I slackened my horse's pace, and the party soon overtook me. I stopped as they came up, and dismounted. "A plague on these roads of yours, Khan," said I to my acquaintance; "my horse has lost a shoe, and his foot is somewhat tender; so I will walk a coss or two to ease him of my weight. Surely there cannot be much more of this stony track."
"Not much; a coss or two perhaps: we ought to be near a dry nulla, if I am not mistaken, and from thence the next village is a coss and a half; after that the road is good."
"Let the Meer Sahib ride on my tattoo," said a voice like music; "I am cramped and stiff, and I shall be glad to walk awhile." It was that of my victim! she who was to die under my hand ere a quarter of an hour elapsed. She must be beautiful with that voice, thought I; but I shall see.
"No, no, Khan," said I, "that must not be; I am soldier enough to walk when I have no horse. Mashalla! my limbs are strong and supple, and I would not mind trying you at a long stage."
"As you will, Meer Sahib, but you have only to say the word, and she dismounts. Alla knows 'tis a small recompense for your safe protection over this dreary tract, which never man yet passed but with fear and apprehension. The nulla too, we shall reach it soon—they say many a brave fellow's blood has moistened its sand."
I saw the woman shudder at her husband's speech, and I checked him. "Shame on you, Khan!" said I; "think who hears you: women's ears are not fitted to listen to tales of blood, save when they are of a battle-field, and of scenes in which honour is gained and fame won at the sword's point. Here you are safe; no rascally Dacoo would dare to meddle with a kafila like ours, and we shall pass the nulla, as we have those behind us, without a thought of its dangers or what has ever happened in it. But what was that?" I eagerly asked, as something crossed our path close to my feet.
"Nothing but a hare," said the Khan; "some prowling jackal has scared her from her form, and she seeks another hiding-place."
"A hare!" I repeated, the current of my blood seeming to be suddenly arrested, as I thought on the fearful omen to a Thug,—one that could not be disregarded, or, if disregarded, was certain to be followed by the most dire calamities, nothing less than death or long imprisonment.
"Yes, Meer Sahib, a hare. Why should it astonish you?"
"But across my very path," I muttered involuntarily.