human
How many men have you?
gpt
Only fifty here, but the rest of my forces are behind, and the Ranjitgarh army is behind them, said Charteris easily. Sher Singh had ridden up in obvious alarm, and Charteris bowed to him.
human
I ride with a small escort, Prince, to show the last tokens of respect to your father, but as I was saying to my friend, I have not only my Darwanis, but the Ranjitgarh army behind me.
gpt
But what should the Ranjitgarh army be doing in Agpur?
human
Why, it is not exactly in Agpur territory, but merely ready to enter it, in case Colonel Antony does not receive every day satisfactory reports from my friend here and myself.
gpt
Does Antni Sahib not trust me, that he thus blackens the face of his most faithful slave?
human
Ah, you should not have left Darwan without replying to my messages, you know,
gpt
I have acted foolishly, he said.
human
For doing wrong I am rightly punished. The gracious rebuke of Antni Sahib I lay upon my forehead and my eyes, and submit.
gpt
Such wisdom is only what was expected from you, Prince.
human
And the heaven-born messenger of Antni Sahib --pursued Sher Singh feverishly--
gpt
Now you are foolish again, said Charteris gravely.
human
If Lieutenant Gerrard is good enough to entrust his commands to me, I will convey them to you, but that is a matter in which he decides and you obey. I see you are making a short halt here, and I may be able to wait upon you with instructions before long.
gpt
Why, Hal, what's the matter, old boy? Didn't I maintain your authority strongly enough to please you?
human
You seem to have worked a miracle, said Gerrard feebly,
gpt
A rest and something cool to drink is what you want, said Charteris, half helping, half pulling him off his horse.
human
Lie down here and take this. I give you fair warning, Master Gerrard, you ain't going to die on my hands and leave me to settle with this hornet's nest you have stirred up here--not if I know it.
gpt
Bob, what was it you told Sher Singh? How can it have happened?
human
Bounce, all bounce! said Charteris sadly.
gpt
At least, my Darwanis are certainly behind me, but a jolly good way behind; and as to Antony, if he is on the move, it's solely in response to my urgent entreaties, which he is highly unlikely to regard with favour.
human
Anyhow, you seem to have got me out of a very nasty fix.
gpt
Such was my intention. But you wish it hadn't fallen to me to get you out? Never mind, old boy; I wish it hadn't been you to be got out.
human
Oh, nonsense! You know I'm uncommon obliged to you, my dear fellow. But did you fly here? It can't possibly be my message this morning that brought you.
gpt
Lie down like a decent Christian and don't talk, and I'll tell you all about it. You don't seem to realise that you have had a precious narrow escape of sunstroke. Well, you don't need me to tell you that I have been keeping a vigilant eye on your proceedings for some time, with a shrewd suspicion that the air of the very high circles in which you were moving would not be good for your health. I felt so more than ever when my spies brought me word that Sher Singh was sneaking through my territory, evidently bound for Agpur. I sent him my salaams and a polite invitation to pay me a visit, but he had made himself scarce just in time. Then I thought it well to take the liberty of opening a letter of Antony's to you, as we agreed I should do in case of emergency, and when I found him cautioning you against any interference in the question of the Agpur succession, and talking of the extraordinary moderation of the claim advanced by the elder son, I decided it was time to move. So I set out to meet you on your way to the frontier, ostensibly to make arrangements for receiving the Rajah properly. This morning the people in the village where we halted for the night were full of the Rajah's death. As usual, nothing would make them say how they knew of it, but they were firm on the fact, so I saw the plot was thickening. Then, as we rode, we came across your messenger, and it was clear that the fat was in the fire already. I sent him on at once, with letters to my fellows in Darwan, and to try and open Antony's eyes, and made straight for this _tope_ to intercept you.
human
And to save all our lives, said Gerrard.
gpt
My dear Bob, how can I thank you?
human
Don't want to be thanked, growled Charteris.
gpt
If you don't know from your own feelings how I hated doing it, you ought to, that's all. Never mind, you'll do something of the same sort for me one day, and then I shall have the crow over you. And now just give me some idea of the state of affairs. Keep your silly head quiet, can't you? I didn't tell you to get up. Well, put your back against the tree, if you _must_ sit up. Who killer Cock Robin--that is to say, Partab Singh?
human
Either Sher Singh or some emissary of his.
gpt
Not openly, then?
human
No, in the night. The wound was so small that it escaped notice at first. I charged Sher Singh with the murder on suspicion merely. He may not know that the truth has been discovered.
gpt
Never show your teeth unless you can bite, said Charteris sententiously.
human
What does the opposition party consist of?
gpt
Little Kharrak Singh and his mother, whom Sher Singh wishes to become suttee.
human
And which is more important--to bring home the Rajah's death to Sher Singh, or to save the Rani?
gpt
For Kharrak Singh's sake, to save his mother, undoubtedly. But now you are here, I hope to do both.
human
We shall see about that. I gather from what you said in your letter last week that you know where to lay hands upon a sum of money sufficient to secure the loyalty of the army?
gpt
Yes, but to get at it I must be inside the palace enclosure, and even then I shall need your help.
human
On the whole, my young friend, --Charteris's voice was didactic in the extreme,--
gpt
--with a resounding thump on his chest,--
human
Not a bit of it!
gpt
My dear Hal, you do. There's no other course open to you. Sher Singh has the big battalions, and though I admire your design of capturing Agpur with no weapons but cool cheek and shaky promises, I have a mean objection to adding my bones to the heap that would be the result. It is eminently a case for negociation, and here is the negociator. You stay where you are, and get ready to ride into Agpur to-night, 'pride in your port, defiance in your eye,' while I try my blandishments upon that nasty uncertain beggar, Sher Singh.