come to my assistance if I needed him. He fought once--or so he says
--for the British; he might be loyal still. I wonder what he is
doing here, and what--Oh, I wonder!"

She was very careful not to seem to look sideways, or seek acquaintance
with the wearer of the boots; had she done so, she would have gained
nothing, for the moment that he caught sight of her through the opened
door he drew back into a shadow, and swore lustily. What he said to
himself would have been little comfort to her.

"By the breath of God!" he growled. "These preachers of new creeds are
the last straw, if one were wanting! They choose the one soft place
where Mohammedan and Hindoo think alike, and smite! If I wanted to
raise hell from end to end of Hind, I too would preach a new creed, and
turn good-looking women loose to wander on the country-side!--Ah!"
He drew back even further, as he spied the egret and the sabre and the
stallion cavorting down the street--then thought better of it and
strode swaggering to the doorway, and stood, crimson-coated, in the
sunlight, stroking upward insolently at his black, fierce-barbered
beard. There was a row of medal ribbons on his left breast that bore
out something at least of his contention; he had been loyal to the
British once, whether he was so now or not.

The man on the charger eyed him sideways and passed on. Mahommed Gunga
waited. One of the prince's followers rode close to him--leaned low
from the saddle--and leered into his face.

"Knowest not enough to salute thy betters?" he demanded.

Mahommed Gunga made a movement with his right hand in the direction of