or other, and one could not investigate them really thoroughly. It was
so easy to forge testimonials and references and what not. One of
Samson's grooms had once been caught red-handed eavesdropping
in the dark. Samson, of course, took the law into his own hands on
that occasion and thrashed the blackguard within an inch of his treacherous
life; and in proof that the thrashing was richly deserved, some one
reported to Samson the very next day how the groom had gone straight
to the maharajah and had been solaced with silver money.

It was even said, although never proved, that the fat, short-sighted
young babu Sita Ram who typed the commissioner's official correspondence
was one of Gungadhura's spies. There was a mystery about where he
spent his evenings. But his mother's uncle was a first-class magistrate,
so one could not very well dismiss him without clear proof. Besides,
he was uncommonly painstaking and efficient.

One way and another it is easy to see that Gungadhura had a deal of
dovetailed information from which to draw conclusions as to the probable
reason of Yasmini's alleged visit to the commissioner. One false
conclusion invariably leads to another, and so Samson got the blame
for the secret bargain with the Rangar stable-owner, with whose connivance
Yasmini had contrived to keep a carriage available outside her palace
gates. Her palace gates having closed on the carriage now, the guards
would pay attention that it stayed inside, but there was no knowing how
many riding horses she might have at her beck and call in various khans
and places. Doubtless Samson had arranged for that. Gungadhura
sent men immediately to search Sialpore for horses that might be held
in waiting for her, with orders to hire or buy the animals over her head,
or in the alternative to lame them.