‘Burra sahib, no,’ said Sunni.

At that instant Lieutenant Pink galloped up to the door of the tent.

’They’ve come to their senses at last, sir.  Six mounted men have just left the north gate, signalling for a parley.’

The Colonel jumped to his feet and gave half a dozen orders without stopping.  The last one was to Sunni.  ‘Stay here,’ he said; ’you shall soon go back to your own country.’

The Chitan horsemen had ridden out to announce the coming of the Maharajah, so that the English officer might meet him half-way.  They gave the message gravely, and rode slowly back.  Half an hour later there arose a great shouting and blowing of trumpets inside the walls, the royal gate was flung open, and the Maharajah appeared, swaying in a blaze of silk and jewels upon an enormous elephant with a painted trunk and trappings fringed in gold and silver.  Trumpeters and the crimson flag of Chita went before him; Maun Rao and the other generals rode behind him; at his side sat his bard, his poet laureate, with glowing eyes, speaking constantly into his royal ear the glorious annals of his house.  Colonel Starr and his little suite met this wonderful cavalcade a quarter of a mile from the city, and the Maharajah and the Colonel dismounted.  Whereupon the magnificent Rajput, in his diamond aigrettes and his silken swathings, and the broad shouldered British officer, in his Queen’s red coat, solemnly kissed each other.  They exchanged other politenesses, spoke of the health of the Viceroy and of his ’good friend’ the Maharajah, and His Highness arranged a durbar to be held in his hall of audience at two that afternoon, when he would hear the desires of the British Raj.

Strangely enough, it occurred to nobody to wonder why the Maharajah had so suddenly changed his mind.  To nobody, that is, except Sonny Sahib.  He guessed the reason, and sitting all morning in a corner of the Colonel’s tent, as he had been told, he thought about it very seriously.  Once or twice he had to swallow a lump in his throat to help him to think.  The Maharajah’s reason was that he supposed that Sonny Sahib had told the English about Lalpore’s ammunition; and that, under the circumstances, was enough to bring lumps into anybody’s throat.

The Colonel was very busy, and took no notice of him, except to say that he should have some dinner.  He heard talk of the Maharajah’s visit and of the durbar, and he revolved that too.  When the time came, Sunni had concluded that he also must go to the durbar.  He said so to Colonel Starr.

‘Nonsense!’ said the Colonel.  ‘And yet,’ he added reflectively, ’it might be useful to have you there.  I daresay you will be safe enough.  You are not afraid?’

Sunni said he was not afraid.  So they all went, and the Maharajah, rising from his ivory chair, received them with much state and ceremony.  He frowned when he saw Sunni, but said nothing.  His Highness felt that he was not in a position to resent anything, and thought bitterly of Petroff Gortschakin.