Also
a guard will be placed between here and the village, and one upon the
roadway."
"And while we hold the merchant in amusement," Hunsa added, "men will
dig the pits here, two of them, each within a tent so that they will
not be seen at work."
"Yes, Ajeet," Sookdee said with a suspicion of a sneer, "we will give
the merchant the consideration of a decent burial, and not leave him to
be eaten by jackals and hyenas as were the two soldiers you finished
with your sword when we robbed the camel transport that carried the
British gold in Oudh."
"If it is to be, cease to chatter like jays," Ajeet answered crossly.
In keeping with their assumed characters, the evening meal was ushered
in with a peace-shattering clamour from the drums and a raucous blare
from conch-shell horns. Then the devout murderers offered up prayers
of fervency to the great god, beseeching their more immediate branch of
the deity, Bhowanee, to protect them.
And at the same time, just within the mud walls of Sarorra, its people
were placing flowers and cocoanuts and sweetmeats upon the shrine of
the god of their village.
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