so easily, so gently,
I knew not when the last breath came. You had been gone but a little
space. I sent Peter to call you, but your room was empty. He returned,
and I went to seek you myself. I reached you only as the storm broke."

"Ah!" A sharp shudder caught Stella. "What--happened?" she asked again.

"It was but a band of _budmashes, mem-sahib_." A note of contempt
sounded in the quiet rejoinder. "I think they were looking for Monck
_sahib_--for the captain _sahib_. But they found him not."

"No," Stella said. "No. They had killed him already--in the jungle. At
least, they had shot him. He died--afterwards." She spoke dully; she
felt as if her heart had grown old within her, too old to feel
poignantly any more. "Go on!" she said, after a moment. "What happened
then? Did they kill Bernard _sahib_ and Denvers _sahib_, too?"

"Neither, my _mem-sahib._" Hanani's reply was prompt and confident.
"Bernard _sahib_ was struck on the head and senseless when we dragged
him in. Denvers _sahib_ was not touched. It was he who put out the lamp
and saved their lives. Afterwards, I know not how, he raised a great
outcry so that they thought they were surrounded and fled. Truly,
Denvers _sahib_ is great. After that, he went for help. And I,
_mem-sahib_, fearing they might return to visit their vengeance upon
you--being the wife of the captain _sahib_ whom they could not find--I
wrapped a _saree_ about your head and carried you away." Humble pride in
the achievement sounded in Hanani's voice. "I knew that here you would
be safe," she ended. "All evil-doers fear this place. It is said to be
the abode of unquiet spirits."

Again Stella gazed around the place. Her eyes had become accustomed to
the green-hued twilight. The crumbling, damp-stained walls stretched
away into darkness behind her, but the place held no terrors for her.
She was too tired to be afraid. She only wondered, though without much
interest, how Hanani had managed to accomplish the journey.

"Where is Peter?" she asked at last.

"Peter remained with Bernard _sahib_," Hanani answered. "He will tell
them where to seek for you."

Again Stella gazed about the place. It struck her as strange that Peter
should have relinquished his guardianship of her, even in favour of
Hanani. But the thought did not hold her for long. Evidently he had
known that he could trust the woman as he trusted himself and her
strength must be almost superhuman. She was glad that he had stay