"I have him. I have the priestling in a sack. I have him trussed
and bound and gagged, so that he can neither speak nor wriggle!"
"Where?"
"Hidden safely."
"I said to bring him here!"
"I could not. Listen! That ayah--where is she?"
"Dead! What has the ayah to do with it?"
"This--she was to give a sign. She was not to slay. She had leave
only to take the jewels. Her orders were either to wait until she
knew by questioning that the section would not return or else, when
it had returned, to wait until the memsahib and Bellairs sahib slept,
and then to make a sign. They grow tired of waiting now, for there
is news! At Jundhra the rebels are defeated, and at Doonha likewise."
"How know you this?"
"By listening to the priests' talk while I lay in wait to snare the
priestling. Nothing is known as yet as to what the guns or garrison
at Doonha do, but it is known that they of Jundhra will march on
Hanadra here. They search now for their High Priest, being minded
to march out of here and set an ambush on the road.
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