to worship at her shrine and beg her favors. Thou and I alone
would share the secret. Listen! Loose me these bonds--my limbs ache."

Mahommed Khan turned. He stooped and cut them with his sword.

"Now I can talk," said the priest, sitting up and rubbing his ankles.
"Listen. Take thou two horses and gallop off, so that the rest may think
that the white woman has escaped. Then return here secretly and name thy
price--and hold thy tongue!"

"And leave her in thy hands?" asked the Risaldar.

"In my keeping."

"Bah! Who would trust a Hindu priest!"

The Rajput was plainly wavering and the priest stood up, to argue with
him the better.

"What need to trust me? You, sahib, will know the secret, and none other
but myself will know it. Would I, think you, be fool enough to tell the
rest, or, by withholding just payment from you, incite you to spread it
broadcast? You and I will know it and we alone. To me the power that
it will bring--to you all the wealth you ever dreamed of, and more
besides!"

"No other priest would know?"

"Not one! They will think the woman escaped!"

"And she--where would you keep her?"

"In a secret place I know of, below the temple."

"Does any other know it?"

"No. Not one!"

"Listen!" said the Risaldar, stroking at his beard. "This woman never
did me any wrong--but she is a woman, not a man. I owe her no fealty,
and yet--I would not like to see her injured. Were I to agree to thy
plan, there would needs be a third man in the secret."

"Who? Name him," said the priest, grinning his satisfaction.

"My half-brother Suliman."

"Agre