d it was clear that the fat was in the fire already. I
sent him on at once, with letters to my fellows in Darwan, and to try
and open Antony's eyes, and made straight for this _tope_ to intercept
you."

"And to save all our lives," said Gerrard. "My dear Bob, how can I
thank you?"

"Don't want to be thanked," growled Charteris. "If you don't know from
your own feelings how I hated doing it, you ought to, that's all.
Never mind, you'll do something of the same sort for me one day, and
then I shall have the crow over you. And now just give me some idea of
the state of affairs. Keep your silly head quiet, can't you? I didn't
tell you to get up. Well, put your back against the tree, if you
_must_ sit up. Who killer Cock Robin--that is to say, Partab Singh?"

"Either Sher Singh or some emissary of his."

"Not openly, then?"

"No, in the night. The wound was so small that it escaped notice at
first. I charged Sher Singh with the murder on suspicion merely. He
may not know that the truth has been discovered."

"Never show your teeth unless you can bite," said Charteris
sententiously. "What does the opposition party consist of?"

"Little Kharrak Singh and his mother, whom Sher Singh wishes to become
suttee."

Charteris whistled. "And which is more important--to bring home the
Rajah's death to Sher Singh, or to save the Rani?"

"For Kharrak Singh's sake, to save his mother, undoubtedly. But now
you are here, I hope to do both."

"We shall see about that. I gather from what you said in your letter
last week that you know where to lay hands upon a sum of money
sufficient to secure the loyalty of the army?"

"Yes, but to get at it I must be inside the palace enclosure, and even
then I shall need your help."

"On the whole, my young friend,"--Charteris's voice was didactic in the
extreme,--"you seem to me to have contrived to surround yourself with
the materials for a very pretty row. Be thankful that you have at hand
the services of a person of experience and knowledge of the
world--myself, sir,"--with a resounding thump on his chest,--"to
extricate you from a situation of uncommon difficulty and delicacy for
one so young. You place yourself unreservedly in my hands?"

"Not a bit of it!" said Gerrard, struggling up, only to be pressed down
again by Charteris's grip upon his shoulders.

"My dear Hal, you do. There's no other course open to you. Sher Singh
has the big battalions, and though I admi