"It will, at any rate, give me a fresh interest here," he said. "It is
terrible to think that a young English girl should be in Tippoo's
power, and that he can give her, whenever he likes, to one of his
creatures. Of course, according to our English notions, she is still
but a young girl, but as your people out here marry when the girls are
but of the age of this child, it is different altogether."
"She does not suspect that you are English?"
"No. As I told you, I had only just discovered that she was so, when I
heard a footstep in the distance. But I shall see her again, tomorrow
or next day."
"You will be running a great risk," Surajah said gravely.
"Not much risk, I think," Dick replied. "She is only a little slave
girl, and as the tiger was standing over her when I fired, no doubt I
did save her life, and it would be natural enough that she would, on
meeting me, speak to me and express her thanks."
"That would be a good excuse," Surajah agreed. "But a suspicious
tyrant, like Tippoo, might well insist that this was only a pretence,
and that the girl was really giving you a letter or message from one
of the inmates of the zenana."
Dick was silent for a time.
"I will be very careful," he said.
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