“Not dead, mem-sahib,” corrected the ayah gently.  She paused a moment, then in the same hushed voice that was scarcely more than a whisper:  “He—­passed, mem-sahib, in these arms, so easily, so gently, I knew not when the last breath came.  You had been gone but a little space.  I sent Peter to call you, but your room was empty.  He returned, and I went to seek you myself.  I reached you only as the storm broke.”

“Ah!” A sharp shudder caught Stella.  “What—­happened?” she asked again.

“It was but a band of budmashes, mem-sahib.”  A note of contempt sounded in the quiet rejoinder.  “I think they were looking for Monck sahib—­for the captain sahib.  But they found him not.”

“No,” Stella said.  “No.  They had killed him already—­in the jungle.  At least, they had shot him.  He died—­afterwards.”  She spoke dully; she felt as if her heart had grown old within her, too old to feel poignantly any more.  “Go on!” she said, after a moment.  “What happened then?  Did they kill Bernard sahib and Denvers sahib, too?”

“Neither, my mem-sahib.” Hanani’s reply was prompt and confident.  “Bernard sahib was struck on the head and senseless when we dragged him in.  Denvers sahib was not touched.  It was he who put out the lamp and saved their lives.  Afterwards, I know not how, he raised a great outcry so that they thought they were surrounded and fled.  Truly, Denvers sahib is great.  After that, he went for help.  And I, mem-sahib, fearing they might return to visit their vengeance upon you—­being the wife of the captain sahib whom they could not find—­I wrapped a saree about your head and carried you away.”  Humble pride in the achievement sounded in Hanani’s voice.  “I knew that here you would be safe,” she ended.  “All evil-doers fear this place.  It is said to be the abode of unquiet spirits.”

Again Stella gazed around the place.  Her eyes had become accustomed to the green-hued twilight.  The crumbling, damp-stained walls stretched away into darkness behind her, but the place held no terrors for her.  She was too tired to be afraid.  She only wondered, though without much interest, how Hanani had managed to accomplish the journey.

“Where is Peter?” she asked at last.

“Peter remained with Bernard sahib,” Hanani answered.  “He will tell them where to seek for you.”

Again Stella gazed about the place.  It struck her as strange that Peter should have relinquished his guardianship of her, even in favour of Hanani.  But the thought did not hold her for long.  Evidently he had known that he could trust the woman as he trusted himself and her strength must be almost superhuman.  She was glad that he had stayed behind with Bernard.

She leaned her chin upon her hands and sat silent for a space.  But gradually, as she reviewed the situation, curiosity began to struggle through her lethargy.  She looked at Hanani crouched humbly beside her, looked at her again and again, and at last her wonder found vent in speech.