Brown, heavy clouds were drifting
across the sky, and it was hard to see more than a stone-cast. A
deep moat lay in front of our door, but the water was in places
nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed. It was strange
to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjaubees waiting
for the man who was coming to his death.
"Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern at the
other side of the moat. It vanished among the mound-heaps, and
then appeared again coming slowly in our direction.
"'Here they are!' I exclaimed.
"'You will challenge him, Sahib, as usual,' whispered Abdullah.
'Give him no cause for fear. Send us in with him, and we shall
do the rest while you stay here on guard. Have the lantern ready
to uncover, that we may be sure that it is indeed the man.'
"The light had flickered onwards, now stopping and now advancing,
until I could see two dark figures upon the other side of the
moat. I let them scramble down the sloping bank, splash through
the mire, and climb half-way up to the gate, before I challenged
them.
"'Who goes there?' said I, in a subdued voice.
"'Friends,' came the answer. I uncovered my lantern and threw a
flood of light upon them.
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