sound directly
behind her in the path. Her thought naturally was that some wild
animal was stealing upon her, but the first glance told a more dreadful
story. Five men, who, from their ragged, scant attire, their dark
complexion and wild expression of features, she knew to belong to the
terrible bandits called Ghoojurs, had come upon her unnoticed, and
pausing within a half dozen paces, were looking fixedly at her.

The sight was so startling that the young woman gasped and recoiled.
She would have fled after her friends had not the leader made a
gesture, accompanied by the command:

"Stay where you are or you shall be killed! I know you as the daughter
of the doctor, and we seek you and him."

Each of the Ghoojurs carried a long, muzzle-loading gun, and every one
had a yataghan thrust into a girdle around his waist, the weapon being
a foot or more in length, and with a point of needle-like fineness.
The leader spoke in Hindustani, which was as familiar to the young
woman as her own tongue.

The young woman possessed quick wit. She could not doubt that the
five, including Almos and Mustad, were now her deadly enemies. Whether
they had taken part in the massacre of those left on the boat could not
be conjectured, but the probabilities were the other way, since it
would have been well-nigh impossible for them to reach their present
position from the river without colliding with Dr. Marlowe and Jack
Everson.

Mary showed her shrewdness by acting as if the two men were the friends
they had always shown themselves when their former meetings took place.

"Why, Almos," she said, forcing a smile in which there was no pleasure,
"we have not met before since you came to my home and my father gave
you medicine that cured your illness. How do you do?"

And she had the courage to advance a step and offer her dainty hand,
but the brute refused it. With a shake of his head he retreated a step
and said:

"My caste will not allow me."

"But it allowed you to take drink and food from my hand and medicine
from that of my father," she said, stung by the repulse.

"I did evil, for which Allah has pardoned me; the faithful have been
summoned to drive the infidels from India; the followers of Islam have
heard the call, and they are flocking to the banner of the Prophet from
all parts of Hindostan; not one infidel shall be left in all the land."

During these few moments Mustad stood directly behind the leader, with
a fix