rat Sharif. "We will
prepare rest for her--Chosen-of-Vishnu, the Great Preserver!"

It was after they had cared for the Gul Moti with the best they
had--water from a mountain stream and food Neela Deo had carried, in a
shelter made of tender deodar tips, where she now slept on a bed made of
the same--that the mahouts told the Chief Commissioner and Skag, all they
themselves had seen.

By this time concern had spread from Hurda throughout the country. Neela
Deo had gone out to find the Gul Moti, carrying the Chief Commissioner
and Son of Power. No one had come back. Calamity must have fallen. Men
went out on horses to trace them. But it was certain priests of Hanuman
who found the caravan first. (The Gul Moti having saved the life of a
monkey king once, her safety was their concern also.) Without being seen
or heard themselves, they went close enough to learn that she was making
recovery from great exhaustion; and that the mahouts were caring for an
elephant unable to travel by reason of a bad wound. They overheard talk
of strange happenings; but more about Neela Deo's undreamed-of
achievement.

Before any of the searchers from Hurda reached the caravan, mysterious
gifts of provisions--much needed--were found by the mahouts, with a crude
writing beside them: "For the Healer-without-fear." And those same
priests of Hanuman--preparing a signal-system as they came--brought the
good word back to the anxious people, who became joyous at once. Their
Gul Moti was safe! Neela Deo was safe--everyone was safe. (But that was
a strange saying--that Neela Deo had fought!)

Bonfires blazed up in every village within sight of the caravan's way
home--from so far away as watchers on Hurda's highest hill could
see--burning night and day. At last the one furthest from Hurda went
out. The watchers raced in--Neela Deo's caravan was coming! One by one,
the bonfires went out--till it was this side the Nerbudda. Then the
people made ready.

They thronged out the great Highway-of-all-India, meeting the caravan
where the slow-moving elephants turned in from open jungle. Eagerly
striving to see the Gul Moti's face, eagerly pointing at Neela Deo, yet
it was a stranger silent multitude. Only many tears on many tears showed
their feeling.

The Gul Moti sat in Neela Deo's howdah, with the Chief Commissioner and
Son-of-Power. Two men came close, carrying a long slender shape covered
with pure white cloth--dripping wet.

"We