The Rajah and the _Dewan_, all caution forgotten in their excitement, had
thrown open the shutters from behind which they had hoped to witness his
death, and were leaning out in full view.
Dermot laughed grimly, and the thought came to him to impress these
treacherous foes more forcibly. He walked towards the shrinking elephant,
raised his hand, and commanded it to kneel. The animal obeyed submissively.
The soldier swung himself on to its neck, and the animal rose to its feet
again.
He guided it across the courtyard until it stood under the window from
which the Rajah and the _Dewan_ stared down at him in amazement and
superstitious dread. Then he said to the animal:
"_Salaam kuro!_ (Salute!)"
It raised its trunk and trumpeted in the royal salutation. With a mocking
smile, Dermot lifted his hat to the shrinking pair of murderers and turned
the elephant away.
Then for the first time he became aware that the balcony of the lounge was
crowded with his fellow-countrymen. Ida and Mrs. Rice were sobbing
hysterically on each other's shoulders. Noreen, clinging to her brother,
whose arm was about her, was staring down at him with a set, white face.
And as he looked up and saw them the men went mad. They burst into a roar
of cheering, of greeting, and applause that drove the Rajah and his
Minister into hiding again, for the shouts had something of menace in them.
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