"Do you really mean to allow him to go through the house?" asked Eola, who had listened in silence to the conversation.
"Certainly; Ramachetty!" The butler came at once at his master's call, so quickly that Eola smiled, in spite of her annoyance. The gist of what Sooba had said had been overheard by others besides herself. "One of Pantulu Iyer's people——" he checked himself to ask a question—"Do you know who he is?"
"His brother, sir."
"His brother, is he? He believes that his nephew Ananda is hidden somewhere on the premises. I have given him permission to search every corner of the class rooms and the house. You are to accompany him all through and show him the servants' go-downs and the stables and garage."
"Is he to go through your rooms as well, sir?"
"Yes; and Miss Wenaston's and Mrs. Hulver's." He returned to Eola, upon whose face was a most unusual frown. "I shall have something to say to the Dewan about this visit."
"It is outrageous; and you would be quite justified in refusing to allow him to enter a single room."
"I don't like it any more than you do; but I think it politic to consent. What he believes, he can make the boys believe. I wish to avoid a recurrence of the boycotting."
"I shall go out for a drive," said Eola.
"The best thing you can do," replied the harassed man heartily.