"You mesmerised her, you say, eighteen years ago, and you pretend you can still bend her to your will?"
"Nay, Sahib! Through me Kali the Terrible imprinted her will upon the babe's tender mind those many moons ago!"
Cuxson shook his head.
"You can't make me believe that—it's rubbish—like the mango tree and rope trick—it's impossible, simply impossible to make strong-minded, level-headed people do things against their will."
In such wise does the westerner account to his own satisfaction for the mysterious workings of the East.
The old man said no word, but looked steadily between the young man's eyes.
"If the sahib will look to his right hand!"
Cuxson turned his head and started.
Eyes glaring, tail thrashing the ground, and ears flattened to the great head, a tiger half crouched.
"The devil!" he ejaculated, as the mouth of the great animal twisted spasmodically. "Here's a fix."