. What shall I do
in Ambala without you? I have suffered so unutterably since you were
carried off before my eyes at Anar Kali, that I will die a thousand
times rather than again expose myself to the torture of such
uncertainty."

A noise behind him made Heideck turn his head. He saw the curtain before
the door of the tent slightly lifted, and that it was Morar Gopal who
had attempted to draw his attention by coughing discreetly.

He called to the loyal fellow to come in, and thanked him, not
condescendingly, as a master recognises the cleverness of his servant,
but as one friend thanks another.

The Hindu's features showed how delighted he was by the kindness of
his idolised master, although there was no alteration in his humble and
modest demeanour even for a moment. As respectful as ever, he said: "I
bring good news, sahib. One of the Maharajah's retinue, whose tongue
I loosened with some of your rupees, has told me that the Maharajah of
Sabathu is going to give the Russians forty horsemen to show them the
best roads to Simla. The country here is under his rule, and his people
know every inch of ground to the top of the mountains. If the lady joins
these horsemen to-morrow in the dress of a rajah, she will be sure to
get away from here unmolested."

The excellence and practicability of this plan was obvious, and Heideck
again recognised what a treasure a lucky accident had bestowed upon him
in the shape of this Indian boy. Edith also agreed, since she saw how
joyfully Heideck welcomed the proposal, although the prospect of being
obliged to show herself in broad daylight before everybody in man's
dress was painful to her feelings as a woman.

She asked Morar Gopal whether he had heard anything of Georgi in the
meantime. He nodded assent.

"I was talking to her half an hour ago. She had escaped from the women's
tent and was on the point of leaving the camp."

"What?" cried Heideck. "Where in the world did she intend to go?"

"I don't know, sahib. She was very sad, but when I asked her to
accompany me to the sahib, she said she did not want to see him and
the lady again; she sent her respects to the sahib, and begged him to
remember his promise that he would say nothing to Prince Tchajawadse of
her having been here."

Heideck and Edith exchanged a significant look. This singular girl's
behaviour set them riddles which for the moment they were unable to
solve. But it was only natural and human that in their ow