Their reputation and the
character of their ruler were so bad that it was highly probable that the
Rajah and all his counsellors were implicated in the plot. But how to bring
it home to them Dermot did not know. By his secret instructions several of
the messengers to and from Bhutan were the victims of apparent highway
robbery in the hills. But no search of them revealed anything compromising,
no treasonable correspondence between enemies within and without. The men
would not speak, and he could not sanction the proposals made to him by
which they should be induced so to do.
The planters began to report to him a marked increase in the mutinous
spirit exhibited by their coolies; arms were found in the possession of
these men, and there was reason to fear a combined rising of the labourers
on all the estates of the Duars. Dermot advised Rice to send his wife to
England, but the lady showed no desire to return to her loudly-regretted
London suburb.
Every time that the Major met Daleham he expected to be told of Noreen's
engagement, perhaps even her wedding. But he heard nothing. When he
found that Fred was beginning to arrange for her return to Malpura and
that--instigated by Chunerbutty--he refused to consider the advisability
of her remaining away until conditions were better in the Terai, Dermot
persuaded him to replace his untrustworthy Bengali house-servants by
reliable Mussulman domestics, warlike Punjaubis, whom the soldier
procured.
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