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Show BY TALBOT MUNDY o talbot mundy-wnu service CHAPTER XXI Continued. 18 The Bengali backed away from Norwood. He looked three shades paler. He was trembling. The Maharajah's Ma-harajah's right hand seized the drumstick of the golden gong. He raised it. "No," said Norwood. "Not yet, please. Your Highness." The Maharajah stared. He seemed uncertain whether to feel flattered or offended. He laid down the drumstick drum-stick and resumed the tapping on the desk with his fingernails: "I become nervous," he said, "without my tonic. This is very bad for my nerves. Captain Norwood, Nor-wood, how did you know about this?" Norwood answered without looking look-ing at him. He was watching the Bengali and the white-clad servant: "I didn't know. I guessed it. Both of you, go and stand over in that corner, with your backs to the wall!" The servant obeyed promptly. He went down on his knees In the corner. cor-ner. He put his hands together and held them in front of his face. The Bengali backed away slowly, watching watch-ing Norwood's eyes. He backed until un-til he reached a bookcase. Suddenly Sudden-ly he snatched a stamp album and hurled it at the goblet. Norwood caught the album in his right hand, by one leaf of the cover. He set the goblet on the desk, without spilling spill-ing more than two or three drops. Then he closed the album carefully and gave it to the Maharajah. The Maharajah petted it, stroked it: "My collection of Cape of Good Hopes! My triangular black!" He glared at the Bengali. "You vandal! Now I know you are guilty! Why did you throw it?" The Bengali had recovered some of hrs presence of mind: "It was at him I threw it. By his touch he has defiled your drinking goblet! He is a bribe-taker! I suspect him of having hav-ing tampered with your tonic. What has he put into it? I advise Your Highness not to taste it!" The door behind the screen opened, closed again, and the Maharanee Ma-haranee appeared. Norwood bowed to her, but she took no notice of him. She went straight to the Maharajah, Ma-harajah, knelt beside his chair, and whispered. He grumbled at her, sotto voce. She continued whisper ing. At last he nodded. She stroked his right hand, murmured traditional tradition-al phrases of respect and left the room. She didn't even glance at the Bengali. "I need my tonic," said the Maharajah. Ma-harajah. "I am becoming more nervous each minute." "Whiskey and soda should be a good prescription for that," said Norwood. "I'd have brought a flash if I had any sense. I didn't think of it." . "I have never defiled myself with whiskey," said the Maharajah. Norwood kept his eye on the Bengali: Ben-gali: "If you had never drunk anything any-thing worse than a scotch and soda, they wouldn't be betting in Kadur bazaar that you'll be dead by midnight. mid-night. Any money on it, doctor? What odds did you get?" The door behind the screen opened again. The Maharanee reappeared, veiled. She was followed by Lynn, and then Rundhia. Rundhia looked startled. He shot one penetrating glance at the Bengali, then at Norwood, Nor-wood, then at the Maharajah. He made a very obvious effort to recover re-cover self-possession. "Captain Norwood," said the Maharanee, Ma-haranee, "why did you wish to see me?" "About this," said Norwood. He hadn't time to reply decently. He had noticed that Rundhia was trying to signal the Bengali through the opening under the desk, so he got in the way. As soon as Rundhia had stood up again, Norwood spoke: "Rundhia, here's something for your bruised face. Come and drink it." Lynn stared with parted lips from one man to the other. Rundhia glanced at her; he looked stung, scared, sullen. Norwood hadn't looked at Lynn once since she entered en-tered the room. The Maharajah pointed the gong drumstick at the Bengali: "Stand still," he commanded. "If you are unable to stand, you may sit on the floor where you are." "Rundhia," said Norwood, "how about a trial by ordeal? You have accused me, behind my back. I accuse ac-cuse you, to your face, of an attempt at-tempt to poison His Highness. What do you say? Shall we share this drink together? You drink half. I'll drink what's left." "You are the last man I would drink with," Rundhia retorted. Norwood laughed. He thrust his right hand into his tunic. "Steady, Rundhia! Keep your hand away from your pocket. I have you covered. cov-ered. Lynn! Reach into Rundhia's hip-pocket and put his pistol on the desk!" Lynn stared resentful, alarmed, puzzled. Parted lips. Wide blue eyes. Frowning. Norwood repeated the order: "Lynn, do as I tell you!" Lynn felt in his pocket. She laid an automatic on the table: "Rundhia," she said, "I didn't think that of you." "Rundhia!" said the Maharanee. She had unveiled her face. Lynn spoke again: "Rundhia, you came to offer Captain Norwood