'Are you sure they are well settled?' said his master.
'I have given them bhang, Highness. That, and the excitement of the evening, will make them sleep like the dead; no noise will awake them. But the nights are short; why does my master linger?'
'Are you sure she is not a prisoner, Subdul? Might she not come with us if we told her our design?'
'If my master means the Ranee, I tell him that she is black—black at heart and false of speech. Let not my master trust her.'
'What do you know of her, Subdul?'
'I know what these have told me. Does my lord know Dost Ali Khan?'
'The adopted son of the rajah of that name?' cried Tom, with some excitement; 'why, I entertained him once. I have now a pass from him about me. Has he anything to do in this?'
'He has everything to do. He is the hope of thousands. They crowd round him as their lord. If my master has won Dost Ali Khan's favour he is lucky. This man, my lord, this so-called prince, has, as I hear, persuaded the White Ranee to join herself to him. She was married to an English sahib, and she saw him slain. She looked on at the slaughter of her countrymen and women, and now, in her new lord's name, she is taking command of the murderers. If my master wants any more proof that she is a traitress——'
'Silence, Subdul! She is coming!'
'Master! master!' cried the man in strong excitement, 'now is the time to fly!'