"Good, my son," replied Maloosray; "but what had happened, Netta? Was there no further trace of them?"
"None, Maharaj; we were fairly puzzled. We returned, and stayed in the temple by the fire, in hopes that Pahar Singh might come back; but it was no use. Then we went and listened behind the guard-house, and heard there was a man wounded in an affray—a 'Gosai'—and there was a barber dressing his wound."
"Then he did not die? I had hoped he did."
"Holy Mother! was this thy work, master, and all of us away?" cried several of the men.
"No; Ranoo remained with me," replied Maloosray, "and has got a scratch; but what of the man wounded? What think ye of Bulwunt Rao, my cousin, dead long since, as we thought, but come to life, Netta?"
"My curse on him! And he escaped you, Tannajee?"
"I am going to see if he be dead, brother," interposed Ramjee; "the master's blows are not little ones."
"You see, friends, they—those two Gosais—as they appeared, must have met Pahar Singh, who directed them. I see it all now—the villain's attempt to decoy us into that trap by the temptation of news of the Wuzeer. Depend upon it, he has been bought over, and is not to be trusted; and he set them on our track."
"He never was," cried both the men; "he has only one king and one god—that is money," added Netta; "and he has gone where he could get it."