"Sahib," said the old man, "the wise lingers not where his presence is an inconvenience. The youth who has just left us appeared to desire our departure."
"His desires are of no moment, Sirdar Sahib, even were he so unmannerly as to express them."
"But it is the part of a churl to bring danger upon a host, sahib, and I have many enemies. Is it possible that there are those without who demand that I should be yielded up to them?"
"Since you ask, it is so, but you need have no fear that I shall comply," said Gerrard, more puzzled than ever.
"Nay, sahib, but I myself will depart with the child, so that neither your honour nor your safety will be menaced."
"You will do nothing of the kind, Sirdar Sahib. What! shall I suffer a guest to step from my very carpet into the hands of his foes? You would cover me with disgrace from the mountains to the sea."
"I will not bring trouble upon you, sahib. Suffer us to go."
"Certainly not. I will rather use violence to keep you. A word to these men of mine——"
The veins on the old man's forehead swelled, and his eyes flamed. "By the Guru! if the slaves of Lena Singh and the English dare to lay a finger on me——!" he cried. "Foolish young man, will you keep me from my own troops? I am the Rajah Partab Singh."
Gerrald stepped back with a bow. "Maharaj-ji, you are free to depart. I had not thought that the man whom I welcomed to my tent designed to pick a quarrel with me. Depart freely, and your son with you, but bear me witness that I did not fail in hospitality."