d seen how well his
guests were treated. He was taking no unnecessary chances at that stage
of the game he played.

There were others, though, who plotted besides Jaimihr. There were, for
instance, Siva's priests. It is not to be forgotten that in that part
of India the priests had been foremost in fomenting the rebellion. They
urged Howrah constantly to take the field against the British, and it
was only the sure knowledge of his brother's intention to strike for the
throne that prevented the Maharajah from doing what the priests urged.

He knew that Alwa and the Rangars would not help him unless Jaimihr
first attacked him, for Alwa would be sure to stand on the strict letter
of his oath. And he was afraid of the Rangars. He feared that they might
protect him and depose him afterward. He reasoned that that, too,
might be construed into a strict interpretation of the terms of Alwa's
promise!

He consented to collect his army. He kept it under arms. He even paid it
something on account of arrears of wages and served out rations. But,
to the disgust of the priests who asked nothing better than dissension
between the brothers, he jumped at the idea of uniting with Jaimihr to
defeat Alwa's men. He knew--just as the priests feared--that once he
could trick and defeat Jaimihr he could treat the troublesome priests as
cavalierly as he chose.

So the priests made a third knot in the tangle and tried desperately at
the last moment to recreate dissension between the rival royal camps.

"Jaimihr is getting ready to attack you!" they assured Howrah. "Attack
him first!"

"I will wait until he does attack," the Maharajah answered. "For the
moment we are friends and have a cause in common."

"Howrah's men will desert to you the moment you make a move to win the
throne," they assured Jaimihr.

"Wait!" answered Jaimihr. "Wait but a day or two. I will move fast as I
see fit when I am ready. For the present my cause and my brother's cause
are one."

Spies brought in news to Maharajah, Prince, and priest of the hurried
raising of a Rangar army. The Maharajah and the Prince laughed up their
sleeves and the priests swore horribly; the interjection of another
element--another creed--into the complication did not suit the priestly
"book." They were the only men who were really worried about Alwa.

And another spy--Joanna--disappeared. No longer garbed as a man, she had
hung about the palace, and--known to nearly all the sweepers--s