troops, to aid in the defence of the city; but none had
arrived, and Harry's mission was to urge him to send them off,
instantly.

The rajah had, however, heard that Holkar's force was within a
day's march of the capital and, entertaining no doubt that he would
carry the feeble defences without difficulty, had resolved to throw
in his lot with him. Harry was now riding in uniform, having
obtained the loan of a jacket, trousers, and cap from one of the
British officers of the garrison. The rajah received him in his
palace; and Harry saw at once, by the scowling faces of the men who
gathered round him, that he had only waited for the news that
Holkar's army was near Delhi before throwing off the mask of
friendship.

"I have come over, Rajah," he said, "to tell you that Colonel
Ochterlony requests that you will send every available fighting man
to Delhi, at once. He prays you to despatch as many as you can
possibly gather together."

The rajah replied coldly:

"Why should I do so? By tomorrow night Holkar, with his great army,
will have captured the town. Why should I send my men there to die,
fighting for strangers? I take no orders from them. I have received
the Emperor's, it is true; but he is old and infirm, and is a
prisoner in your hands."

"I deny that he is a prisoner, Rajah. He is treated with all
honour, and is in a very different position from that which he
occupied when he was imprisoned by the Mahrattas."

"The Mahrattas are a great people," the rajah answered, angrily.
"Has not Holkar driven a force of the infidels into Agra? And soon,
when he has captured Delhi, he will defeat the rest of them, and
carry his arms to Benares."

"In that case," Harry said quietly, "it is a pity that he did not
first crush the English army, and then march to Benares, and finish
with Delhi at his leisure. Instead of so doing he has avoided a
battle, and is retiring north with his army."

"It is not true!" the rajah shouted. "He wishes first to gain
possession of the capital, to liberate the Emperor and, after that,
he will soon make an end of your people."

He made a sign to those standing round him, who immediately threw
themselves upon Harry. The latter offered no resistance, seeing
that it would only lead to his being killed, on the spot.

He was at once dragged out from the audience chamber to the
courtyard beyond. He saw the bodies of the two native troopers who
had accompanied him. Abdool, who had also been