"Well—it wasn't registered. I doubt if you could have enforced it.
Gungadhura is an awful rascal."
"Gee!" lied Dick. "I never thought of that! I had my other contract registered all right—in your office—you remember?"
"Yes. I warned you at the time about Gungadhura."
"You did. I remember now. You did. Well, I suppose the wife and I'll be heading for the U. S. A. soon, richer by the experience. Still—I reckon I'll wait around and see the new maharajah in the saddle, and watch what comes of it."
"You've no chance, Blaine, believe me!"
"All right, I'll think it over. Meanwhile, I'll whistle off these men."
The next man Samson interviewed was Willoughby de Wing.
"Let me have a commissioner's escort, please," he demanded. "I'm going to see Gungadhura now! You'd better follow up with a troop to r eplace the maharajah's guards around his palace. We can't put him under arrest without impeaching him; but—make it pretty plain to the guard they're there to protect a man who has abdicated; that no one's to be allowed in, and nobody out unless he can explain his business. Then, can you spare some guards for another job? I want about twenty men on the River Palace at once. Caution them carefully. Nobody's to go inside the grounds. Order the maharajah's guards away! It's a little previous. His officers will try to make trouble of course. But an apology at the proper time will cover that."
"What's the new excitement?" asked the colonel. "More murders?
More princesses out at night?"
"This is between you and me. Not a word to a living soul, De Wing!"
Samson paused, then whispered: "The treasure of Sialpore!"