"Even without that inducement I’d take your prescription, General," he replied. "This hide-and-seek is rather wearing; but if you two good fellows can keep me in the land of the living for the next few days, I shan’t worry you further." He left the room, dragging his lame foot painfully, and the General, stricken with a sudden sympathy, whispered Forsyth to accompany him. "The poor beggar is troubled," he said. "Sleep on the sofa in his room, and don’t be afraid to close your eyes—as soon as _he_ is asleep. Azimoolah and I will see there’s no bother. But your friend mustn’t be left alone. Danger from his own pistol—see?" Forsyth nodded with grieved comprehension, and followed the Duke. On his departure the General turned to Azimoolah, who had stood like a statue since his release, and the twain exchanged a twinkle of mutual congratulation. "We managed that quite in the old style, O taker of many thieves," said the General in Hindustani. "’Twas well that you heard and quickly obeyed my whisper to offer resistance, for so we have deceived the malefactors who beheld us into the belief that you also are an enemy of the house." "The sahib’s praise is sweet as the honey of Kashmir," responded Azimoolah, gravely. "Is it the Heaven-born’s will that I should go out and slay these dealers in iniquity?" The commission entrusted to him, however, held promise of no such luxury. On the contrary, Azimoolah received strict injunction to avoid violence except in the last extremity—in self-defence or to prevent entry into the house. The duty laid down for him was to patrol the grounds, and instantly apprise the General of any action on the part of the two trespassers that pointed to a renewal of aggressiveness that night. "I shall remain in this room till daybreak; if anything occurs, make the signal outside," were the General’s final instructions as he loosed his human watch-dog on to the terrace, after putting out the lights to conceal the opening of the window. Then, having carefully closed it, he sat himself down in the dark, and presently slumbered, secure in the knowledge that none could approach the mansion while Azimoolah was on guard. Also, he was pretty sure that the siege would not be raised till the two prowlers should have reported to their superiors the doings and, as they would believe, the capture of the strange rival who had forestalled them. The General’s confidence was justified, for the night passed without further alarms, and the three gentlemen met at the breakfast-table under ordinary country-house conditions. The servants being in the room, no reference was made to the abnormal circumstances that had brought them together, though Beaumanoir, in the course of reading letters that had come by post, held up a gorgeously monogrammed note, and remarked that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had accepted his invitation and would be with them on the morrow.