With night, however, a gleam of comfort arrived in the shape of Jahan Beg, who was discovered by Fitz lurking in the lane behind the house, and was drawn up to the window by a rope. He had heard of the King’s last measure of offence, and was anxious to know how it affected his friends. Sir Dugald’s refusal to go to the Palace he approved heartily, saying that any yielding now would be accepted as a sign of fear and weakness, leaving out of sight the extreme probability that the opportunity would be seized of making an attempt on his life. At the same time, the Amir confessed that he saw no way out of the situation which would combine honour and safety. Fath-ud-Din was paramount in the council, and while he was in power no one else could get a hearing. Rustam Khan was in fear of his life, and had everything ready for flight at a moment’s notice should his spies inform him that it was expedient. The Scythian envoy was once more to the front, although no definite arrangement had as yet been concluded with him. It seemed to be Fath-ud-Din’s policy to play off one nation against the other, doing his best to secure concessions from each, while giving as little as possible in the way of equivalent to either. “If you can get any treaty that in the slightest degree approaches your demands, sign it and go,” said Jahan Beg. “And if you can’t get your treaty, go in any case, if you can.” “I was thinking of sending a man off to Fort Rahmat-Ullah to describe our plight, and ask for orders and help,” said Sir Dugald; “but the difficulty is that they will allow no one to pass. One does not care to court a rebuff by demanding facilities for the passage of a courier taking important despatches to Khemistan and finding them refused; and even if we could smuggle him out behind in any way, there would be a very slender chance of his passing the city gates, much less of reaching the frontier.” “I will do what I can to help a messenger off if you are obliged to run the blockade,” said Jahan Beg; “but as you say, there is a very slight chance of success. Why not send a message by that fellow Hicks, who has been talking for weeks of returning to Khemistan immediately?” “Because he only meant to return when our business was over, and now that things have become more exciting he is bound to be in at the death,” said Sir Dugald. “He must wait here and write our obituary notices, you see.” “Well, I advise you to wait a day or two, in case anything occurs to alter the situation. The Scythian agent may turn rusty if it dawns upon him that he is being played with, and then your chance will come.” “The worst of it is that our chances are limited by our supplies,” said Sir Dugald. “We have not got the beasts and the camel-men to consider now, certainly, but it is no joke providing simply for ourselves and the servants here. Both Fath-ud-Din and the Scythian envoy have the whip-hand of us in that respect.”