no THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST 



were reconciled with Sheer Sing, living with him on the best 

 terras,and enjoying as before the greatest influence at the 

 court. Had the party in the fortress gained the day, the issue 

 of that civil contention would also have finished in favour of 

 the Rajah's family. After the settlement of this affair, two 

 of the rajahs retired into the mountains with their troops, 

 laden with their stolen treasures, the two others remained 

 with Sheer Sing. 



The new maharajah addicted himself to immoderate 

 drinking, and indulged especially in champagne. The good, 

 feeling between him and Dhyan Sing soon reached its end, 

 and they began to hate each other in the most acrimonious 

 manner. Sirdar Ajeet Sing and his uncle Lena Sing 

 (descended from the family of the Scindawalla, and related 

 to Runjeet Sing ) belonged to the party of the ranee, who 

 had fought against Sheer Sing and Dhyan Sing ; but they 

 knew how to insinuate themselves into the confidence of 

 both to such a degree that, without the knowledge of either, 

 they destroyed both the maharajah and his wuzeer. They 

 conspired with Sheer Sing to murder Dhyan Sing, but at 

 the same time they also intrigued with Dhyan Sing to 

 murder ?Sheer Sing. Both king and minister were well 

 acquainted with their preparations for war, and knew also 

 that the Scindawallas had provided themselves wirh 

 gunpowder, bullets and soldiers. Sheer Sing was even 

 repeatedly cautioned by his friends to be on his guard, 

 to which advice however he paid no attention, and in an 

 immovable manner allowed them to concoct their schemes. 

 Each one believed that the stroke was appointed for his 

 adversary, and, finally, it fell upon both. True is the 

 proverb : "He who digs a pit for another, falls in himself;" 

 for Ajeet Sing as well as Lena Sing had laboured for their 

 own ruin. 



Sheer Sing used to review his troops every day. On such 

 an occasion, being in the royal garden (Shahbelore) for 

 the purpose of mustering the Scindawalla's troops, and 

 sitting before the window of a small room, to look at the 

 soldiers, Ajeet Sing approached him and exhibited a 



