Trapped by Malays | Page 7

said the young man, with a sigh; and his handsome half-Spanish
countenance clouded over. "And I did work so hard to make myself like
you young Englishmen; but I had not the chance."
"But you did splendidly. I heard of how high a position you took."
The young Rajah smiled sadly and shook his head.
"You say that as a sort of compliment," he said.
"That I don't. I never pay compliments, for I know you don't like them.
If you did, you and I shouldn't be such friends."
The young Rajah turned and gazed fixedly in the speaker's eyes for a
few moments, and then turned hastily to help himself from the dish

handed to him.
"No, we shouldn't," he said in a low voice as soon as the dish was
removed; and he began to trifle with the food. "Yes," he continued,
"those were jolly days at the big school; and it seemed so strange to
come back here from studies and cricket and football." He laughed
softly as he turned merrily to look at his companion again. "I say, how
I used to get knocked about! The chaps used to say that it got my
monkey up, but I suppose it did me good."
"No doubt," said Archie merrily. "You got over wanting to kris the
fellows, didn't you?"
"Of course; and it made me so English that I don't want to kris the poor
fellows now that I have come back and am Maharajah here in my
father's stead. But it was all no good," he added, with a sigh.
"What?" exclaimed Archie wonderingly.
"No good," repeated the young man. "He sent for me to come home, but
it was only to say good-bye and tell me that I was to love the English
and be their friend so as to make them my friends. `They are a great
people, Hamet,' he said--`a great people. We are only little chiefs, but
they can rule the world.' I want to be their friend, but somehow they
don't like me but make much of Suleiman."
"Oh, wait a bit," said Archie. "I think you are wrong. We English are
such blunt people. Why, our Major--he was my father's schoolfellow--
he's a splendid old chap."
"Yes; but he doesn't trust me," said the young Malay.
"Oh, you wait."
"I like your doctor."
"Well, you must like Sir Charles Dallas."
"What! Suleiman's Resident? I don't know him. Your English Queen--I

mean Her Majesty--"
"Yes, I know," said Archie, laughing.
"She has not sent a Resident to live in my country."
"No. Do you know why?"
"Yes," said the young man coldly. "She does not trust me."
"Ha, ha, ha!"
"Why do you laugh?"
"At you."
"But why?"
"Because she does trust you--or, rather, our Government does."
The young man turned sharply to gaze with a searching glance in the
speaker's eyes.
"What do you mean?" he said.
"Go on with your dinner, old chap, and I'll tell you by-and-by. Here's
Down wants to have a word with you.--Don't you, Down?"
"Ah yes, Captain Down," said the young Rajah, bowing towards him. "I
seem to know you. Maine says you are such a splendid shot. Are you?"
"Oh, I can pull a trigger, and I can hit something sometimes," said the
young officer.
"Sometimes!" put in Archie. "Why, he never misses. You ought to know
more of him, Rajah. He's like that old country gentleman's two sons
who loved hunting and shooting. He's a regular Nimrod and Ramrod
rolled into one. Understand?"

"Yes; I read that in the old joke-book. Then your friend will come and
have some shooting. Will you not?"
"Rather!" said the Captain; and the general conversation went on till
the old English custom was in the ascendant and the Major gave Her
Majesty's health and the band played "God save the Queen;" and
afterwards the Major proposed the health of their guest, His Highness
Sultan Suleiman, who afterwards rose and bowed two or three times,
said a few words very clumsily, and then turned towards the distingue-
looking guest on the Major's left, and sat down; whereupon the French
guest said a few words to the Major, who rose and announced that the
Count de Lasselle would respond for the Sultan Suleiman.
There was the customary applause as the Count arose; and in very
good English, which he only had to supplement now and then with a
strong dash of French, he returned thanks for their illustrious guest,
who, he could assure the English officers, had but one aim in life, and
that was to be the friend and ally of the great British Queen. His speech
was long and very flowery, and he did not forget to say that there was
no other country in the world suited to