-by reason of
his faulty title to the throne, and his non-fulfilment of the promises
made to them before his accession--and they have no care for him and
his safety. They have sent out messengers again, since those sent
throughout Granthistan returned without promises of help, and are
seeking to enlist Abd-ur-Rashid Khan of Ethiopia, promising him the
city of Shah Bagh, which is to him as the apple of his eye, if he will
invade Granthistan from the north when the rising begins. Let the
Sahibs then beware, for blood once shed is not to be gathered up from
the ground, and Sher Singh is not the man to defend his guests if the
city be howling for their death."

"I will warn them," said Gerrard. "And now come and lodge in our camp
for this night, and in the morning go your way and carry my respectful
thanks to her Highness."

"It is forbidden, sahib. I depart immediately, to report to my
mistress that I have performed her errand."

"So be it, then. Carry my deepest salaams to her Highness," and
Gerrard went on towards the camp. After supper he told Nisbet and
Cowper of the warning he had received for them. It caused no surprise.

"It's quite true about Abd-ur-Rashid," said Nisbet. "Ronaldson caught
one of his messengers sneaking about in his camp near Shah Bagh, trying
to corrupt his escort. That may have been in view of this very plan
for a general rising, but he thought it was one of the usual schemes
for getting hold of Shah Bagh again."

"If Abd-ur-Rashid and the Granthis can manage to agree, we are likely
to come off badly," said Cowper.

"But they won't," said Nisbet. "The thieves are bound to fall out."

"After a time," said Gerrard, "but they may make it very unpleasant for
you first. And suppose your Granthis take sides with the Agpuris? I
took Granthis into Agpur and brought them out again, but then I had had
them for some time first. I wish you knew more of your escort, and
they of you."

"My dear fellow," said Cowper, yawning, "we know at least that no
Granthi is to be trusted. They are a set of _nimuk harams_,[2] and we
shan't trust them. Sir Edmund chooses to trust Sher Singh, as he would
any native that ever walked, but that's all the goodness of his heart,
and we ain't going to be led away by it. Forewarned is forearmed."

[1] Enough.

[2] Perfidious, false to their salt.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE MILD CONCERNS OF ORDINARY LIFE.

All too soon came the hour when Gerrard stoo