uasive when he chose,
and he chose on this occasion. Finally, with reluctance she yielded,
since, as he pointed out, she needed all the strength she could muster.

He tucked her up with motherly care, feeling that he had accomplished
something worth doing, and then, seeing that exhaustion would do the
rest, he left her and went softly forth in search of Bernard.

The latter, however, was not in the bungalow, and since it was growing
late Tommy had a hurried bath and dressed for parade. He was bolting a
hasty _tiffin_ in the dining-room when a quiet step on the verandah
warned him of Bernard's approach, and in a moment or two the big man
entered, a pipe in his mouth and a book under his arm.

"Hullo, Tommy!" he said with his genial smile. "So you haven't been
murdered this time. I congratulate you."

"Thanks!" said Tommy.

"I congratulate myself also," said Bernard, patting his shoulder by way
of greeting. "If it weren't against my principles, I should have been
very worried about you, my lad. For I couldn't get away to look for
you."

"Of course not," said Tommy. "And I was safe enough. I've been over to
Khanmulla. Everard made me spend the night, and we rode back this
morning."

"Everard! He isn't here?" Bernard looked round sharply.

"No," said Tommy bluntly. "But he ought to be. He went back again. He is
wanted for that trial business. I say, things are pretty rotten here,
aren't they? Is the little kid past hope?"

"I am afraid so." Bernard spoke very gravely. His kindly face was more
sombre than Tommy had ever seen it.

"But can nothing be done?" the boy urged. "It'll break Stella's heart to
lose him."

Bernard shook his head. "Nothing whatever I am afraid. Major Ralston has
suspected trouble for some time, it seems. We might of course get a
specialist's opinion at Calcutta, but the baby is utterly unfit for a
journey of any kind, and it is doubtful if any doctor would come all
this way--especially with things as they are."

"What do you mean?" said Tommy.

Bernard looked at him. "The place is a hotbed of discontent--if not
anarchy. Surely you know that!"

Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "That's nothing new. It's what we're here
for."

"Yes. And matters are getting worse. I hear that the result of this
trial will probably mean the Rajah's enforced abdication. And if that
happens there is practically bound to be a rising."

Tommy laughed. "That's been the situation as long as I've been out.
We're