'

"To seize a horse, for military use, under the spur of necessity, and
after giving a receipt for it, would be in order."

"So I am to spend the night wandering around the countryside, in a vain
endeavor to--"

But Brown was doing mathematics in his head. Two men to guard prisoners,
two on guard at the crossroads, two at the guardroom door--six from
twelve left six, and six were not enough to rape a countryside.

"Guard!" he ordered. "Release that prisoner. Now, you Stanley, let this
be a lesson to you, and remember that I only set you free because I'd
have been short-handed otherwise. Number One! Stand guard between the
clink and the guardroom door. Keep an eye on both. The remainder--form
two-deep. Right turn! By the left, quick-march! Left wheel!... Now,"
he said, turning to Juggut Khan, "if you'll come along I'll soon get a
horse for you!"

The Rajput strode along beside him, and gave him some additional
information as they went, Brown taking very good care all the time to
keep out of earshot of the men and to speak to Juggut Khan in low tones.
He learned, among other things, that Juggut Khan had lost every anna
that he owned, and had only escaped with his life by dint of luck and
swordship and most terrific riding.

"Are all of you Rajputs loyal?" asked Brown.

"I know not. I know that I myself shall stay loyal until the end!"

"Well--the end is not in doubt. There can only be one end!" commented
Brown.

"Of a truth, sahib, I believe that you are right. There can only be one
end. This night is not more black, this horizon is no shorter, than the
outlook!"

"Then, you mean--"

"I mean, sahib, that this uprising is more serious than you--or any
other Englishman--is likely to believe. I believe that the side I fight
for will be the losing side."

"And yet, you stay loyal?"

"Why not?"

"All the same, Juggut Khan--I'm not emotional, or a man of many words. I
don't trust Indians as a rule! I--but--here--will you shake hands?"

"Certainly, sahib!" said the Rajput. "We be two men, you and I! Why
should the one be loyal and the other not?"

"When this is over," said Brown, "if it ends the way we want, and we're
both alive, I'd like to call myself your friend!"

"I have always been your friend, sahib, and you mine, since the day when
you bandaged up a boy and gave him your own drinking-water and carried
him in to Bholat on your shoulder, twenty miles or more."

"Oh, as for that--any other man would