treasure out of the country. Ten per cent. would be the maximum, and
that only in case of accurate information brought in time to us."

"Aren't findings keepings? Isn't possession nine points of the law?"
laughed Tess.

"In certain cases, yes. But not where government knows of the existence
somewhere of a hoard of public funds--an enormous hoard--it must
run into millions."

"Then, if the maharajah should find it would you take it from him?"

"No. We would put the screws on, and force him to administer the
fund properly if we knew about it. But he'd never tell."

"Then how d'you know he hasn't found the stuff already?"

"Because many of his personal bills aren't paid, and the political stormy
petrels are not yet heading his way. He's handicapped by not being
able to hunt for it openly. Some ill-chosen confidant might betray the
find to us. I doubt if he trusts more than one or two people at a time."

"It must be hell to be a maharajah!" Tess burst out after a minute's silence.

"It's sometimes hell to be commissioner, Mrs. Blaine."

"If I were Gungadhura I'd find that money or bust! And when I'd found it--"

"You'd endow an orphan asylum, eh?"