The mob outside yelled for my blood; but Chunerbutty shut
them up. I was allowed to get on my feet again; and Chunerbutty held a
pistol to my head, and cursed me and ordered me to go back to my bungalow
and wait. He said that somebody would come here tomorrow to settle what was
to be my fate and to take Noreen."
The girl sprang up.
"You never told me that," she cried.
"No; it wasn't any use distressing you," replied her brother. "But I had to
tell the Major."
She turned impetuously to Dermot and stretched out her arms to him.
"You won't let them take me, will you? Oh, say you won't!" she said with a
little sob.
He took both her hands in his.
"No, little girl, I won't. Not while I live."
"You'll kill me first? Promise me."
"On my honour."
She gave a sigh of relief and, strangely content, sank back into her chair.
But she still held one of his hands clasped tightly in both of hers.
"Well, that's pretty well all there is to tell, Major," her brother went
on. "I came back here, and the servants and I tried to put the house into a
state of defence. No one's come near us so far."
"So Chunerbutty was at the head of affairs here. I thought so, I suppose
the someone is that scoundrelly Rajah. He'll make his conditions known and,
if you don't surrender, they'll attack us. Now, let's see what we've got as
garrison.
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