Part 8 (1/2)
”Not very They're known, of course, and recorded There's an old fort on one of thearrisoned by a handful of British troops--a constant source of heart-burn, I believe, to Gungadhura He can see the top of the flag-staff frothened, I'm told On the other hand, there's a very pretty little palace over on our side of the river with about a half squareit that pertains to the native State Your husband could dig there, of course
There's no knowing that it old than one”
Tess contrived not to see puold down by the river?” she asked
”No, Mrs Blaine!” he laughed ”You Aenuous as you like to seem! Do you really expect us to believe that your husband's purpose isn't in fact to discover the Sialpore Treasure?”
”I never heard of it”
”I suspect he hasn't told you”
”I'll bet with you, if you like,” she answered ”Our contract against your job that I know every single detail of his teradhura!”
”Well, well,--of course I believe you, Mrs Blaine We're not overheard are we?”
Not forgetful of the Princess Yasmini hidden somewhere in the house behind her, but unsuspicious yet of that young woh the parlorShe could see all of the room except the rear part of the -seat, a little more than a foot of which was shut out of her view by the depth of the wall A cat, for instance, could have lain there tucked a the cushi+ons perfectly invisible
”None of the servants is in there,” she said, and sat down again, nodding in the direction of a gardener ”There's the nearest possible eavesdropper”
Samson had made up his mind This was not an occasion to be actually indiscreet, but a good chance to pretend to be He was a judge of those hteen rajahs of Sialpore in direct succession father to son,” he said, swinging a beautiful buff-leather boot into view by crossing his knee, and looking at her narroith the air of a an accule rajah since has added to it Each man has confided the secret to his successor and to none else--father to son, you understand
When Bubru Singh, the last man, died he had no son The secret died with him”
”How does anybody know that there's a secret then?” demanded Tess
”Everybody knows it! The money was raised by taxes Minister after ning rajah--”
”And look the other way, I suppose, while the rajah hid the stuff!”
suggested Tess
Samson screwed up his face like a man who has taken medicine
”There are dozens of ways in a native state of getting rid of men who know too much”
”Even under British overrule?”
He nodded ”Poison--snakes--assassination--jail on trues, and disease in jail--apparent accidents of all sorts It doesn't pay to know toofor this treasure? Is that the idea?”
”Not at all, since you've denied it I believe you implicitly But I hope your husband doesn't stumble on it”
”Why?”