songs of the Bhagavad Gita and the philosophy of the Puranas was more
to me than what I had been taught at Oxford. So I took back the caste,
and under my shirt is the _junwa_ (sacred thread)."

A quick smile lighted his face, and he laid a hand on Barlow's arm,
saying in a new voice, a voice that was as if some one spoke through
his lips in ventriloquism: "And all this, Captain, is a good thing for
my friends the English. The Brahmins, as you know, sway the Mahrattas,
and if I am of them they will listen to me. The English boast--and
they have reason to--that they have made a friend of Nana Sahib. Here,
Baptiste, pour me a glass of plain soda, and we'll drink a toast to
Nana Sahib and the English."

"By Jove! splendid!" and Captain Barlow held out a hand.

But Baptiste, saying that he would find Miss Hodson, went out into the
sunshine cursing.

"Now we will go back," Nana Sahib was saying as the French General
brought Elizabeth from among the oleanders and crotons.




CHAPTER IV

The day after the Bagrees had taken the oath of allegiance to Sindhia
the jamadars were summoned to the Dewan's office to receive their
instructions for the carrying out of the mission.