Gungadhura was in no mood to be trifled with. He knew pretty well
where to find Tom Tripe during any of the hours of duty, so he cornered
him without delay and, glaring at him with eyes like an animal's at bay,
ordered him to search the Blaine's house at the first opportunity.

"Search for what?" demanded Tripe.

"For anything! For everything! Search the cellar; search the garden;
search the roof! Are You a fool? Are you fit for my employment? Then
search the house, and report to me anything unusual that you find in it! Go!"

After several stiff brandies and soda Gungadhura then conceived a plan
that might have been dangerous supposing Yasmini to have been less
alert, and supposing that she really knew the secret. He spent an evening
coaching Patali, his favorite dancing girl, and then sent her to Yasmini
with almost full powers to drive a bargain. She might offer as much as
half of the treasure to Yasmini provided Gungadhura should receive
the other half and the British should know nothing. That was the one
point on which Patali's orders permitted no discretion. The whole
transaction must be secret from the British.

Reporting the encounter afterward to her employer Patali hardly seemed
proud of her share in it. All the information she brought back was to
the effect that Yasmini denied all knowledge of the treasure, and all
desire to possess it.

"I think she knows nothing. She said very little to me. She laughed at
the idea of bargaining with Englishmen. She said you are welcome to
the treasure, maharajah sahib, and that if she should ever find its hiding-place
she will certainly tell you. She plays the part of a woman whose spirit is