He swore, and he swore vengeance; but he swore, too, that there was no woman in the East so worth a prince's while as this one, who dared flout him with her riding-whip before his men! "Sahiba!" he said, sidling close to her again, and bowing in the saddle in mock cavalier humility.

"The time will come when your government and my brother, who--at present--is Maharajah Howrah--will be of little service to you.

Then, perhaps, you may care to recall my promise to load all the jewels you can choose out of the treasure-house on you.

Then, perhaps, you may, remember that I said 'a throne is better than a grave, sahiba.' Or else--" "Or else what, Jaimihr-sahib ?" She reined again and wheeled about and faced him--pale-trembling a little--looking very small and frail beside him on his great war-horse, but not flinching under his gaze for a single second.
"Or else, sahiba--I think you saw me slay the Maharati?
Do you think that I would stop at anything to accomplish what I had set out to do?
See, sahiba--there is a little blood there on your jacket! Let that be for a pledge between us--for a sign--or a token of my oath that on the day I am Maharajah Howrah, you are Maharanee--mistress of all the jewels in the treasure-house!" She shuddered.

She did not look to find the blood; she took his word for that, if for nothing else.
"I wonder you dare tell me that you plot against your brother!" That was more a spoken thought than a statement or a question.
"I would be very glad if you would warn my brother!" he answered her; and she knew like a flash, and on the instant, that what he said was true.