Indeed the rush from the nawab's premises was so headlong that that worthy was exasperated. Two of the natives, as they converged toward the entrance, crashed through his choicest pineapples, plantains, pomegranates, guavas, oranges, lemons, limes, figs, dates, citrons, brinjalls, nollcolls, jasmines and roses with an enthusiasm that played sad havoc with them.
"Tum burra budmash ho! Jalde jao!" he shouted, running after them and savagely swinging his arms.
That these two scamps were impelled by pure malice was proven by their act in running against the nawab with such violence that he was knocked almost breathless to the ground. By the time the porter had helped him fa his feet, the marauders were out of sight.
"Thank heaven!" muttered Dr. Avery; "they are gone, and we have escaped by the narrowest chance that ever saved mortal from death——"
At that moment, the head of Marian drooped and he caught her as she sank to the ground. The reaction from the fearful tension caused her to swoon. Her escort let her gently down and rested her head against the tree, while he picked up the pistol that had fallen from her hand and hastily shoved it into his pocket.
The nawab, having recovered from his overthrow, had started through his garden to learn the extent of the damages done by his unwelcome visitors. He was of the belief that if two could inflict so much damage under his own eyes, the other three had not been much behind them.
He had not gone far when he checked himself with a "Wah! wah!" expressive of his amazement at sight of the two fugitives under one of his own mango trees.
Dr. Avery had been so occupied with looking after Marian that he did not observe the native's approach, until he heard his ejaculation. Leaning the head of his sweetheart against the trunk of the tree, he sprang toward the nawab and thrust the muzzle of his pistol into his face.
"One word and you're a dead scoundrel!"
The Mohammedan may not have caught every shade of meaning in these words, but the gestures and movements made them sufficiently clear for all practical purposes.