"I know the ways of priests," she answered. "The girl stays!"

The priest's fat chops darkened a shade.

"There are things she should not know."

"She knows already more in her small head than there is in all thy big
belly, priest of an idol!"

"Beware, woman, lest the gods hear sacrilege!"

"If they are real gods they love me," she answered, "If they have any
sense they will be pleased whenever I laugh at your idolatry. Hasamurti stays."

"But at the first imaginary insult she will run with information to wherever
it will do most harm. If she can be made properly afraid, perhaps--"

Yasmini's golden laugh cut him off short.

"If she is made afraid now she will hate me later. As long as she loves
me she will keep my secrets, and she will love me because of the
secrets--being a woman and not a belly-with-a-big-tongue, who would
sell me to the highest bidder, if he dared. I know a Brahman. Thou
and I are co-conspirators because my woman's wit is sharper than
thy greed. We are confidants because I know too much of thy misdeeds.
We are going to succeed because I laugh at thy fat fears, and am
never deceived for a moment by pretense of sanctity or promises
however vehement."

She said all that in a low sweet voice, and with a smile that would have