as complete, felt a sense of desecration when he discovered several
privates, looking, in their tight scarlet tunics, stiff stocks and
heavy shakos, most incongruously uncomfortable, taking their ease on
the divan in the tower where he had sat with Partab Singh. Others were
trying to paddle the deaf and dumb man's boat about the lotus-covered
tank, their adventures affording high delight to their comrades on the
shore, and others again were teasing the wild beasts in the menagerie.
The first troops marching in had found the palace strewn with valuable
stuffs and other treasures, but these had now all been collected and
placed under guard, as were the women's apartments, and there was
nothing left to tempt the cupidity of the soldiers, though they found a
good deal that was capable of injury, and promptly injured it. The
Residency, in which Gerrard had passed so many lonely days, was badly
knocked about, and strewn with the dishonoured remnants of Nisbet and
Cowper's belongings. Evidently Sher Singh and his adherents had
wreaked their vengeance even upon the house where the murdered men had
lived, for the place was little more than a ruin. In the enclosed
garden, where he had dreamt of seeing Honour walking, Gerrard came upon
the political officer, whom he knew well as one of Sir Edmund Antony's
most trusted lieutenants.

"Glad to see you, Gerrard. Curious you should have come upon me just
here. Wasn't it you who got into trouble with Speathley by saying that
poor Nisbet and Cowper ought to be buried in the city instead of in
Ratan Singh's tomb?"

"Yes, but I don't know how you heard of it."

"Other people have heard of it as well. You have impressed the
sensitive imagination of no less a person than the Governor-General, my
dear fellow. Your suggestion got through to him somehow--some one who
was there writing to some one else, I suppose--and he has sent
peremptory orders for it to be carried out. Ever since the news
arrived, the pet aide-de-camp has been labouring to convince Speathley
that he originated the idea himself, and was only angry with you
because you took the words out of his mouth, and he is just coming to
believe it."

"Very wise, in the circumstances."

"Uncommonly so. Well, what do you think of this place for the grave?
It is inside the palace enclosure, and yet quite separated from the
palace itself. Even if we set up a new Rajah, I suppose we shall keep
a garrison in the town, and a se