something else than that, didn't you. Where is it?" Rundhia snarled: "Tell him to put his own pistol on the desk." "I haven't one," said Norwood. He reached for Rundhia's pistol, jerked it open and broke it. There came a knock at the door. The Maharanee rearranged her veil. Norwood stepped aside, keeping his eyes on Rundhia, who was biting his lip. The Maharajah tapped the gong with his fingers. The door opened. The anteroom attendant spoke rapidly rap-idly in his native tongue. The Maharajah Ma-harajah looked like a frightened sheep. He nodded, speechless. The attendant bowed in the Resident and closed the door behind him. Norwood, Nor-wood, still holding the goblet in his left hand, reopened the door and jerked his head at the Bengali: "Get out!" he commanded. The Resident stared. He almost forgot to bow to the Maharajah. He "I have never denied myself with whiskey," said the Maharajah. Maha-rajah. watched the Bengali leave the room. Then he looked at Norwood again and raised his eyebrows. Norwood spoke sotto voce: "Did my man follow you?" "Yes," said the Resident. "All right then. The doctor won't get far." "You surprise us," said the Maharajah. Ma-harajah. "We are overburdened with joy by this visit. But what does it mean?" The Resident looked comfortless: "I am at a loss for an answer! Captain Norwood sent me a sort of SOS. He" "May I speak?" asked Norwood. The Resident answered: "I think you'd better, if His Highness " "Yes, please," said the Maharajah. Mahara-jah. "Rundhia," said Norwood. He held up the blue goblet in his left hand, almost as if he were going to drink a toast: "Let's hear your accusation. ac-cusation. What have you against me?" Rundhia eyed him sullenly: "Nothing," he answered. "I don't know you.", Norwood smiled: "Very cautious of you, Rundhia. I am really alive." The Resident also smiled. He startled star-tled everyone by saying: "Rundhia, there is a conversation on record. Of course, only my version ver-sion of it. But I refused, you remember, re-member, to treat it as confidential. I made a memorandum of it." Rundhia swallowed what was left of his dignity. He was looking beaten. beat-en. He spoke as if the insolence had all oozed out of him: "I forget what I said. I withdraw with-draw it anyhow. I have already written this." He groped in his inside pocket, avoiding Lynn's eyes, although Lynn looked sympathetic. He produced an envelope, strode past Lynn and offered it to Norwood. Norwood waved it aside and jerked his head toward the Resident The Resident accepted the envelope, enve-lope, and bowed to the Maharajah: "You permit me?" "By all means. I am fascinated." Lynn was watching the Resident He had opened the envelope. He read the letter. He passed it to Norwood: "Is this satisfactory to you, Norwood?" Nor-wood?" "It's entirely up to you, sir. I accept it if you do." The Resident stepped forward and laid the letter in front of the Maharajah: Maha-rajah: "Will your Highness please read that and, if you see fit, witness wit-ness it? I have a gallant officer here in need of a rebuttal of some secret accusations that might ruin his career." The Maharajah read, stared at the Resident, stared at Rundhia, stared at Norwood, reached for his fountain foun-tain pen and signed. Rundhia recovered a bit of his insolence. in-solence. "Are you satisfied?" he demanded. de-manded. "No," said Norwood. "Not yet." He reached for the goblet raised it, sniffed it, smiled at Rundhia. Then he looked straight at Lynn. Lynn was watching the Maharanee, Mahara-nee, but she seemed conscious of Norwood's stare. Rundhia whispered whis-pered to her, but she took no notice. "Rundhia," said Norwood, "I will ask you two questions. Answer whichever you please. What is in this goblet?" The Maharanee pulled herself to her feet, picked up her cushion and went and knelt at the Maharajah's left hand, so that she could watch Rundhia: "Rundhia," she said, "answer!" Rundhia said nothing; he glared at Norwood. Lynn turned in her chair to watch Rundhia's face. Norwood Nor-wood spoke again: - "You don't answer the first one? Very well, here's the other: why did you sign that retraction? I didn't ask you for it Who did?" Rundhia was silent. "Speak!" said the Maharanee. She had unveiled her face. She was looking at Lynn. Rundhia glanced at Lynn. Lynn looked suddenly straight at Norwood Nor-wood and spoke with such constrained con-strained emotion that her voice sounded fiercely angry: "Captain Norwood, I asked Rundhia Run-dhia to write that. If it isn't what you wanted, you may blame me." Norwood's lips moved toward a smile, but he saw her embarrassment, embarrass-ment, so he checked it. He looked straight in her eyes for several seconds sec-onds before he looked at Rundhia again: "Substitute question, Rundhia! You didn't answer that one. How much did you charge for this retraction