Part 27 (1/2)

There were two doors to Sita Rae one--three doors in all, because they shared the connecting one (that was locked just now) in co- awaited heavy footsteps on the outer porch Sita Ram hurried to do the honors, and presently ushered into Sah priest, spreading a clean cloth for him on an easy chair because the priest's caste put it out of the question for him to sit on leather defiled by European trousers

Then, while the custo place, and the customary questions about health and otherabout, Sita Ra door, and retired by way of the other door and the passage to remove the knot from its hole

It was part of Sas in the ladder of preferes than any other man of his rank in the service, and knew theainst his name in the blue book that would have passed muster as a secret code, and every one of theue So he was fully able to round, as well as conscious of the advantage he held to begin with, in that the priest had co to the priest

”Well?” he de the pleasantries short abruptly as soon as Sita Ram had closed the door

”I came to speak of politics”

”I listen”

Samson leaned back and scrutinized his visitor with deliberate rudeness

Having the upper hand he proposed to hold it

But Jinendra's high priest was no beginner either in the ga truin with, provided there is other ammunition in reserve

”The whereabouts of the treasure of Sialpore is known!”

”The deuce it is!” said Salish ”Who knows it?”

he deh priest s up and down the spine and quickening of the heart-beats that announces crisis in one's personal affairs, but concealed it adh priest's turn to speak

He waited

”Half of that treasure belongs to the priesthood of Jinendra,” said the priest at last

”Since when?”

”Since the beginning”

”Why?”

”We were keepers of the treasure once years ago, before the English ca rajah deceived us by a trick, including lish took control the priests have had less and less authority There has been no chance to-- to bring any--to put pressure--to reestablish our rights Nevertheless, our rights in the matter were never surrendered”

”What do you lish are now the real rulers of Sialpore”

Sa from a Brahman priest

”They should clai where it is The priests of Jinendra are entitled to their half”