"Well, Luchman, what is it?" asked Avery, slowly opening his eyes and yawning as if annoyed that he should be disturbed.
"Sahib, is the daughter of the missionary in Delhi to be your wife?"
This question was the amazing answer to the query of Dr. Avery, who however showed no surprise, as he said:
"Since you seem interested, I am proud to declare that with the approval of Heaven she shall be my wife: have you any objections to offer?"
The Sepoy was as impervious to a sense of humor as was Osceola, the Seminole, when he drove his hunting knife with such force into the paper containing the hated treaty that the implement went through the table also. Luchman was never seen to smile. He continued to look sharply into the face of the surgeon, who had come to distrust him so thoroughly that the latter straightened up in his seat and still kept his hand on his pistol.
"He is a scoundrel;" was his thought; "he was standing there and considering the best way of killing me, when he discovered that I was not asleep. I don't see why he should hesitate. He carries a knife as sharp as the sword of Saladin, and one sweep with that would have been enough. He needn't have any fear of the khansaman and the others are in with him."
Dr. Avery with his senses still strung to the keenest point, became aware of a peculiarity in the action of Luchman that was significant. While staring so fixedly at the surgeon, he occasionally darted a quick glance to the left, as though he was looking and listening for the approach of some one.
"He is waiting for the rest," was the conclusion of Avery, "because he hasn't enough courage to attack me alone. Well, both my revolvers are loaded, and if they want to make things lively, I think I can give them a little help."
Luchman stepped into the door of one of the rooms opening on the veranda, and still looking at Dr. Avery, silently beckoned with his finger for him to follow. The surgeon did so without hesitation, half suspecting that the palanquin bearers were crouching within and awaiting the chance to spring upon him, but the certainty of his two loaded revolvers being within instant call was a great solace. He was an expert pistol shot, and he did not mean to be taken unprepared.
"Where are the palanquin bearers?" asked Avery, as he reached the open door and saw Luchman in the faint light standing in the middle of the room, a sweeping glance having satisfied him that no one else was in the apartment.