There were twenty or more men, lined round the ramparts on the lookout, and they all too seemed spellbound, but Cunningham was too engrossed in Miss McClean's story of the happenings in Howrah City to take notice.

Now and then her father would help her out with an interjected comment; occasionally Cunningham would stop her with a question, or would ask her to repeat some item; but, for more than an hour she spun a clear-strung narrative that left very little to imagination and included practically all there was to know.
"Do you think," asked Cunningham "that this brute Jaimihr really wants to make you Maharanee ?" "I couldn't say," she shuddered.

"You know, there have been several instances of European women having practically sold themselves to native princes; there have been stories--I have heard them--of English women marrying Rajahs, and regretting it.

There is no reason why he should not be in earnest, and he certainly seemed to be." "And this treasure?
Of course, I have heard tales about it, but I thought they were just tales." "That treasure is really there, and its amount must be fabulous.

I have been told that there are jewels there which would bring a Rajah's ransom, and gold enough to offset the taxes of the whole of India for a year or two.