d we may be able to get at
some of them."

"I have no money," Bathurst said; "but--"

"I have money, sahib, and if they can be bribed, will do it; our
caste is a rich one. We sometimes receive large presents, and we are
everywhere made welcome. We have little need of money. I am wealthy, and
practice my art more because I love it than for gain. There are few in
the land that know the secrets that I do. Men die without having sons
to pass down their knowledge; thus it is the number of those who possess
the secrets of the ancient grows smaller every day. There are hundreds
of jugglers, but very few who know, as I do, the secrets of nature, and
can control the spirits of the air. Did I need greater wealth than I
have, Rabda could discover for me all the hidden treasures of India;
and I could obtain them, guarded though they may be by djins and evil
spirits."

"Have you a son to come after you, Rujub?"

"Yes; he is traveling in Persia, to confer with one or two of the great
ones there who still possess the knowledge of the ancient magicians."

"By the way, Rujub, I have not asked you how you got on with the Nana."

"It was easy enough," the juggler said. "He had lost all interest in
the affairs of Deennugghur, and greeted me at first as if I had just
returned from a journey. Then he remembered and asked me suddenly why I
had disobeyed his orders and given my voice for terms being granted to
the Feringhees. I said that I had obeyed his orders; I understood that
what he principally desired was to have the women here as prisoners, and
that had the siege continued the Feringhees would have blown themselves
into the air. Therefore the only plan was to make terms with them, which
would, in fact, place them all in his power, as he would not be bound
by the conditions granted by the Oude men. He was satisfied, and said no
more about it, and I am restored to my position in his favor. Henceforth
we shall not have to trust to the gossip of the bazaars, but I shall
know what news is received and what is going to be done.

"Your people at Delhi have beaten back the Sepoys several times, and at
Lucknow they resist stoutly. The Nana is very angry that the place has
not been taken, but from what I hear the intrenchments there are much
stronger than they were here, and even here they were not taken by the
sword, but because the whites had no shelter from the guns, and could
not go to the well without exposing themselves to the fire.