Here a fresh voice put in its word; for the syrup-seller's shop, being at one corner of the central square or _chowk_ of four bazaars, no one who had any errand of any sort in Eshwara could fail to pass it sooner or later. Therefore, Dya Ram and some other pleaders, on their way thus early in the morning to the tahsil court, were bound to overhear the priest's boast. "But most undesirable, nevertheless," expostulated Dya Ram, quickly. "We have duly appealed against the order to the higher court, and our legal course is to await the result." The priest looked at him, sullenly scornful; for such as he are no favourites with the hereditary Levites of India. "The _jogi_ hath appealed to the Gods," he retorted, "and they will give judgment without the help of such as thou, pleader-_jee!_" "Hark to the pious one!" murmured the crowd again, admiringly responsive, as ever, to a hint of religious sentiment. "But it will confuse issues--it is irregular--and I who drew up the petition object _in toto_," began Dya Ram in angry protest, when a friend interrupted him consolingly in English. "True. As it has been said, it is impossible to serve God and Mammon; yet seeing that miracles are, as Herbert Spencer proves, _ipsi facto_--" The ludicrous inadequacy of logic to the mental caliber of those around him, struck one of the little party of progress keenly, and he broke in, as he passed on, "What is the use of combatting such ignorance? It is for us--who represent the intellect of India--to pioneer the way--" The rest was lost as the little party went on discussing their own position. "Mayhap 'twas to Ramanund's house the _churail_ was coming; there was such a corpse went from it a week or two since; and they return from far," said an old man, looking after the last speaker. Gopi, the _gosain_, laughed. "This one, I'll wager, was sent back because of the canal. Mark my words, Mai Gunga will return them all now. 'Tis the _Huzoors'_ doing." A curious shiver ran through the crowd of men. To have your women against you, to feel in your heart that they cannot help being revengeful, that their blood is on your head, is ever the greatest of dreads. And so many lives held the possibility of this revenge. Am-ma, philosophically seated on the outskirts of the group, trying to sell his fish, laughed vaingloriously again. "Only for fools! The miss-_sahiba_ and the lights, and I, can defy devils." Here he stood up, and, with frightful grimaces of joy and uncouth salaams, greeted the appearance of Erda Shepherd, who, in the mission-lady's uniform of blouse and skirt, white pith hat, green veil, and bag of books, came out of a neighbouring alley. It was not a becoming dress, Lance Carlyon told himself, as, on his way back from escort duty to some lingering bigwig of the camp, he, at the same moment, came cantering up the bazaar towards the Fort.