"I went to your room, and hearing strange sounds within, I looked through the keyhole and saw a man—a brown man. Knowing he was a thief, I took the liberty of entering. He had opened your trunk—oh, they are clever, these thieves!—but he did not have a chance to steal anything."
"You caught him?"
The smile left Tambusami's face. "He was too strong for me, Presence; he had muscles like the unicorn!"
Trent considered a moment. Then: "Whose servant are you—mine or hers?"
Tambusami beamed. "She pays me to be your bearer!"
"Then say to her that I'm capable of taking care of myself and that you're to be my servant from now on and not my shadow. We'll only be here until to-morrow, which no doubt she's already told you, but until then you'll watch my room instead of me."
Trent found the silk-wrapped packet safe in his trunk. Nothing was disturbed or missing. However, he surmised that the "thief" gained what he came after—knowledge of his, Trent's, destination. Was this the hand of that mysterious power he had felt in Benares when he awakened to discover an intruder in his room? But what power could it be? Not Sarojini Nanjee. Who?... Plot and counter-plot. Each day fixed in him more immovably the belief that behind the activities in which he was involved was a sinister purpose, more stupendous, when revealed, than he imagined. Every new incident, like a hand in the night, lured him, beckoning, but never fulfilling the promise of disclosure. Adventure! And only one thorn to prick the joy from it.... Manlove....
It came to him suddenly that perhaps, unaware of it, he was exploring the fabulous isles of his fancy.
5
They had tea at a restaurant in Government Place. She wore the black straw hat with cornflowers and wheat woven about the crown. White voile caressed slender limbs and fell away in a deep hem to give a glimpse of silk-stockinged ankles and suède shoes.