hmed had to display his wares, and was immediately engaged
in a haggling bout. Being thoroughly uneasy, he determined to cut the
business short, and indeed concluded a bargain with a rapidity and at a
sacrifice that evidently surprised his customer. Ahmed hastened to
assure him that at an ordinary time he would rather starve than accept
such a price, but what was a poor trader to do in these times of
trouble? He must take what he could get and be thankful.

The natural result of this was that the customer hesitated. Perhaps if
he haggled a little longer he would get the article--a fine embroidered
shawl--still cheaper. But Ahmed now spoke up resolutely.

"No, I must make sacrifices; it is fate; but I will not give my goods
away. Here, Ali, the hazur does not want the shawl. Roll it up in the
bundle; we will be gone."

And then the jamadar, fearing he might lose his bargain after all,
closed with the offer, and paid the price.

It was only just in time. The coolie was actually rolling up the bundle
when Minghal Khan himself, accompanied by two or three subordinate
officers, turned the corner, and approached the door of the barracks at
which the chaffering had been going on. Ahmed instinctively bent down,
in spite of his disguise, to avoid recognition, and helped the man to
tie up the bundle. One of the sepoys with whom he had been in
conversation nudged him.

"That is our noble subahdar," he said in a whisper.

Ahmed made but a slight sign that he heard. He did not venture to look
up until Minghal Khan had passed by. Then he said--

"Without doubt he is a very devout man, but does he seem fit to command
such fine warriors as you? Truly he has not the figure of a great
commander. Nevertheless the king knows best."

"And will you not show him your goods?"

"Another time. The great man talked very earnestly with his friends. It
is certain he is occupied with weighty matters. It would not beseem my
insignificance to intrude upon him now. Salaam!"

He went back to the serai and dismissed the coolie. He had had enough of
playing the trader for that time. The rest of the day he spent in
wandering about the city, haunting the gates, noting the strength of the
sepoys at the bastions, and picking up what scraps of information he
could.

That night, under cover of the darkness, he sought out the house of the
Maulavi Fazl Hak, who, while in high favour with the king, was secretly
in the confidence of Rajab Ali Khan, the