, he cared very little; no concern of his whether
Karowlee attained to his lands or not--it would be a matter of the King
disposes. Even that the Dewan stood in Baptiste's shadow in the affair
was another something that only caused the Frenchman to remark
sardonically:

"Dewani, the English sahibs have a delectable game of cards named poker
in which there is an observance called passing the buck; when a player
wishes to avoid the responsibility of a bet he passes the buck to the
next man. Dewani, you have the subtlety of a good poker player and
have passed the buck to me."

The Brahmin looked hurt. "Sirdar," he said, "you are the commander of
matters of war, which this is. You stand here in the city of tents as
Sindhia; I am but the man of accounts; it is well as it is. And now
that we have signed the promise the decoits will also sign, then I will
make them take the oath according to their patron goddess, Bhowanee.
They are just without--I will have them in."

When the three jamadars had been summoned to the Dewan's presence, he
said: "Here is the paper of promise as to the reward from Sindhia for
the service you are to render. You will also sign here, making your
seal or thumb print; then it will be required that you take the oath of
service according to your own method and your gods."

Ajeet consulted a little apart with Sookdee and then coming forward
said: "We Bagrees are an ancient people descended from the Rajputs, and
we keep our word to our friends; therefore we will take the oath after
the manner of Bhowanee, beneath the pipal tree. If Your Honour will
give us but an hour we will take the oath."

A mile down the red road from the bungalow, looking like a huge beehive
with its heavy enveloping roof of thatch, that was Jean Baptiste's
head-quarters, was a particularly sacred pipal of huge growth. It was
an extraordinary octopus-like tree, and most sacred, for perched in the
embrace of its giant arms was a shrine that had been lifted from its
base in the centuries of the tree's growth.

And now, an hour later, the pipal was surrounded by thousands of
Mahratta sepoys, for word had gone forth,--the mysterious rumour of
India that is like a weird static whispering to the four corners of the
land a message,--had flashed through the tented city that the men from
Karowlee were to take the oath of allegiance to Sindhia.

The fat Dewan had come down in a _palki_ swung from the shoulders of
stout bearers,