aid eagerly.

"I cannot. You must come with me to-night; and I promise you that at
present you shall only be my guest."

"You promise this?" I said.

"I do. You do not wish for my guest to look--there as you do now?"

"No," I said, for I felt that I must yield.

"Go, then, and come back, not as my officer, but as the friend in whom
my people's rajah delights."

He held out his hand again, and weakly, or diplomatically, whichever it
may have been, I grasped his hand, rose, and went into the outer tent,
to find Salaman and one of my attendants patiently awaiting my arrival.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

As I saw the two attendants waiting there, and by the light of a lamp
caught sight of a glittering uniform wonderfully like my ideas as given
to the rajah in conversation, I felt as if I must retreat and go back to
the other tent and announce my determination, but I had several thoughts
to combat now--shame and inclination among others, for I felt as if I
could go back to the rajah and argue with him again; and I tried to
convince myself that wearing the clothes spread out before me need make
no difference. I should no doubt be armed, and that would help me in my
escape; besides, he had promised me that I should go with him only as a
friend.

To sum up, I was compelled to own that resistance was out of the
question, and I had better appear before these people dressed in a way
worthy of a British officer than reduced to the slight, well-worn shirt
and trousers I had persisted in wearing all through my sojourn in the
tent.

"It's of no use," I muttered; "and I must make a virtue of necessity."

As I said this, I turned to Salaman, who eagerly began to hand me the
various articles of attire; and in spite of my determination to be calm
and stoical, I could not help feeling a glow of satisfaction as my eyes
lit upon Russia leather boots, with gold spurs, a handsomely braided and
corded tunic, helmet with handsome plume and puggaree of glittering
gold-embroidered muslin wound lightly round, after the fashion of a
slight turban.

And as I put on article after article, I began to marvel at the accuracy
of the fit until I felt that the rajah must have given instructions for
the clothes to be made exactly like the cut and torn uniform I had worn
when I was made prisoner.

I could not help it, for I was still a boy, and one of the youngest
officers in the Company's service: a warm glow of satisfaction ran
through me