oned themselves one on each side
of Gerrard, so as to throw his face into the clearest possible relief.
Then Partab Singh spoke.

"Let the mother of Kharrak Singh look well upon this Sahib, that she
may know whom to trust. I have given him freedom of entrance here,
that he may speak with her through the curtain, and she may take
counsel with him for the welfare of her son."

There was a moment's pause, and then a muffled voice made an inaudible
reply from somewhere behind the curtain, apparently close to the
ground. The Rajah turned to Gerrard.

"The mother of Kharrak Singh clasps the feet of Jirad Sahib, and
entreats that in the evil day his virtue may be a high tower in which
she and her son can take refuge."

Gerrard sought vainly for a suitably self-deprecatory reply, but the
Rajah was equal to the occasion, and rendered his disjointed murmurs
into a polite desire that he might serve as a sturdy elephant to carry
the Rani and her son over a flooded river. The voice spoke again, and
Partab Singh turned to Gerrard.

"Is my friend yet wedded?" Gerrard shook his head. "Then the mother
of Kharrak Singh desires to be informed when he brings home a wife,
that she may send the bride her clothes and jewels."

In response to this very high honour Gerrard could only bow low, and
promise to send the desired information when the time came, and then
the appearance of the inevitable attar and pan in the hands of thickly
veiled women of apparently most discreet age announced the termination
of the interview. Partab Singh maintained his hold on Gerrard's arm
until they had returned to the hall of audience, and then detailed an
escort to guard him back to his own quarters. It was a most dissipated
hour to return home, but when Gerrard mounted to the roof, where his
bed was spread, he felt no inclination for sleep, and stood leaning on
the parapet, thinking over the events of the evening. It must be his
first care to find out what attitude Colonel Antony would adopt towards
the arrangement desired by Partab Singh, since the workings of the
Resident's mind were by no means easy to forecast. If he could meet
the Rajah face to face and hear his story, Gerrard was inclined to
think he might acquiesce. True, the addition of another infant heir
and female regent to his burden of cares would not be agreeable to him,
but the Rajput lady of royal ancestry would be a very different person
to deal with from the low-born little u