Still he did not answer, although the solution to that riddle, too,
was beginning to dawn on his consciousness. He suspected she would
be annoyed if he deprived her of the fun of telling him, so that
by being silent he played both her game and his own.

"Why did I order your death in the first place?"

The answer to that was obvious, but she answered it for him.

"Because, since the sirkar insisted that one man must come with me
to Khinjan, I preferred a fool, who could be lost on the way. I
knew your reputation. I never heard any man call you a fool."

She laughed. He nodded. She was obviously telling truth.

"Can you guess why I changed my mind about you--wise man?"

She looked from him to the man on the bed and back to him again.
Having solved her riddle, King had leisure to be interested in her
eyes, and watched them analytically, like a jeweler appraising
diamonds. They were strangely reminiscent, but much more changeable
and colorful than any he had ever seen. They had the baffling
trick of changing while he watched them.

"Having sent a man to kill you, why did I cease to want you killed?
Instead of losing you on the way to Khinjan, why did I run risks
to protect you after you reached here? Why did I save your life
in the Cavern of Earth's Drink to-night? You do not know yet? Then
I will tell you something else you do not know. I was in Delhi
when you were! I watched and listened while you and Rewa Gunga