Thus matters stood when on the morning of the fifth day Cleek elected to make Hampstead Heath and its environments the scene of their operations, and at nine o'clock set forth in company with the superintendent to put them into force in that particular locality, with the result that by noontime they found themselves in the thick of as pretty a riddle as they had fallen foul of in many a day. It came about in this way: Turning out of St. Uldred's road into a quiet, tree-shaded avenue running parallel with the historic heath, somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Vale of Health district, they looked up to discover that there was but one building in the entire length of the thoroughfare--a large, imposing residence set back from the road proper, and encircled by a high stone wall with curiously wrought iron gates leading into the enclosure--and that before that building two copper-skinned, turbaned, fantastically clothed Hindus were doing sentry duty in a manner peculiar unto themselves--the one standing as motionless as a bronze image before the barred gateway, and the other pacing up and down before him like a clockwork toy that had been well wound up. "The Punjab for a ducat!" declared Cleek as he caught sight of them. "And the insignia of the Ranee of Jhang, or I'm a Dutchman. I knew the old girl was over here for the coronation, to be sure, but I'd no idea of stumbling over some of her attendants in this quarter, by Jip! Not putting up out here of late, is she, Mr. Narkom?" "No. She's still at Kensington. And what the dickens those johnnies are keeping guard over that place for beats us. Know it, don't you? It's the residence of Sir Mawson Leake--Leake & Leake, you know: Jewellers, Bond Street. Fine old place, isn't it? Inherited it from his father, as he did the business, and----What's that? No, not a young man--not a young man by any means. Grown children--two sons. One by his first wife, and----Hullo! that's a rum trick, by James! See that, did you, old chap?" "See what? The manner in which that clockwork johnnie stopped in his tracks and eyed us as we passed?" "No. The woman. All muffled up to the eyes--and in weather like this. Just stepped out of the house door, saw those two niggers, and then bolted back indoors as if the Old Boy was after her." "Caught sight of us, very likely. You know what high-class Brahmans are where Europeans are concerned. It will be the old Ranee herself, three to one, paying a morning visit to the jeweller in reference to some of her amazing gems. That would explain the presence of the sentries. She travels nowhere without a guard." "To be sure," admitted the superintendent, and walked on, dropping the matter from his mind entirely.