human
I thought you were not of these people--you are of high caste, Bootea,
gpt
I am Bootea, one in the care of Ajeet Singh. That is the present, Sahib, and the past--
human
Sorry, girl--forgive me,
gpt
Ajeet has told why the men were brought--for what purpose?
human
Yes, Gulab; to kill Amir Khan.
gpt
And when they refused to go on this mission, the Dewan, to get them in his power, connived with Hunsa to make the decoity so that their lives would be forfeit, then if the Dewan punished them for not going the Raja of Karowlee could not make trouble. Hunsa told the Dewan that if I were sent to dance before Amir Khan, some of the men going as musicians and actors, the Chief would fall in love with me, and that I could betray him to those who would kill him; that he would come to my tent at night unobserved--because he has a wife with him--and that Hunsa would creep into the tent and kill him as he slept; then we would escape.
human
What an unholy scheme, even for India. Gad! how I wish I'd killed the brute when I had the chance.
gpt
I did not know that Hunsa had proposed this--neither did Ajeet; for they wanted to get him in their power through the decoity so that if he refused permission he might be killed. And now Ajeet is trapped through the decoity and Bootea is going to the Pindari camp.
human
You're not going to betray Amir Khan, have him murdered!
gpt
No, Sahib, to _save_ his life, for if I do not go now Ajeet will be killed, and all the others put in prison because of the decoity. Worse will happen Bootea,--she will be placed in the seraglio of Nana Sahib.
human
Damn it! they can't do that! Barlow exclaimed angrily.
gpt
I'll stop that.
human
No, the Sahib can't; and he has a mission, he is not of the service of protecting Bootea.
gpt
You can't save Amir Khan's life unless you betray the Bagrees to him?
human
Yes, Sahib, I can. Perhaps the Chief will like Bootea, and will listen to what she says. Men such as brave warriors always treat Bootea not as a _nautchni_ so I will ask him not to come to the tent at night because of ill repute. Hunsa will not be able to slay him unless it is a trap on my part to get him from the watching eyes of his men. If Hunsa becomes suspicious, and there is real danger, I will threaten that I will expose him to the Chief. If we come back because we have failed in our mission, having tried to succeed, it will not be like refusing to go; and perhaps there will be mercy shown.
gpt
Mercy! Barlow sneered;
human
Nana Sahib knows nothing of mercy, he's a tiger.
gpt
But if I refuse to go another _nautchni_ will be sent, perhaps more beautiful than I am, and she would betray the Chief, and perhaps all would be killed.
human
By Jove! you're some woman, you're magnificent--you're like a Rajputni princess.
gpt
Sahib, I am just Bootea,--please, please!
human
And that's your reason for taking this awful chance, to save Ajeet and the others--is it?
gpt
There is another reason, Sahib. The girl dropped her eyes and turning a gold bangle on her wrist gazed upon a ruby that had the contour of a serpent's head. Presently she asked,
human
Will the Sahib go to Khureyra and have a knife thrust between his ribs?
gpt
Why should I go to Khureyra, Gulab?
human
To see Amir Khan.
gpt
What makes you say that?
human
Because it is known. But the Chief is not now there--he has taken his horsemen to Saugor.