"What Jirad Sahib suggests is impossible," said Sher Singh with
determination. "My _izzat_"--a convenient term, covering most things
from self-esteem to family honour--"would be destroyed if my father's
wife wandered away from my house."

"The choice lies with her Highness," said Gerrard. "Let her servants
decide whether they will serve her or Sher Singh Rajah."

The Rajputs stepped over to their mistress's side at once, and so did
Rukn-ud-din and most of his troopers, but some even of these who had
accompanied the Rani from Agpur preferred to worship the riding
[Transcriber's note: rising?] sun. Sher Singh smiled unpleasantly.

"Since I am so many, and he so few, Jirad Sahib will not force me to
defend my _izzat_ with the sword?"

"I begin to think that it needs a good deal of defending," said Gerrard
meaningly, "but that will not be done by attacking me. I shall attend
the Rani Sahiba to Ranjitgarh myself."

[1] Starving oneself to force a debtor to pay.

[2] Fixture.

CHAPTER XII.

THE ONE WHO WAS TAKEN.

"Have you cleared out a tent for the Rani, Bob? I was going to ask you
to do it, but when I looked for you, you had disappeared."

"Yes, she and her women are safely secluded. But what I really made
myself scarce for was to secure the guns."

"Old boy, you are a genius! They won't dare to try and stop us now."

"Us? That sounds good. I hoped you would see the folly of ramming
your head into the lion's mouth by going back to Agpur with Sher Singh."

"He's uncommon anxious that I should--been trying to persuade me all
this time. First he followed me himself, and then he sent the fakir,
and then Ibrahim Khan."

"I'm not surprised. You would be a particularly welcome guest at Agpur
just now, but whether the visit would be quite as agreeable to you as
to your entertainers, I take leave to doubt. Have you forgot that you
know the secret of the treasury, and Sher Singh don't?"

"I had forgotten. As a matter of fact, I have promised to go back as
soon as I have seen the Rani to Ranjitgarh."

"I believe you, my boy! But I wonder whether Sher Singh does. By the
way, what becomes of our oaths, and the treasure, now that Kharrak
Singh, whom it was intended to benefit, is no more?"

"I really don't know. The question did not arise."

"Well, my base material mind would have asked it first thing. Can
hardly go to the Rani, I suppose, can it? or be divided between two
deserving young