"Didn't she make some effort to get those men away from Ali's?"
King asked him. "I mean, didn't she try to get them dry-nursed
by the sirkar in some way?"

"Yes. She did. But it was difficult. In the first place, there
didn't seem to be any particular hurry. They were eating Ali's
substance. The scoundrel had to feed them as long as he kept them
there, and we wanted that. We forbade her to pay their debts to Ali,
because he has too urgent need of money just now. He is being
pressed on account of debts of his own, and the pressure is making
him take risks. He has been begging for money from the German agents.
We know who they are, and we expect to make a big haul within a
few hours now."

"Hope I didn't spoil things by butting in, sir."

"No. This is different. She wanted them arrested and locked up
at a moment when the jails were all crowded. And then she wanted
us to put 'em into trucks and railroad 'em up North out of harm's
way as she put it, and we happened to be too busy. The railway
staff was overworked. Now things are getting straightened out.
I felt it keenly not being able to oblige her, but she asked too
much at the wrong moment! I would have done it if I could out of
gratitude; it was she who tipped off for us most of the really
dangerous men, and it was not her fault a few of them escaped.
But we've all been working both tides under, King. Take me; this
is my first night in bed in three, and here I am awake! No--nothing
personal--glad to see you, but please understand. And I'm a leisured
dilettante compared to most of the others. She must have known
our fix. She shouldn't have asked."