He gave a brief account of Hugh Johnstone's strange morning seizure,
forgetting to divulge to Hawke that the old nabob had already bribed
him heavily to watch the inmate of the Silver Bungalow, and report
to him her every movement. Nor, did the Hindu divulge his secret
report to Madame Berthe Louison, after her ostentatious public
carriage promenade. He further hid the fact that Madame Louison had
deftly pressed a hundred pounds upon him, in return for a daily
report of the secret life of the marble house. But he smiled blandly,
when Major Hawke hastily said "Will he die?"
"No; he is all right! He was over there with the Mem-Sahib this
morning, and something must have happened."
"What happened?" imperiously demanded Hawke.
"I don't know," slowly answered Ram Lal.
"Don't lie to me, Ram Lal," fiercely said the Major. "I have a
fifty-pound note if you will find out."
"He is going there to-morrow," slowly said Ram.
"All right, watch them both. I'll be back here. Wait for me." And
then at a nod the horses sprang away.
"Fools! Fools all!" glowered Ram Lal, as he straightened up from
his low salaam. "I'll have those stolen jewels yet. Now is the time
to gain his confidence. He is an old man, and weak, and, cowardly."
When Major Hawke entered the great doors of the marble house, he
was gravely received by Mademoiselle Justine Delande. "He has been
asking every ten minutes for you," she said.
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