“Damn all politics!” growled Willoughby de Wing.

“If it can be proved that Gungadhura murdered Mukhum Dass, or caused him to be murdered, I should say arrest him, try the brute and hang him!” said Topham.  “Confound these native princes that take law into their own hands!”

“I should say, let’s prove the case if we can,” said Samson, “and use that for an extra argument to force Gungadhura’s abdication.  No need to hang him.  If he’d killed a princess, or an Englishman, we’d be obliged to take extreme measures; but, as De Wing says, Mukhum Dass was an awful undesirable.  If we hanged Gungadhura, we’d almost have to put one of his five sons on the throne to succeed him.  If be abdicates, we can please ourselves.  I think I can persuade him to abdicate—­if Norwood, for instance, knows of any way to gather secret evidence about that murder—­secret, you understand me, Norwood.  We need that for a sword of Damocles.”

“Who’s to succeed him in that case?” asked Ross, the P. M. O.

“I shall recommend Utirupa Singh,” said Samson, with his eyes alert.

Ross nodded.

“Utirupa is one of those men who make me think the Rajput race is not moribund.”

“A good clean sportsman!” said Topham.  “Plays a red-hot game of polo, too!”

“Pays up his bets, moreover, like a gentleman!” said Colonel Willoughby de Wing.

“I feel sure,” said Sir Hookum Bannerjee, seeing be was expected to say something, “that Prince Utirupa Singh would be acceptable to the Rajputs themselves, who are long weary of Gungadhura’s way.  But he is not married.  It is a pity always that a reigning prince should be unmarried; there are so many opportunities in that case for intrigue, and for mistakes.”

“Gad!” exclaimed Willoughby de Wing, dropping his monocle.  “What a chance to marry him to that young Princess Whatshername—­you know the one I mean—­the one that’s said to masquerade in men’s clothes and dance like the devil, and all that kind of thing.  I know nothing of politics, but—­what a chance!”

“God forbid!” laughed Samson.  “That young woman is altogether too capable of trouble without a throne to play with!  I suspect her, as it happens, of very definite and dangerous intentions along another line connected with the throne of Sialpore.  But I know how to disappoint her and stop her game.  I intend to recommend—­for the second time, by the way—­that she, also, should be sent to Europe for a proper education!  But the point I’m driving at is this:  are we agreed as to the proper course to take with Gungadhura?”

They nodded.

“Then, as I see it, there’s no desperate hurry.  Norwood will need time to gather evidence; I’ll need specific facts, not hearsay, to ram down Gungadhura’s throat.  I’ll send a wire to the high commissioner and another to Simla, embodying what we recommend, and—­what do you say to sending for a battery or two?”