"Then Ganesha was an owl, and I will tell him so if I ever meet him. Peroo should not have had a cowree from me; nor will he now unless he comes to take it." We were silent for some time, and I could hear the dull blows of the pickaxe, as the sound was borne by the chill night-wind from the place where the grave was preparing. He will come, thought I, and his iniquity will be ended: shame on the cold-blooded coward who can sell men's lives as he does, without striking a blow against them! As I was thus musing, our messenger was seen, in the dusky light, returning at the top of his speed, and alone. "We told you so!" cried both my associates triumphantly; "we told you how it would be!" I was vexed, and bit my lips to conceal my chagrin. "Let us hear what he says, at any rate," said I. "Well, what news, Junglee?" cried I, as he ran up quite out of breath. "Wait a moment, Jemadar," said he, "till I can speak: I have run hard." "Here, drink some water: it will compose you. What has happened. Is there any alarm?" "Ah, no alarm," replied the lad, "but listen. I went as fast as I could without running, for I thought if I appeared out of breath when I reached him he might suspect something; so when I got to the town gate, I walked slowly till I reached his shop. He was busy frying kabobs for some travellers, and told me to go into his private room and wait for him. In a short time he came to me. "'Well,' said he, 'what news? Why have you come? The bunij is safe; it was but just now that one of your scouts came and said he had heard orders given for his departure to-morrow. What do you want?' "So I repeated your message, word for word as you delivered it to me, and he seemed much agitated. He walked up and down the room for some time, talking to himself, and I could hear the words 'Ganesha,' 'treachery,' once or twice repeated. So at last I grew tired of this, and said to him, 'I cannot wait, I have orders to return immediately: will you come or not?' and this stopped him; he turned round and looked at me severely-- "'Tell me,' said he, 'young man, was Motee-ram present when this message was delivered?' "'No, he was not,' I replied. "'Did he know it?' "'No; he had not returned from the town when I received it; at any rate, neither I nor the Jemadar Sahib saw him.' "'Was Peer Khan present?' "'No,' said I stoutly, 'he was not.' "'But he left this place in company with your master.' "'He may have done so,' said I, 'but I did not see him; I was preparing the Jemadar's bedding when he returned, and the message was delivered to me privately; for after he lay down to rest he called to me and delivered it: and I may as well tell you that he counted out the money from a bag which was under his pillow.' "'How much was there set apart for me?' "'Two hundred and fifty rupees; he was counting more, but he stopped short, put the rest into the bag, and said it would be enough.' "'And how much is in the bag?'