"Farm twos! Farward!"
Straight into the temple, two by two, behind the Risaldar, rode two
fierce lines of Rajputs, overturning men and women--their drawn swords
pointing this way and that--their dark eyes gleaming. Without a word
to any one they rode up to the image, where the priests stood in an
astonished herd.
"Fron-tt farm! Rear rank--'bout-face!" barked the Risaldar, and there
was another clattering and stamping on the stone floor as the panting
chargers pranced into the fresh formation, back to back.
"The memsahib!" growled Mahommed Khan. "Where is she?"
"My son!" said the High Priest. "Bring me my son!"
"A life for a life! Thy heavenborn first!"
"Nay! Show me my son first!"
The Risaldar leaped from his horse and tossed his reins to the man
behind him. In a second his sword was at the High Priest's throat.
"Where is that secret stair?" he growled. "Lead on!"
The swordpoint pricked him. Two priests tried to interfere, but wilted
and collapsed with fright as four fierce, black-bearded Rajputs spurred
their horses forward.
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