"True, sahib; but the rani is not caged, and she fears for the life of her brother, and knowing I had been beaten by the rajah and knowing that a Banjara does not forgive, for our tribe is many in her father"s state, she sent by a handmaid, who is also of our tribe, a ring of keys that were Darna Singh"s, and the woman was taught to say, "Give these to the keddah sahib and tell him that war comes to the sircar; that these keys open the way where are many guns and where now is Darna Singh.""
The man took from the folds of his turban a ring upon which were three keys. Finnerty received them in astonishment; then he asked: "Where are the doors?"
"The black leopard came out from his cage through Jadoo Cave, and it may be that Darna Singh opened a door of the cave with one of these keys."
"d.a.m.n it!" Swinton e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "That"s the whole thing." But Finnerty objected: "We searched that cave, and there was no door."
"True, there is no door, but there is a pa.s.sage high up in the gloom, and beyond that is a cave that was made by the foreigners, and in that is the door. And also it opens to the trail that we are now on." The native messenger was explicit.
"By Jove!" Finnerty exclaimed. "That"s how the leopard slipped away."
The herdsman said: "I did not know of this, and perhaps wrongly accused that monkey-faced shikari of sleeping over his task."
The messenger now said deprecatingly: "A watchman knows the many manners of acquiring to the inside of a bungalow without being seen, and one way is to wait for darkness. Also they will watch the sahib"s bungalow for his return."
"Very well," Finnerty said; "if I am able to see to it, my faithful fellow, when this is over the sircar will give to you and your brother a village that you may collect the t.i.thes from and have a home."
"Sahib, I have received my pay in advance from the rajah; I am but serving in the manner of the pay."
"Sit you then," Finnerty commanded, "while we talk in plans."
"We"ve a chance, major, now that we can get in," Swinton declared. "I have my cordite rifle, you have your 10-bore, and if we can but get command of their ammunition we"ll blow the d.a.m.n thing up, even if we go with it."
Finnerty felt that there was no question about the captain"s sincerity; the flat blue eyes transmitted nothing but fixed purpose.
"Oh, I say, am I in the discard?" Lord Victor asked plaintively, for the messenger"s information had been translated in a condensed form, Finnerty rather emphasising the important part Marie played as the future maharani.
"I thought of that," Swinton answered; "you will be a "reserve battalion." I don"t mind being pipped in the way of duty--rather expect it some day--but I should rather like my family to know that I pegged out playing the game, and I shouldn"t wonder if we"re bagged in that cubby-hole, that it would never be known just how we had disappeared."
"Besides, youngster," Finnerty added, "if you can work yourself into communication with the government we want you to let them know what is trump." The major spoke to the Banjara; then he returned to Lord Victor: "This chap will smuggle you out, he says, and I think he can do it. His brother will bring you word if we get out, and even if he knows we"ve been captured he will come to tell you; at any rate, if we"re not reported safe before morning you had better take the horses and get away--the Banjara can stick on one, he says."
"Don"t worry over us, Gilfain," Swinton added; "just get word out as soon as you can."
Then the watchman said: "The sahib sent back out of the jungle the elephant with the bell, and it is a sacred elephant for such as worship the G.o.d that sits in sleep."
"It is a sacred elephant to those who worship Buddha," Finnerty answered.
"The woman who came from the maharani said that Rajah Ananda has taken the sacred elephant in his hand, for to-night is a night of omen at the Lake of the Golden Coin."
"By gad!" Finnerty cried. "That swine has got the three sapphires together now. Nothing will stop him; he"ll be fanatically insane."
A sibilant whistle from Swinton was his only comment. The thought was paralysing.
"Well"--Finnerty sighed the words--"we"ll just sit here till it"s dark, and then play our last card." He pulled his belt, in which was a hunting knife, a hole tighter, as if girding his loins for the fray.
