“Poor old Ashraf Ali was awfully cut up about--what happened yesterday. He explained through the mullah that he arranged the ambuscade entirely for the benefit of the Commissioner, whom he really was anxious to have out of the way. It was a pure accident that the very last thing he could have wished happened instead. However, in order that his trouble mightn’t be wasted, he suggested that we should hand him over the Commissioner now. He will see that he gives no more trouble on this frontier, and it is open to the rest of us either to stay here unmolested, or to return to civilisation under a safe-conduct, just as we like.” “You mean that he actually offers to guarantee the safety of every one else if the Commissioner gives himself up?” “Practically that. Doesn’t it strike you as a little quaint?” “Was that the Commissioner’s view of it?” “I believe so. He remarked what a preposterous demand it was, when he had the responsibility of the fort and the whole community on his shoulders. He doesn’t intend to shirk his duty. The Colonel said it was a tremendous relief to hear how sensibly he took it. Some men would have insisted on giving themselves up forthwith, but he has too much to think of.” A wan smile showed itself on Georgia’s face. “Well, if he intends to interpret his duty very strictly, we may wish he had gone,” she said. “I don’t believe he is even technically in the right, and certainly I think the Colonel will have to organise a little mutiny if he insists upon bossing the show. Couldn’t you turn on Miss North to induce him to moderate his pretensions a bit?” Mabel, in the next room, shook her fist unseen at the speaker. “After all,” said Georgia, “it’s most unlikely that they would have kept their promise to protect us, even if he had given himself up.” “Very little doubt about that. From what the mullah said, it’s clear that there are two parties in their camp, and I shouldn’t care to say which is the stronger. Bahram Khan’s following, besides his own men, who did all the looting last night, comprises the more troublesome of the frontier tribes and the chiefs who have grudges against the Amir, while Ashraf Ali has his loyal Sardars and the tribes which have always been friendly to us. If only we had the Major here!” “You mean that he would play them off against one another?” “Yes, and there’s no one else to do it. Beltring and I wanted to try, because there’s just the chance that the tribes would listen to us, as we have been with him so much, but the Colonel won’t let us leave the fort.” “No, it would be no good. You would only be risking your lives uselessly,” said Georgia. “He has more influence over them than any man I ever knew, except my father.”