I can do most by going to the Resident, or even to somebody higher up than he, and laying my case before him personally.

Send for Joanna, and tell her to go and bring Mahommed Gunga's man." It was then that they missed Joanna and began to search for her.

But no Joanna came.

It was then that Rosemary McClean rehearsed with her father her former conversation with Mahommed Gunga and part, at least, of her recent one with Ali Partab, and the missionary started off himself to find the horseman whom Mahommed Gunga had so thoughtfully left behind.
But he very naturally found no Ali Partab.

What he did discover was that he was followed--that a guard, unarmed but obvious, was placed around the mission house--that his servants deserted one by one--that no more children came to the mission school.
He decided to take chances and ride off with his daughter in the night.
But the ponies went mysteriously lame, and nobody would lend or sell him horses on any terms at all.