"No, sahib, not I, but God."
"True, but you are his instrument; no one could have shown such skill in dealing with the Ghoojurs. When it was impossible to deceive them any longer, you acted with the promptness of the lightning stroke."
Something like a smile played about the corners of the native's lips. Nothing in the way of praise could move him, but clearly he was gratified by the manner in which those brigands had been baffled in their attempt to rob the fugitives.
"The Ghoojurs, sahib, are bad—very bad; they would have killed all of us had they not been stopped."
"There can be no doubt of that. Mr. Hildreth and myself have not much to boast of in the way of marksmanship, but we fired so quickly that we had no time to aim."
"It helped to drive them away, sahib, and maybe struck them."
"Luchman," added the doctor, lowering his voice, so as to make sure that if any of their friends awoke suddenly they would not overhear their words, "I hope there is no danger of your losing that diamond you showed me."
The dark face instantly became serious, and the native looked down at the ground, as he softly said,
"God will take care of it, sahib."
"You have a fortune such as few in this world possess; and do you still carry it in your turban?"