"
Then he passed on with the Doctor to the other end of the room.
The Major nodded as he came up.
"All right again now, Bathurst, I hope? We want your opinion, for
you know, I think, more of the Zemindars in this part of the country
than any of us. Of course, the question is, will they take part
against us?"
"I am afraid they will, Major. I had hoped otherwise; but if it be
true that the Nana has gone--and as the other part of the message
was correct, I have no doubt this is so also--I am afraid they
will be carried away with the stream."
"And you think they have guns?"
"I have not the least doubt of it; the number given up was a mere
fraction of those they were said to have possessed."
"I had hoped the troops would have marched away after the lesson
we gave them this morning, but, so far as we can make out, there
is no sign of movement in their lines. However, they may start at
daybreak tomorrow."
"I will go out to see if you like, Major," Bathurst said quietly.
"I can get native clothes from the servants, and I speak the language
well enough to pass as a native; so if you give me permission I
will go out to the lines and learn what their intentions are."
"It would be a very dangerous undertaking," the Major said gravely.
"I have no fear whatever of danger of that kind, Major; my nerves
are steady enough, except when there is a noise of firearms, and
then, as you all saw this morning, I cannot control them, do what
I will.
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