's feet. "O my friend, what have I done, that you
would bring the guilt of your death upon me?"

"Maharaj-ji," protested Gerrard indignantly, "I am not a griffin, to
try to penetrate into mosques or zenanas. I would but walk about--of
course with a servant or two."

"Has my friend not perceived yet that this city is in the eyes of its
inhabitants sacred even as a mosque or a zenana? He sees only eyes
beaming with affection as he rides through the streets?"

"Not exactly," admitted Gerrard. "But I thought that the people were
irritated by the action of the escort in clearing the way--and perhaps
also by seeing me riding your Highness's horse. On foot, and
unattended----"

"You would be slain before you had left the palace square. Listen, my
friend--who knows Agpur best, I who have spent my life here, or you who
see it now for the first time?"

"Your Highness, undoubtedly."

"Then let my friend listen to me. These Moslem notables, who would
dispute the city itself with my Granthis, but for the firm hand I keep
over both, think you that they love the English? Abd-ur-Rashid Khan of
Ethiopia is the master they would choose to serve if they had their
way. Say that they gratify their hatred by slaying a British officer,
Antni Sahib's envoy. On whose head lies the guilt? Is it not on that
of Rajah Partab Singh? The English come to punish him, and the whole
of Granthistan is in a blaze again. Granthi sides with Granthi against
the English, but these dogs of Mohammedans, who shall tell which side
they will take? This only I can say, that it will be the side of their
own advantage."

"Forgive me, Maharaj-ji. I had not thought----"

"No, my friend. You uttered hastily the words of an impatient mind,
not having studied from your youth the art of playing off Granthi
against Moslem, and both against Ranjitgarh. But it is a study that
you will do well to take in hand now."

"I could have no better teacher than your Highness," said Gerrard
politely. The Rajah looked at him almost with affection.

"Would that these were as the days of old, before the English crossed
the Ghara! Then should Jirad Sahib have been my Englishman, and I
would have given him a wife out of my own house, and he should have
dwelt always in my city, and trained my soldiers. Verily we would have
put Ranjitgarh itself to tribute when the fool sat on the _gaddi_ in
the place of Ajit Singh, and when death approached I would have put my