older man than he
had supposed. Striking a light with flint and steel, for in the dark it
was impossible to see whether the man was dead or merely insensible, he
was amazed to see that his helpless captive was Rahmut Khan. Hastily he
unslung his water-bottle, poured some drops between the old chief's
lips, and dashed the rest in his face. There was a groan.

"Dog, let me die!" murmured the old man.

"Father, dost thou not know me? It is Ahmed, thy son."

The chief seemed at first too much dazed to understand what was said,
but as he regained his senses he gave utterance to a cry of wonderment
and delight.

"Is it indeed thee, Ahmed-ji?" he said. "Praise to the Most Merciful! I
supposed it was one of the Feringhi dogs. Praise to Allah! Now thou and
I can go together in peace, and do what must be done to that
thrice-accursed reptile, Dilasah Khan."

Ahmed felt a great pity for the old man, ignorant of all that had
happened to his adopted son during the past year.

"Nay, father," he said tenderly, "it may not be. I am of Lumsden Sahib's
Guides; I was sent to catch thee: needs must I give thee up."

"Of the Guides, sayest thou? Hast thou, then, eaten of the accursed
Feringhis' salt?"

"I have indeed eaten of it, my father."

"Hast thou told them that thou art thyself of Feringhi blood?" asked the
old man anxiously.

"Nay, father, none knows it save Sherdil, son of Assad, and he has held
his peace."

"Verily I love thee, my son. But having eaten of the Feringhis' salt,
thou must be true to it. I will go back with thee."

Ahmed examined him, to make sure that no bones were broken, then went
back to the nullah to find his horse. Seeing that the beast's knees were
fractured, he shot him through the head, then returned and set Rahmut on
Ruksh. And thus he led him back to camp.

On the way explanations were exchanged. Rahmut had been imprisoned at
Agra, and when, at the outbreak of the Mutiny, the town was isolated,
all communications being cut off by the rebels, the authorities, fearing
an attack on the prison as at Meerut, conveyed all the prisoners across
the Jumna and released them. The chief was on his way back to Shagpur
when he learnt that Dilasah had made himself master of the place, and
that Ahmed had gone, none knew whither. Incensed at the British, to his
imprisonment by whom he ascribed these misfortunes, he cast in his lot
with the rebels, gathered by sheer force of character a band of
desperadoes, a