His chuckling laugh sent a shiver through her.

“Why these airs of the zenana with one enlightened—­like yourself...?”

He broke off and retreated abruptly.  For a shadowy figure had sauntered into view.

Aruna sprang towards it—­zenana airs forgotten.  “Oh, Roy——!”

“Did you call, Aruna?” he asked.  “Thought I heard you.  This fellow bothering you——?  I’ll settle him——­” Turning, he said politely:  “My cousin is here, under my escort, to make pujah, guru-ji.  She wishes to be alone.”

“Your cousin, except for my timely intrusion, would by this time be permanently secure from interruption—­in the belly of a mugger,"[15] retorted the supposed ascetic—­in English.

Roy started and stared.  The voice was unmistakable.

“Chandranath!  Masquerading as a saint? You are no guru.”

“And you are no Rajput.  You also appear to be masquerading—­as a lover, perhaps?  Quite useless trying to fool me, Sinclair, with play-acting—­about cousins.  In my capacity of guru I feel compelled to warn this accomplished young lady that her fine cavalier is only a sham Rajput of British extraction....”

“Sham—­curse you!  I’m a genuine Seesodia—­on one side——­” The instant he had spoken, he saw his folly.

“Oho—­half-caste only!”

An oath and a threatening forward move, impelled the speaker to an undignified step backward.  Roy cooled a little at that.  The fellow was beneath contempt.

“I am of highest caste, English and Indian.  I admit no slur in the conjunction; and I take no insults from any man....”  He made another forward move, purely for the pleasure of seeing Chandranath jerk backward.  “If my cousin was in danger, we are grateful to you.  But I told you, she wishes to be alone.  So I must ask you to move on elsewhere.”

“Oh, as to that ...  I have no violent predilection for your society.”

And, as he sauntered off, with an elaborate air of pleasing no one but himself, Roy kept pace alongside—­“For all the world,” he thought, “like Terry edging off an intruder.  Too polite to go for him; but quite prepared if need be!”

When they had turned the corner of the building, Chandranath fired a parting shot.  “I infer you came here fancying you can marry her, because diluted blood of Seesodias runs in your veins.  But here in India, you will find forces too powerful militating against it.”

But Roy was not to be goaded again into letting slip his self-control.  “The men of my stock, British and Rajput, are not in the habit of discussing their womenfolk with strangers,” said he—­and flattered himself he had very neatly secured the last word.

* * * * *

As for Aruna—­left alone—­she leaned again on the low abutment, but the hypnotic spell was broken:  only acute anxiety remained.  For the lamp of her life had made scant progress; and now she was aware of a disturbance in the water, little ominous whirlpools not caused by wind.  Presently there emerged a long shadow, like a black expanse of rock:—­unmistakably a mugger.  And in that moment she felt exquisitely grateful to the hand that had seized her in the nick of time.  The next—­she wrung her own together with a low, shivering cry.