Nagendra was amazed by the fellow’s villainy and impudence.  He reflected, however, that nothing was to be gained by kicking him out of the house, while his offer of reparation was not to be despised.  He replied, “You have been faithless to your salt; but I will pardon you on one condition that you help me to regain my estate, lost through your treachery “.

“That I will,” protested the Naib.  “Only let me have Rs. 300 in currency notes of one hundred rupees each, previously recording the numbers.  I swear by Mother Kali, not only to pay the arrears of revenue but to get the sale quashed.”  Nagendra at first thought that to do so would be only throwing good money after bad; but the man was terribly in earnest, and evidently hostile to their common enemy.  He opened his safe and handed the Naib the amount he asked, after carefully taking the numbers of the notes.

At the same hour on the morrow, the Naib returned in high glee to say that the business had been satisfactorily concluded.  All Nagendra had to do was to file a petition praying for the cancellation of the sale, and it could not fail to be granted.  On being asked how he had contrived to evade the law, the Naib went on:—­

“I will tell you the whole truth, Mahasay, only concealing names; for the people, who helped me extracted an oath that I would keep them a profound secret.  I went straight from your house last night to that of an office tout, who is a precious rascal, but tolerated because he is in some way related to the Collectorate head clerk.  On hearing my story he said he thought the matter could be settled, and asked me to meet him at 1 P.M. under a Nim tree north of the Collectorate, when he would bring a man to me who was able to do all we wished.  I was punctual to the minute, and sure enough the tout came with one of the Collectorate clerks.  I asked him whether it would not be possible so to manipulate the accounts of Lakhimpur, as to show that all Government revenue had been paid prior to the alleged default.  The clerk at first refused to have hand in such a transaction, as it would be too risky; but when I produced my currency notes he thought the job might be attempted, and added that some of the Treasury amlas (clerks) would have to be squared as well as himself.  I thereupon handed him Rs. 300, saying that it was enough to discharge the revenue due on Lakhimpur and leave more than Rs. 100 to divide as bakshish (gratuity).  He said that he would do his best and made me swear never to divulge his name.  We then separated, and only two hours ago the tout came to my house with the news that the accounts had been corrected.”