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Then theyat the walls with deep interest He looked up at Marie, wide-eyed 'Funny drawings,' he said to her 'So?'

'I expect so,' she said, nervously wondering about the approaching footsteps

The htly built and grey-haired, his richly decorated tunic ablaze with colour, his austere face at variance hat he wore Behind him marched twothe same blank im­passivity as Rahaib

He paused as he ca Then he smiled politely, without warmth

Rahaib spoke in the soft local dialect, and the new­co at him

Then he looked back at Marie and ether, head bowed 'Miss Brinton! I a's chief min­ister Welcome to Jedhpur I hope you had a pleasant journey here'

'Yes, thank you,' said Marie, slightly nervous in his presence He had an intihted, and a soft precision of speech which made every syllable he uttered very formal

He nodded in response to her reply, glanced briefly at Jereain, Miss Brinton'

She stood aside, realising he esture he and his escort pro­ceeded along the corridor She let out a long sigh of relief

'Whew!'

Glancing at Rahaib, she fancied she caught a flicker of so across his face, but the next second he had assumed his usual calm mask

They ot back into the black li city Soon they were driving between tiny, white-washed flat-roofed houses threaded with alleys which wound away out of sight Thin, stark-ribbed dogs scratched in the dust Woainst the intruding sun, race­ful steps Around an ancient, stone-walled well sat older wo with the ease of old friends, while children in cotton shirts sca each other in soame

The streets grewits way through the trays of food shouted their wares A water carrier waddled along, slopping precious drops on either side of his yoked shoulders, followed by a crowd of thirsty dogs who licked at the wet dust

Froh wail of traditional old-tri with golden bangles, came out of a café to stare at them as they drove past

Marie was delighted by one shop, the flat stall in front of it swathed in rainbow-coloured silks, red, yellow, green, blue, flung across the stall in voluold and silver threads woven into theher eager eyes, bowed invitingly, but the car drove on slowly