“Chief Ajeet,” he snarled, “think you that we can rob the seth of his treasure without an outcry—­and if there is an outcry, that he will not go back to those of his caste in Poona, and when trouble is made, think you that the Dewan will thank us for the bungling of this?  And as to the matter of a thug or a decoit, half our men have been taught the art of the strangler.  With these,”—­and extending his massive arms he closed his coarse hands in a gnarled grip,—­“with these I would, with one sharp in-turn on the roomal, crack the neck of the merchant and he would be dead in the taking of a breath.  And, Ajeet, if this that is the manner of men causes you fear—­”

“Hunsa,” and Ajeet’s voice was constrained in its deadliness, “that ass’s voice of yours will yet bring you to grief.”

But Sookdee interposed: 

“Let us not quarrel,” he said.  “Ajeet no doubt has in his mind Bootea as I have Meena.  And it would be well if the two were sent on the road in the cart, and when our work is completed we will follow.  Indeed they may know nothing but that there is some jewel, such as women love, to be given them.”

“Look you,” cried Hunsa thrusting his coarse hand out toward the road, “even Bhowanee is in favour.  See you not the jackal?”

Turning their eyes in the direction Hunsa indicated, a jackal was seen slinking across the road from right to left.

“Indeed it is an omen,” Sookdee corroborated; “if on our journeys to commit a decoity that is always a good omen.”

“And there is the voice!” Hunsa exclaimed, as the tremulous lowing of a cow issued from the village.

He waved a beckoning hand to Guru Lal, for they had brought with them their tribal priest as an interpreter of omens chiefly.  “Is not the voice of the cow heard at sunset a good omen, Guru?” he demanded.

“Indeed it is,” the priest affirmed.  “If the voice of a cow is heard issuing at twilight from a village at which decoits are to profit, it is surely a promise from Bhowanee that a large store of silver will be obtained.”

“Take thee to thy prayers, Guru,” Ajeet commanded, “for we have matters to settle.”  He turned to Sookdee.  “Your omens will avail little if there is prosecution over the disappearance of the merchant.  I am supposed to be in command, the leader, but I am the led.  But I will not withdraw, and it is not the place of the chief to handle the roomal.  We will eat our food, and after the evening prayers will sit about the fire and amuse this merchant with stories such as honest men and holy ones converse in, that he may be at peace in his mind.  As Sookdee says, the women will be sent to the grove of trees we came through on the road.”

“We will gather about the fire of the merchant,” Sookdee declared, “for it is in the mango grove and hidden from sight of the villagers.  Also a guard will be placed between here and the village, and one upon the roadway.”