This seemed to him so strange that he spoke about it to a sergeant of guides, who brought it to the ears of the commandant.

A thorough search was quickly made, and the body was discovered.

Thus at the very moment that we thought that all was safe we were all four seized and brought to trial on a charge of murder,--three of us because we had held the gate that night, and the fourth because he was known to have been in the company of the murdered man.

Not a word about the jewels came out at the trial, for the rajah had been deposed and driven out of India: so no one had any particular interest in them.

The murder, however, was clearly made out, and it was certain that we must all have been concerned in it.