“Ah, but that was not all, then. I wondered would you see it. He said to Ambrose: ‘The Bahadar Jang gave life to me, his enemy, when he sent to warn me that my brother was seeking to compass my death. In return I leave him his people, safe and sound.’ Then some more compliments, and away he went. And that was the last we saw of him—except a cloud of dust vanishing to the southward yesterday evening. But who’s this coming in—Europeans?”
“The great Bleackley coming to pay his respects to the rescued lady, no doubt. And Keeling—you know him. Why, my dear girl, what’s the matter?” for Eveleen had sprung up in terror.
“It’s Tom. I ought have told you before. I was coming to it. But they’ll likely not notice.” She shook an agitated finger at the figure in the background. “Just pretend he ain’t there, Brian.”
But evidently Colonel Bleackley was better informed than she hoped, for when he had greeted her and Richard and congratulated them on their escape and demanded a full account of their adventures later on, he said blandly—
“You have that renegade Thomas here, I understand. Like the fellow’s impudence to take refuge with you. Wonder he ain’t ashamed to show his face. The man who trained the Khans’ artillery and fired on the Residency, I mean.”
“But sure he has saved our lives again and again. He’s only here now because he came back to save us when he might have escaped,” urged Eveleen hotly. “Ah, now, Colonel Bleackley, let the poor fellow go!”
But Colonel Bleackley shook his head. “Impossible, my dear madam, impossible! How could I answer to the General for such a piece of folly? He will wish to deal with the fellow himself, I am certain, and make an example of him.”
“Don’t you trouble yourself, Miss Evie,” said Carthew, coming forward in his shuffling way. “It was bound to come. I’ve never done anybody much credit yet, but I’m glad it’s through helpin’ you and the Major that I’ve got caught. Leave it at that.”
But nothing was farther from Eveleen’s intentions, and the moment Colonel Bleackley was gone—Carthew having been removed in custody earlier—she attacked her brother again on the subject.
“He must be let go, Brian—you must give the General no peace till he pardons him. He had actually escaped—he went away with the Khan, leaving us, as he thought, perfectly safe. Then one of the servants let out that the younger Khanum—Jamal-ud-din’s mother—had left word with the town authorities, and bribed them, to kill us and make out we’d never been here at all, and poor Tom came riding back post-haste to warn us. We were quite quiet and happy, not keeping any watch or anything, but he got us into the tower beside the gateway, where there was a little bit of a room with a tiny door, and there we stayed all night—fearfully hot. The townspeople came prowling round the empty courts and places, but Tom cocked his pistols very loud when they came near us, and they were frightened. They must have thought you were not coming to the city when you didn’t advance yesterday, for this morning they sent word that ’twas all right, we were quite safe, for you were coming, and when we sent Bearer up to the top of the gate to look, he called out that ’twas so, and he danced for joy! But when poor Tom tried to go away again the way the Khan had gone, the people stopped him and wouldn’t let him go, and he came back here. We must save him, or we’ll be disgraced for ever. Ambrose feels just precisely as I do about it.”