re-traction of your accusation against me?" Rundhia had had time to consider. consid-er. He sneered: "I wrote that as an act of magnanimity. Was it wasted on you?" Norwood glanced quickly at Lynn. "No, no, Rundhia, it wasn't wasted. But tell us all what is in this goblet. I could have it analyzed. ' Perhaps you would prefer to consult that Bengali doctor before you answer? Question a bit awkward? Your trouble trou-ble is that you can't guess how much I know, can you? Can you guess why I let the Bengali leave the room? Any chance that he betrayed you? Rather drop the question? Very well, answer the other: how much or what did you charge, and to whom, for the magnanimous retraction re-traction of your accusation against me? I insist on an answer." Rundhia spoke sullenly: "Nothing. No one. I don't even know what you mean." Norwood looked at Lynn. Her lips moved. He was in time to check her. "Please say nothing! I want Rundhia Run-dhia to tell it Rundhia, choose. I won't wait all night Account for the contents of this goblet or else answer: what promise have you exacted ex-acted from whom?" The Maharanee spoke in a strained voice: "Answer him, Rundhia." Run-dhia." Rundhia was silent. Lynn stared. He avoided her eyes. "If I should have to mention this goblet again," said Norwood, "I will ask His Highness the Maharajah to summon the guard. What promise have you exacted from whom as the price of your signing that retraction?" re-traction?" "There was no price." The Maharanee was looking at Lynn. She spoke suddenly: "Run dhia, speak like a man! There was a promise!" Rundhia stared at his feet. He had the grace to speak as if he were ashamed. He almost mumbled: "I release her from the promise." Norwood looked at Lynn steadily: "Do you accept that?" "No I refuse. Is this your vengeance? ven-geance? It's cruel. Doesn't the retraction re-traction satisfy you?" Norwood smiled at Lynn and made a reassuring gesture. Rundhia Run-dhia stared; he looked astonished. .The Maharanee stood up. Norwood spoke: "Lynn, did Rundhia tell you that I tore up your letter? He lied. Your aunt gave it to me less than an hour ago. It reached her by mistake in the wrong envelope." "I confirm that," said the Resident. Resi-dent. Lynn stood up and waited for Rundhia Run-dhia to speak. He didn't . "Rundhia," she said, "did you hear that?" Then, turning: "Thank you, Captain Norwood." "Just a misunderstanding," Nor- i wood answered. "I will explain it later." Lynn shook her head. Her eyes met his but she made no reply. She left the room by the door behind the screen. The Maharanee foDowed her. Silence. The Resident wiped his face with the handkerchief: "Steady, Norwood," Nor-wood," he said. "Steady." He spoke aloud to the Maharajah: "Does Your Highess wish " "I wish for tranquillity! I do not care to know any more!" "Carry on!" said the Resident. "Careful!" Norwood raised the goblet, this time in his right hand: "You don't deserve this, Rundhia. You're a blackguard." He glanced at the Resident: Res-ident: "You agree, sir?" The Resident nodded. The Maharajah Ma-harajah stared, fascinated. Norwood spilled the contents of the goblet on the floor. The Maharajah turned to Rundhia: Run-dhia: "Leave the room. Never return." Rundhia moved toward the door behind the screen, but the Resident jumped out of his chair. Rundhia began to hurry. Norwood was too quick. He shoved the screen in Rundhia's way. It banged against the door and the noise almost made the Maharajah scream. "Your Highness," said the Resident Resi-dent "in Prince Rundhia's presence, I take this opportunity to inform you that I have written to His Majesty's Maj-esty's advisers, strongly recommending recom-mending them to exercise their veto in the matter of Prince Rundhia's succession to the throne of Kadur." "You have already written?" "I have mailed the letter." "I resign," said Rundhia sullenly. "You and your veto may go to the devil." "May I speak to Your Highness alone?" asked the Resident. The Maharajah scowled at Rundhia: Run-dhia: "Go out that way!" He pointed point-ed to the door into the anteroom. Rundhia walked out. Norwood followed. fol-lowed. He overtook Rundhia at the head of the stairs, and Rundhia turned about and faced him: "I sincerely regret," he remarked, re-marked, looking straight into Norwood's Nor-wood's eyes, "that the men who fired at yon, missed." "Yes, you had rotten luck, Rundhia. Run-dhia. What will you do go to Europe? Eu-rope? The Riviera? That's crowded with might-have-beens who insisted on hitting below the belt. D'you know, Rundhia, if I had even suspected sus-pected you of having put one over on Lynn Harding, I would have let you hang. You know, they hang even princes who play at your game." He laughed. "No, Rundhia, Run-dhia, no. You will walk ahead of me down the stairs. I know that trick." (TO BE COISTIIWED) |