Waking up Saleh Mohammed without much ceremony, the young Toorkoman chief proceeded to business at once, but in a very cunning way, commencing with another subject, like a wily lawyer seeking to lure and throw a witness off his guard. "After a nine days' journey, Khan, you must be short of provisions?" said he. "Oh, fear not for our presence here in Bameean," replied Saleh Mohammed, leisurely sucking at his hubble-bubble, the light of which had gone out; "every tobrah full of oats, every maund of ottah and rice, we require shall be duly paid for." "You mistake me; I did not mean that." "What then? Bismillah! we are rich: the spoil of the Kaffir dogs who come to Cabul has made us happy." Zoolficar's almond-shaped eyes glistened with covetousness on hearing this. He reflected: the Dooranees were not quite five hundred strong, and he could bring a thousand Tartar horsemen into the field; hence, why might not all this plunder so freely spoken of, and these slaves, two of whom he had seen (and they were so white and handsome!), be his? "You propose to remain here for some days, aga?" he resumed, seating himself cross-legged, and playing with the silken tassel of his sabre. "Yes." "Waiting for orders from Ackbar Khan?" "Yes." "His final firmaun, I think you said?" "Yes." "To advance or retire?" "Yes." "If he has proved signally victorious?" queried Zoolficar sharply, as he grew impatient of these mere affirmatives, which were resorted to by the other merely to give him time to think and sift the other's purpose. "Wallah billah--victorious." "Yes--which, under Allah, we cannot doubt?" "Well, aga." "Then his orders will be to sell these hostages, I suppose?" "Yes--perhaps." "Where, Khan?--here in Bameean?" "No; they will bring larger prices nearer Bokhara." "But if he is not victorious?" suggested Zoolficar. "Staferillah! Then we must leave the event to fate; or my orders may be----" and here even Saleh Mohammed paused ere he made the atrocious admission that hovered on his tongue. "What--what?" "To behead them. Ackbar has sworn that none should live to tell the tale of those who came up the Khyber Pass; and I must own that his sparing these surprised me." There was a pause, after which the Governor of Baraeean said-- "And when may you expect those final orders?" "Or tidings, let us call them." "Well, well, aga, this is playing with words." "Tidings that shall guide me may come without orders," replied Saleh Mohammed, glancing at the green flag of Ackbar which was flying on the fort, and then half closing his eyes to watch the other keenly, and as if to read in his face the drift of all these questions. "You surely take a deep interest in these Kaffirs, Zoolficar Khan?" he added. "I take an interest, at least, in two whom I have seen--in one particularly."