"He fears the storm may break."
"Fears the storm!" exclaimed Venner, with a blaze of suspicion leaping up in his dark eyes. "Surely, then, he will not remain out there."
"You don't understand," coolly answered Nick, quickly sizing up everything in view.
"Don't understand?"
"Pandu Singe thinks of returning home before the storm shall break. He has first sent me in to see the diamonds, as I know just what he wants. If I think well of them, I am to return to the carriage and bring him in to see them."
"Oh, that's it, eh?" cried Venner, with unabated misgivings.
"Am I to see the stones?" demanded Nick. "Pandu Singe will not care to wait long."
"Yes, yes," replied Venner, as perplexed as Dalton by Nick's unexpected move. "Come out this way, where I have them ready to show you."
Nick bowed and followed him through the hall, and a glance into the two front rooms, both of which were well lighted, told him they were vacant.
Nick knew that he was entering a trap, however, and possibly carried his life in his hand. Yet he had several shrewd designs in the plan of operations adopted.