Almost exactly at dawn Sita Ram, as sleepy as a homing owl, reached his own small quarters in the densest part of town. He had his hand on the door when another hand restrained him from behind.
"You know me?" said a voice he did not know. A moment later his terrified eyes informed him.
"Mukhum Dass? I owe you nothing!"
"Liar! You have my title-deed! Hand it over before I bring the constabeel!"
"I? Your title-deed? I know nothing of it. What title-deed?"
Mukhum Dass cut expostulation short, and denied himself the pleasure of further threatening.
"See. Here is a letter. Read it, and then hand me over my title-deed!"
"Ah! That is different?" said Sita Ram, pocketing Yasmini's letter, for precaution's sake. "Wait here while I bring it!"
Two minutes later he returned with a parchment in a tin tube.
"Do I receive no recompense?" he asked. "Did I not find the title-deed and keep it safe? Where is the reward?"