alse witnesses rose up against
him. And, I bethink me, he said that the sahib's khansaman was one of
these men with lying lips.

"Surely he was in error; for your face, O khansaman, is open as the sun,
your lips are fragrant with the very attar of truth. But he is filled
with rage and fury; in his madness he will not tarry to inquire. If he
should meet you--well, it is the will of Allah: no man can escape his
fate."

The khansaman, as Desmond spoke, looked more and more distressed; and at
the last words his face was livid.

"It is not true," he said. "But I know the blind fury of revenge. Do thou
entreat him for me. I will pay thee well. I have saved a few pice {coin,
value one-eighth of a penny}. It will be worth five rupees to thee; and
to make amends to the madman, I will give him fifty rupees, even if it
strips me of all I have. Allah knows it was not my doing; it was forced
upon me."

"How could that be, khansaman?" said Desmond, letting pass the man's
contradictory statements.

"It is not necessary to explain; my word is my word."

"No doubt; but so enraged is the khalasi I speak of that unless I can
explain to him fully he will not heed me. Never shall I dissuade him from
his purpose."

"It is the will of Allah!" said the khansaman resignedly. "I will tell
you. It was not Sinfray Sahib at all. He was at the Nawab's court at
Murshidabad. He had lent his house to a friend while he was absent. The
friend had a spite against Merriman Sahib, the merchant at Calcutta; and
when the bibi and the chota bibi came down the river he seized them.
Sinfray Sahib believes there was an attack by dacoits; but the bibi's
peons were carried away by the sahib's friend: it was he that brought the
evidence against them. The Angrezi Sahib induced me to swear falsely by
avouching that Sinfray Sahib was also an enemy of Merriman Sahib; but
when the judge had said his word the sahib bade me keep silence with my
master, for he was ignorant of it all. The Angrezi Sahib is a terrible
man: what could I do? I was afraid to speak."

"And what was the name of the Angrezi Sahib?"

"His name?--It was Higli--no, Digli Sahib--accursed be the day I first
saw him."

Desmond drew a long breath.

"And what became of the bibi and the chota bibi?"

"They were taken away."

"Whither?"

"I do not know."

The answer was glib; Desmond thought a little too glib.

"Why then, khansaman," he said, "I fear it would be vain for me to reason
wi