.. and perhaps the
kisses. At least I can set these poor frail human doubts at rest."
He crossed and struck a gong which hung midway between the two doors.
CHAPTER IV
THE GUILE OF THE EAST
Her beautiful face a mask of anguish, Miska cowered upon the _diwan,_
watching the closed doors. Fo-Hi stood in the centre of the great
room with his back to the entrance. Silently one of the lacquered
panels slid open and Chunda Lal entered. He saluted the figure of
the veiled Chinaman but never once glanced in the direction of the
_diwan_ from which Miska wildly was watching him.
Without turning his head, Fo-Hi, who seemed to detect the presence
of the silent Hindu by means of some fifth sense, pointed to a bundle
of long rods stacked in a corner of the room.
His brown face expressionless as that of a bronze statue, Chunda Lal
crossed and took the rods from their place.
_"Tum samajhte ho?"_ (Do you understand?) said Fo-Hi. Chunda Lal
inclined his head.
_"Main tumhari bat manunga"_ (Your orders shall be obeyed), he
replied.
"Ah, God! no!" whispered Miska--"what are you going to do?"
"Your Hindustani was ever poor, Miska," said Fo-Hi.
He turned to Chunda Lal.
"Until you hear the gong," he said in English.
Miska leapt to her feet, as Chunda Lal, never once glancing at her,
went out bearing the rods, and closed the door behind him. Fo-Hi
turned and confronted her.
_"Ta'ala hina_ (come hither), Miska!" he said softly.
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