"Go, friend," said the King, "do as he says. If the people ask questions, say I am safe, and will be with them presently." "And leave thee with him!" said the Meerza, anxiously. "I will not stir; there is peril, and my place is beside thee." "There is no peril if ye are true," said Pahar Singh; "much, if ye are false. Go!" "Go, friend, I will trust him; his object is money, not my poor life. Go! I am not afraid of him, nor he of me," said the King. "How noble he is!" whispered Fazil to his companion. Both would have given all they possessed to have been by the King's side to have struck down the ruffian. "Ay, Meah, I would we were by his side," returned Bulwunt. "Who can he be? Whoever he may be, he is indeed fearless; but he will not be harmed if they bring the money. Hush! they may speak again." The Meerza turned silently to go, and descended the step, accompanied by Maun Singh. "Come," said the latter to the Lalla; "help to carry the bags, good man; it will save me another journey. Come!" The Lalla followed, and the two remained standing face to face, the young King and the outlaw looking steadily at each other. "Afraid of thee?" said Pahar Singh in a low voice, and dropping the arm which had held the dagger uplifted. "Afraid of thee? No, proud boy: he who defied thy father's power at its greatest, hath little to fear from thine. Ali Adil Shah, thinkest thou that this poor disguise could conceal thee? Yet thou art bold and true, and I rejoice that I have had proof of it, for men told me thou wert a coward--a boy of the zenana--only fit to herd with women. Now thou hast met the 'Lion of the Hill' bravely," he continued, using the play on his own name, "and he will turn from thee peacefully. Thy life hath been in my hand--nay, is now in it were I to strike--but I give it to thee freely; promise me mine in return, and swear by thy father's spirit that, once gone from this, thou wilt not turn back, nor suffer any one of thy retinue to do so." The King started as the man covertly declared his name, and the covering fell from his face. "Thou Pahar Singh, the Lion of Allund?" he said.