that he would take the
full onus upon himself for not slaying the murderer, that if there were
blame let it be upon his head. Then he spoke to Hunsa: "This has been
decided upon, dog, that if thou confess, reveal to us information that
is of value to our people, the torture shall cease, and no man's head
in the whole Pindari camp shall be raised against thee either to wound
or take thy life."

"But the gaol, Hazari Sahib?"

"No, dog, if thou but tell the truth in full, that we may profit,
to-morrow thou may go free, and if any man in the camp wounds thee his
life will pay for it. Till noon thou may have for the going; even food
for thy start on the way back to the land of thy accursed tribe. By
the Beard of the Prophet no man of all the Pindari force shall wound
thee. Now speak quick, for I have given a pledge."

There were murmurs amongst the jamadars at Kassim's terms, for their
hearts were full of hate for the creature who had slain their loved
chief. But Kassim was a man famous for his intelligence. In all the
councils Amir Khan had been swayed by the Hazari's judgment. It was an
accursed price to pay, they felt, but the Chief was dead; to kill his
slayer perhaps was not as great a thing as to have Hunsa's confession
written and attested to. All that vast horde of fierce riding Pindaris
and Bundoolas had been gathered by Amir Khan with the object of being a
power in the war that was brewing--the war in which the Mahrattas were
striving for ascendency, and the British massing to crush the Mahratta
horde. It had been Amir Khan's policy to strike with the winning
force; perhaps his big body of hard-riding _sowars_ being the very
power that would throw the odds to one or other of the contenders.
Their reward would be loot, unlimited loot, so dear to the heart of the
Pindari, and an assignment of territory. To know, beyond doubt, who
had instigated the murder of the Chief was precious knowledge. It
might be, as the Gulab had said, Sindhia's Dewan, but there was the
English officer there at that time; and the message of friendship may
have been a message of deceit and the true object the slaying of Amir
Khan who was looked upon as a great leader.

Hunsa had lain watching furtively the effect of the Commander's words
upon the others; now he said, "I will tell the truth, Hazari, for thou
hast given a promise in the name of Allah that I am free of death at
the hands of thy people."

"Wait, dog of an infidel