Blitz and Rasula laughed scornfully and turned to the crowd. The
latter began to harangue his fellows. "This man is a--a--" he began.

"A bluff!" prompted Von Blitz, glaring at his tall accuser.

"A bluff," went on Rasula. "He can do none of these things. Nor can the
Americans at the chateau. I know that they are liars. They--"

"I'll make you pay for that, Rasula. Your time is short. Men of Japat, I
don't want to serve you unless you trust me--"

A dozen voices cried: "We don't trust you!" "Dog of a Christian! Son of
a snake!" Von Blitz glowed with satisfaction.

"One moment, please! Rasula knows that I came out here to represent Sir
John Brodney. He knows how I am regarded in London. He is jealous
because I have not listened to his chatter. I am not responsible for the
probable delay in settling the estate. If you are not very careful, you
will ruin every hope for success that you may have had in the beginning.
The Crown will take it out of your hands. You've got to show yourselves
worthy of handling the affairs of this company. You can't do it if you
listen to such carrion as Von Blitz and Rasula. Oh, I'm not afraid of
you! I know that you have written to Sir John, Rasula, asking that I be
recalled. He won't recall me, rest assured, unless he throws up the
case. I have his own letters to prove that he is satisfied with my work
out here. I am satisfied that there are enough fair-minded men in this
crowd to protect me. They will stand by me in the end. I call upon--"

But a howl of dissent from the throng brought him up sharply. His face
went white and for a moment he feared the malevolence that stared at him
from all sides. He looked frequently in the direction of the distant
chateau. An anxious gleam came into his eyes--was it of despair? A
hundred men were shouting, but no one seemed to have the courage to
break over the line that he had drawn. Knives slipped from many sashes;
Von Blitz was screaming with insane laughter, pointing his finger at the
discredited American. While they shouted and cursed, his gaze never left
the cleft in the hills. He did not attempt to cry them down; the effort
would have been in vain. Suddenly a wild, happy light came into his
anxious, searching eyes. He gave a mighty shout and raised his hands,
commanding silence.

Selim, clinging to his side, also had seen the sky-rocket which arose up
from the chateau and dropped almost instantly into the wall of trees.

There was something