sabres, and a battery
of field artillery. As in all the other residences of the great Indian
chiefs, the British Government had stationed here also a military force,
strong enough to keep the Maharajah in respect and to nip all seeds
of insurrection in the bud. As Colonel Baird, moreover, occupied the
position of Resident at the Court of the Prince, and thus combined all
the military and diplomatic power in his own person, he had come to be
regarded as the real lord and master in Chanidigot.

His bungalow was in the centre of the camp, which lay in the middle of
a broad grassy plain. It consisted of a group of buildings which
surrounded a quadrangular courtyard, adorned with exotics and a
splashing fountain.

As it appeared, he had given orders that Heideck was to be admitted
immediately on arrival; for the adjutant, to whom he had announced
himself, conducted him at once into the study of his superior officer.

Quite politely, though with a frigidity that contrasted with his former
behaviour towards the popular guest of the officers' mess, the fine man,
with his martial carriage, thanked him for his prompt visit.

"Please be seated, Mr. Heideck," he began. "I have been very unwilling
to disturb you, but I could not spare you this trouble. I have received
the intelligence that you were received by the Maharajah this morning."

"It is true. I had to talk to him about some business; I am on the point
of purchasing from him a large consignment of indigo for my Hamburg
firm."

"I have, of course, nothing to do with your business; but I must inform
you that we do not approve of direct communication between Europeans and
the native princes. You will, therefore, for the future, be best advised
to communicate with me when you are summoned to the Maharajah, so that
we may arrive at an understanding as to what you may, or may not, say
to him. We cannot, unfortunately, trust all the Indian princes, and this
one here is, perhaps, the most unreliable of them all. You must not,
however, regard what I say to you as an expression of any want of
confidence in yourself. The responsibility of my position imposes upon
me, as you see, the greatest possible prudence."

"I understand that completely, Colonel!"

"At this very moment the situation appears to be more than ever
complicated. I shall be very much surprised, if we are not on the eve
of very disquieting times. The Governor-General of Turkestan is marching
this way, and his a