"Then, you'd better ask him. If what he say is true--and I think he tells the truth--the natives mean to kill us all, or drive us out of India. Of course they can't do it, but they mean to try. He has been more than kind--more than hospitable--more than chivalrous. Just because he gave his word to another Rangar, he risked his life about a dozen times to get my father and me and Ali Partab out of Howrah. But, I don't think he quite liked doing it--and--this is in confidence--if I were asked--and speaking just from intuition--I should say he is in sympathy with the rebellion!"

"How long have you been here?" asked Cunningham.

"Several days--ten, I think. It seemed strange at first and rather awful to be lodged on a rock like this in a section of a Rangar's harem!

Yes, there are several women here behind the scenes, but I only see the waiting-women. I've forgotten time; the news about rebellion seems too awful to leave room for any other thought."

"Who was the Rangar to whom Aliva gave his word? Not Mahommed Gunga, by any chance?"

"Yes, Mahommed Gunga."

"Well, I'm--!" Cunningham clipped off the participle just in time.

"There is something, then, in the talk about rebellion! That man's been talking in riddles to me ever since I came to India, and it looks as though he knew long in advance."

He was about to cross-examine Miss McClean rigorously, even at the risk of seeming either rude or else frightened; but before his lips could frame another question he caught sight of Mahommed Gunga making signals to him. He affected to ignore the signals. He objected to being kept in the dark so utterly, and wished to find out a little for himself before listening to what the Rangars had to say. But Mahommed Gunga started over to him.

He could not hear the remark Mahommed Gunga made to Alwa over his shoulder as he came.

"Had I remembered there was a woman of his own race here, I would have plunged him straight into the fighting! Now there will be the devil first to pay!"

"He has decision in at least one thing!" grinned Alwa.

"Something that I think thou lackest, cousin!" came the hot retort.

Alwa turned his back with a shake of his head and a thin-lipped smile--then disappeared through a green door in the side of what seemed like solid rock. A moment later Mahommed Gunga stood near Cunningham, saluting.

"We ask the favor of a consultation, sahib."

Cunningham rose, a shade regretfully, and followed into the rock-walled cavern into which Alwa had preceded them. It was nearly square--a hollow bubble in the age-old lava--axe-trimmed many hundred years ago. What light there was came in through three long slits that gave an archer's view of the plain and of the zigzag roadway from the iron gate below.

It was cool, for the rock roof was fifty or more feet thick, and the silence of it seemed like the nestling-place of peace.

They sat down on wooden benches round the walls, with their soldier legs stretched out in front of them. Alwa broke silence first, and it was of anything but peace he spoke.

"Now--now, let us see whose throats we are to slit!" he started cheerfully.

CHAPTER XXIV

Achilles had a tender spot That even guarding G.o.ds forgot, When clothing him in armor; And I have proved this charge o' mine For fear, and sloth, and vice, and wine, But clear forgot the charmer!

THE Alwa-sahib knew more English than he was willing to admit. In the first place, he had the perfectly natural dislike of committing his thoughts to any language other than his own when anything serious was the subject of discussion; in the second place, he had little of Mahommed Gunga's last-ditch loyalty. Not that Alwa could be disloyal; he had not got it in him; but as yet he had seen no good reason for pledging himself and his to the British cause.

So for more than ten minutes he chose to sit in apparent dudgeon, his hands folded in front of him on the hilt of his tremendous sabre, growling out a monologue in his own language for Mahommed Gunga's benefit. Then Mahommed Gunga silenced him with an uplifted hand, and turned to translate to Cunningham.

"It would seem, sahib, that even while we rode to Abu the rebellion was already raging! It burst suddenly. They have mutinied at Berhampur, and slain their officers. Likewise at Meerut, and at all the places in between. At Kohat, in this province they have slain every white man, woman, and child, and also at Arjpur and Sohlat. The rebels are hurrying to Delhi, where they have proclaimed new rule, under the descendants of the old-time kings. Word of all this came before dawn today, by a messenger from Maharajah Howrah to my cousin here. My cousin stands pledged to uphold Howrah on his throne; Howrah is against the British; Jaimihr, his brother, is in arms against Howrah."

"Why did the Alwa-sahib pledge himself to Howrah's cause?"

Mahommed Gunga--who knew quite well--saw fit to translate the question.

With a little sign of irritation Alwa growled his answer.

"He says, sahib, that for the safety of two Christian missionaries, for whom he has no esteem at all, he was forced to swear allegiance to a Hindoo whom he esteems even less. He says that his word is given!"

"Does he mean that he would like me and the missionaries to leave his home at once--do we embarra.s.s him?"

Again Mahommed Gunga--this time with a grin--saw fit to ask before he answered.

"He says, 'G.o.d forbid,' sahib; 'a guest is guest!'"

Cunningham reflected for a moment, then leaned forward.

"Tell him this!" he said slowly. "I am glad to be his guest, but, if this story of rebellion is true--"

"It is true, sahib! More than true! There is much more to be told!"

"Then, I can only accept his hospitality as the representative of my government! I stay here officially, or not at all. It is for him to answer!"

"Now, Allah be praised!" swore Mahommed Gunga. "I knew we had a man!

That is well said, sahib!"

"The son of Cunnigan-bahadur is welcome here on any terms at all!"

growled Alwa when Mahommed Gunga had translated. "All the rebels in all India, all trying at once, would fail to take this fort of mine, had I a larger garrison. But what Rangar on this countryside will risk his life and estates on behalf of a cause that is already lost? If they come to hold my fort for me, the rebels will burn their houses. The British Raj is doomed. We Rangars have to play for our own stake!"

Then Mahommed Gunga rose and paced the floor like a man in armor, tugging at his beard and kicking at his scabbard each time that he turned at either end.

"What Rangar in this province would have had one yard of land to his name but for this man's father?" he demanded. "In his day we fought, all of us, for what was right! We threw our weight behind him when he led, letting everything except obedience go where the devil wanted it! What came of that? Good t.i.thes, good report, good feeling, peace!"

"And then, the zemindary laws!" growled Alwa. "Then the laws that took away from us full two-thirds of our revenue!"

"We had had no revenue, except for Cunnigan-bahadur!"

It dawned on Cunningham exactly why and how he came to be there! He understood now that Mahommed Gunga had told nothing less than truth when he declared it had been through his scheming, and no other man's, that he--Cunningham--whose sole thought was to be a soldier, had been relegated to oblivion and politics! He understood why Byng had signed the transfer, and he knew--knew--knew--deep down inside him that his chance had come!

"It seems that another Cunningham is to have the honor of preserving Rangars' t.i.tles for them," he smiled. "How many hors.e.m.e.n could the Alwa-sahib raise?"

"That would depend!" Alwa was in no mood to commit himself.

"At the most--at a pinch--in case of direst need, and for a cause that all agreed on?"

"Two thousand."

"Horsed and armed?"

"And ready!"