“O my lady, I have found it all out. I have seen Ibrahim. He is set free now, but they had shut him up in a dungeon, that he should not warn the Major Sahib, because he had discovered their plans, and he says that all the men are cursing you. The messenger from Fath-ud-Din yesterday brought orders that on no account were his servants to attack the English, for that then his life would be forfeited; but Khadija could not bear to lose her revenge when she had so nearly obtained it, and she thought it would be all right if she could make the English attack first. She wanted you to cry out, O my lady, because she thought that the Major Sahib would know your voice, and thinking you were a prisoner and in danger, would rush to save you. The men in the courtyard were told to shut the gate when as many as possible of the English had come in, and to kill them if they resisted--as naturally they would. Then she could not be held to blame if the servants killed the English, who had forced their way into the place and provoked a fight, or if you were found to have fallen from the tower in trying to reach the Major Sahib. But you have brought all her plans to nothing, and the Major Sahib ought to be proud that he will have such a wife.” CHAPTER XXIII. HARDLY WON. Unfortunately, the Major Sahib, not knowing all the circumstances of the case, did not look at things quite in the same light as Rahah, and Georgia was not left long in doubt as to his view of the matter. Betaking herself to the terrace outside her room at the hour when she usually carried on her heliographic communications with Fitz, she was surprised to find that the conversation was opened by a complicated series of flashes in such rapid succession that she could not read them off. “It can’t be Mr Anstruther,” she said to herself; “he never begins in that way. Can it be Dick who is doing it? It looks like some kind of private signal--or it might be ‘Attention!’ flashed very fast. Oh, here is the message!” But the perplexity on her face only became deeper when she had written down the words, for their tone was not of the pleasantest. “Get your things ready at once. I am coming to fetch you. Dick.” Was the victory to be snatched away when it was so nearly within her grasp? Georgia set her teeth hard as she flashed back-- “Cannot possibly leave to-night. Come for me in the morning. Georgia.” The answer arrived quickly. “I am starting immediately, and shall expect to find you ready.” This was a little too much. Georgia’s calmness, which had been subjected to a considerable strain already by the excitements of the day, gave way altogether, and it was with a hand that trembled a good deal that she signalled back--