you well enough. He'll get the story to the maharajah's ears."

"Leave that to me."

"You dassen't trust him, miss!"

Again came the golden laugh, expressive of the worldly wisdom of a
thousand women, and sheer delight in it.

"I shall stay here, if the memsahib permits."

Tess nodded again. "The commissioner shall sit with me on the veranda,"
Tess said. "Chamu will show you into the parlor."

(The Blaines had never made the least attempt to leave behind their
home-grown names for things. Whoever wanted to in Sialpore might
have a drawing-room, but whoever came to that house must sit in a
parlor or do the other thing.)

"Is it possible the burra-sahib will suppose my horse is yours?" Yasmini
asked, and again Tess smiled and nodded. She would know what to
say to any one who asked impertinent questions.

Yasmini and Tom Tripe followed Chamu into the house just as the
commissioner's horse's nose appeared past the gate-post; and once
behind the curtains in the long hall that divided room from room, Tom
Tripe called a halt to make a final effort at persuasion.

"Now, missy, Your Ladyship, please!"