Caste | Page 8

the blood sacrifice that had started
Nana Sahib on a line of bitter thought; had stirred the smothering hate
that was in his soul until frothing bubbles of it mounted to his lips.
"I was born in the shadow of Parvati," Nana Sahib said, "and when I
came back from England I found that still I was a Brahmin; that the
songs of the Bhagavad Gita and the philosophy of the Puranas was
more to me than what I had been taught at Oxford. So I took back the
caste, and under my shirt is the junwa (sacred thread)."
A quick smile lighted his face, and he laid a hand on Barlow's arm,
saying in a new voice, a voice that was as if some one spoke through
his lips in ventriloquism: "And all this, Captain, is a good thing for my
friends the English. The Brahmins, as you know, sway the Mahrattas,
and if I am of them they will listen to me. The English boast--and they
have reason to--that they have made a friend of Nana Sahib. Here,
Baptiste, pour me a glass of plain soda, and we'll drink a toast to Nana
Sahib and the English."
"By Jove! splendid!" and Captain Barlow held out a hand.
But Baptiste, saying that he would find Miss Hodson, went out into the
sunshine cursing.
"Now we will go back," Nana Sahib was saying as the French General

brought Elizabeth from among the oleanders and crotons.
CHAPTER IV
The day after the Bagrees had taken the oath of allegiance to Sindhia
the jamadars were summoned to the Dewan's office to receive their
instructions for the carrying out of the mission.
In writing the Raja of Karowlee for the decoits, Dewan Sewlal had not
stated that the mission was for the purpose of bringing home in a bag
the head of the Pindar Chief. As the wily Hindu had said to Sirdar
Baptiste: "We will get them here before speaking of this dangerous
errand. Once here, and Karowlee's hopes raised over getting territory, if
they then go back without accomplishing the task, that rapacious old
man will cast them into prison."
So when the Bagree leaders, closeted with Baptiste and the Dewan in a
room of the latter's bungalow, learned what was expected of them they,
to put it mildly, received a shock. They had thought that it was to be a
decoity of treasure, perhaps of British treasure, and in their proficient
hands such an affair did not run into much danger generally.
The jamadars drew to one side and discussed the matter; then Ajeet
said: "Dewan Sahib, what is asked of us should have been in the written
message to our Raja. We be decoits, that is true, it is our profession, but
the mission that is spoken of is not thus. Hunsa has ridden with Amir
Khan upon a foray into Hyderabad, and he knows that the Chief is
always well guarded, and that to try for his head in the midst of his
troops would be like the folly of children."
The Dewan's fat neck swelled with indignation; his big ox-like eyes
bulged from their holding in anger:
"Phut-t-t!" he spat in derision. "Bagrees!" he sneered; "descendants of
Rajputs--bah! Have you brought women with you that will lead this
force? And danger!" he snarled--he turned on Sookdee: "You are
Sookdee, son of Bhart, so it was signed."

"Yes, Dewan, it is true."
"You are the son of your mother, not Bhart," the Dewan raved; "he was
a brave man, but you speak of danger--bah!"
The Dewan's teeth, stained red at the edges from the chewing of pan,
showed in a sneering grin like a hyena's as he added: "Bah! Ye are but
thieves who steal from those who are helpless."
Ajeet spoke: "Dewan Sahib, we be men as brave as Bhart--we are of
the same caste, but there is a difference between such an one as he took
the head of and a Pindari Chief. The Pindaris are the wild dogs of Hind,
they are wolves, and is it easy to trap a wolf?"
But the Dewan had worked himself into a frenzy at their questioning of
the possibilities; he waved his fat hands in a gesture of dismissal crying:
"Go, go!"
As the jamadars stood hesitatingly, Sewlal swung to the Frenchman:
"Sirdar Sahib, make the order that I cease payment of the thousand
rupees a day to these rebels, cowards. Go!" and he looked at Ajeet;
"talk it over amongst yourselves, and send to me one of your wives that
will lead a company--lend your women your tulwars."
Ajeet's black eyes flashed anger, and his brows were drawn into a knot
just above his thin, hawk-like nose; suppressed passion at the Dewan's
deadly insult was in the even, snarling