The two leaders were commanded to obey Sirdar Baptiste implicitly; and Baptiste passed an order that they were to receive a thousand rupees a day for their maintenance.

In addition there was a fourth officer, Hunsa, who was a jamadar, a lieutenant, to Ajeet Singh.  And if then and there the ugly head had been cut from his body, the things that happened would not have happened.

From the advent of the Bagrees, even on their way from Karowlee, Hunsa had been plotting evil.  He was a man who would have shrivelled up, become atrophied, in an atmosphere of decency—­he would have died.

Hunsa caused Sookdee to believe that he should have been the leader and not Ajeet Singh.

A document was written out by Dewan Sewlal promising that in the event of the decoits carrying out the mission they had come upon the estate would be restored to Raja Karowlee, and that he would be compelled to assign to the three decoit leaders villages within that territory in rent free tenure.  The Dewan, with wide precaution, took care that the document was so worded that General Baptiste was the official promiser, putting in a clause that he, Sewlal, the Minister, would see that the General carried out these promises on behalf of Sindhia.

Baptiste set his lips in a sardonic smile when he read and signed the paper.  However, he cared very little; no concern of his whether Karowlee attained to his lands or not—­it would be a matter of the King disposes.  Even that the Dewan stood in Baptiste’s shadow in the affair was another something that only caused the Frenchman to remark sardonically: 

“Dewani, the English sahibs have a delectable game of cards named poker in which there is an observance called passing the buck; when a player wishes to avoid the responsibility of a bet he passes the buck to the next man.  Dewani, you have the subtlety of a good poker player and have passed the buck to me.”

The Brahmin looked hurt.  “Sirdar,” he said, “you are the commander of matters of war, which this is.  You stand here in the city of tents as Sindhia; I am but the man of accounts; it is well as it is.  And now that we have signed the promise the decoits will also sign, then I will make them take the oath according to their patron goddess, Bhowanee.  They are just without—­I will have them in.”

When the three jamadars had been summoned to the Dewan’s presence, he said:  “Here is the paper of promise as to the reward from Sindhia for the service you are to render.  You will also sign here, making your seal or thumb print; then it will be required that you take the oath of service according to your own method and your gods.”

Ajeet consulted a little apart with Sookdee and then coming forward said:  “We Bagrees are an ancient people descended from the Rajputs, and we keep our word to our friends; therefore we will take the oath after the manner of Bhowanee, beneath the pipal tree.  If Your Honour will give us but an hour we will take the oath.”