“‘Here, father, here!’ and Lal Lu, who had recognized her father’s call, rushed toward the entrance just as the merchant crossed its threshold, and in a moment she was enfolded in his protecting embrace.”
“Is that all?” asked Raikes as the Sepoy paused.
“Isn’t it enough?” laughed the narrator. “The villain punished, the righteous rewarded, the maiden rescued. It seems to me that all the proprieties are preserved.”
“True,” assented Raikes. “You are to be congratulated upon your consistency. But as usual your art is a bit too refined. You still discontinue with a question unsolved.”
“Name it,” replied the Sepoy; “perhaps I can clear up the difficulty at once.”
“Well,” returned Raikes, “there is all that wealth concealed about the person of Ram Lal; I am interested to know if he retained it, to what use he put it. If it is inconsistent in your narrative to reply to these questions, waive your formalities for once.”
“Why not?” laughed the Sepoy. “Still, I can only approximate to your request. There was a report that Ram Lal and his daughter disappeared shortly after the raid upon the Kutub.
“It is also said that a dealer in precious stones opened an establishment on the Strand in London, and that his description corresponded in so many points with that of Ram Lal that it is safe to infer that the twain are identical.”
“That is better,” sighed Raikes. “I will assume that the report is correct since it relieves my mind on one point, at any rate. However, there is one question more: Can you tell me how that substitution was made?”