"Of ten thousand rupees? Speak truly." "Ah no, sirs. What would a poor Khayet like me do with ten thousand rupees? No, but of what I had in my humeana." "And Pahar Singh? they tell me he was mentioned by thee." "Ah, noble sir, I am a stranger and a foreigner; what do I know about Pahar Singh, or anybody? I am very weak," added the Lalla, in a feeble voice; "will no one help me?" and he lay down, as well to escape further questioning, as to excite pity for his misfortunes. "This will not serve thee, whoever thou art," returned the Kótwal; "answer truly, where art thou come from, and what took thee to that lonely temple at night?" "My lord, I am a poor Khayet from the north, seeking service; and I fell among thieves who decoyed me thither and robbed me. See, they wounded me also, and tried to strangle me. What more can I say?" "That is not enough, friend," resumed the Kótwal; "we must know how it happened, for others here appear concerned in the matter, and murder hath been done." "Murder, my lord!" cried the Lalla, again raising himself; "there was no murder, though perhaps they thought they had killed me when they took what I had." "Who, Lalla? be not afraid," said Jehándar Beg, soothingly. "A seeming Jogi and another. They ran away, and left me senseless. Then two Gosais came and raised me up, and gave me water, and took me to the guard-room. May the gods recompense them, for they bound up my wound!" "Two Gosais--ah, this may be some clue!" said the Kótwal; "this agrees with the other statement. Then thou art one of them, Meah Sahib?" "I have already said so," replied Fazil; "and my retainer, Bulwunt Rao, was the other." "What took you there?" Fazil considered for a moment. What he had been witness of could not now be related, and he replied, "It was a matter, Meerza Sahib, in which I am not bound to answer you. If those it concerns are to hear of it, they shall know otherwise." "Beware, young sir!" said the Kótwal, gravely; "there can be no secrets here." "Nevertheless, I cannot answer. It is enough that I have told my father of it," returned Fazil. "Yes, Jehándar Beg," said Afzool Khan, "he has said enough to prove he was no robber, and that ought to content you." "Yet there was murder done, my friend," replied the official, quickly; "blood was on the wall of the court, and a corpse not far from it, and there is blood on this sword of your son's. He should clear himself of this horrible suspicion. But stay; there is the other affray to be accounted for,--that in the wine-shop--a drunken brawl, I fear." "I am no brawler, Meerza Sahib, nor drunkard," exclaimed Fazil, indignantly. "The man is present in whose house it occurred; let him say what happened." "Let him be brought forward, and let Fureed Duffadar state what happened," said the Kótwal, authoritatively. "Till then be silent, Meah." CHAPTER XXX.