The Banjara now said: "Rajah Ananda will send out men to look for you on the trail, sahib, but if you will go east through the jungle to where there is a small path--one the sahib no doubt knows--my brother and I will lead the horses back up over this broad trail to a nala with a stony bed, and then through the jungle and back to where you wait, so that those who come forth will say: "The keddah sahib and his friends came down and then went back again to the hills, perhaps to follow a bison.""
"Splendid!" Finnerty commented, and added in commendation: ""To a strong man a wrong done is more power.""
Then Finnerty and his companion cut across through the jungle. It was a good ruse, for the rajah"s men, thinking the sahibs were up in the jungle, would not guard every approach.
The sun was now sinking on the horizon, and with its usual bird clamour of eventide the day was pa.s.sing. Once, as they waited, Lord Victor said: "I don"t believe that girl would join herself to a native."
"That"s because you"re in the full moon of faith, my young friend. At your age I believed in fairies, too," Finnerty said.
"Just the sort of faith," Swinton contributed, "that gives such women their power for mischief; a Prussian spy must do as she is told, and if she were allotted to Ananda, to Ananda she goes."
A shrill note that might have been from a boatswain"s silver whistle or a red-breasted teal came floating up from where they had left the Safed Jan Trail. It was answered from on toward the palace hill.
"Ananda"s men have found where the horses have turned to go back up into the hills," Finnerty chuckled.
"Deucedly clever work of that Banjara," Lord Victor declared; "sorry I shot the old infidel"s dog."
A little later the whistling note, repeated three times, came from higher up, where the Safed Jan Trail lay.
The forest was dark from the drop of night"s curtain when the Banjara and his brother came so softly along the scarce discernible trail that they were almost upon the sahibs before they were heard.
"The moon will appear in two hours, sahib, and its light would betray you," the herdsman advised, "so it is well that we take the horses down this path which no one travels at night, and when we have come close to Jadoo Nala I will remain with the horses and you will go with my brother into the cave."
When they had come to a proper place to leave their horses in the jungle, Lord Victor said: "The strategy of you two Johnnies isn"t what I"d call first chop. I"ll be a dub at this sortie game, for I don"t know the language."
"The Banjara does," Finnerty said shortly.
"There"s another thing," the youth resumed; "either of you chaps are sort of serviceable to the king, probably cost him a thousand pounds up to date for your training, and I"m--as our delightful friend Foley phrased it--a waster. Sabe, my dear major?"
"My dear boy, you"re in training for the future earlship. A thoroughbred colt isn"t much benefit to the realm, but he generally develops into something worth while--sabe?"
"Thanks, old top! Rather think I"ll stow that away as a good tip. But to return: I"d feel rather thankful to take a chance inside to--well, come back."
"You mean about the girl? We just forgot all that, and are now trying to do the best we can for what"s to come, and your place is just where you"ve been stationed; that is, unless you"re in command."
Lord Victor sprang to his feet, clicked his heels together, very erect and soldierly, for he had been at Sandhurst, and saluted. With a laugh Finnerty said: "Fall out!" The discussion ceased.
From where they were they could hear, at times, curious, m.u.f.fled noises disturbing the evening quiet, coming from the palace hill. Finnerty now gave some final advice:
"It is now eight o"clock. If we do not come back for the horses or get you word before morning, make for the outside. Have you any money?"
"Not much," Lord Victor answered.
Finnerty and Swinton gave him the money they had, the former saying: "If we get caught in that cave we won"t need these rupees to pay board for long, I fancy." He held out his hand, and the youth took it, saying: "I"ll remember about the thoroughbred colt."
Swinton shook hands with him, saying: "Duty is the best tutor, Lord Victor; it"s a steadier, eh?"
"Sorry about--well, the--that silly break of mine about secret service, you know."
The Banjara, noting this completion of detail, said: "And the matter of a village, huzoor--does the young Lord Sahib understand that he is to tell the sircar that me and my brother have been true to their salt?"
"I will tell him to not forget, my friend, for you will well deserve it," the major answered.