"My word should be as good as Russell's," he muttered; "but he was always in favour, and you were always down on me."
"It has been your fault, Tynan," said the major mildly, "if we have had a higher opinion of Russell than of you. Russell said nothing about this affair, and gave you as much credit as himself, until Ambar Singh told us the whole story."
This was another blow for Tynan, for he had not heard that Ambar Singh was to be reckoned with. He was becoming more and more entangled in the meshes.
"Ambar Singh?" said he after a moment's hesitation. "I expect he did it to curry favour by praising Russell."
It was now Ethel's turn to flush. She was on the point of expressing a very decided opinion, when a look from her father checked the words. It was no business of hers at present.
"That is not very likely, Tynan," the major replied. "To speak plainly, this won't wash with us, though it may do for strangers who know nothing about the matter. You've had fever, and you've imagined all this and forgotten what really happened."
Tynan heartily wished that this had been the case, and the colonel pointed out that the document was signed before the fever, not after.
"But I expect the poor fellow was raving," said Munro, "after the shock and the blow on his head."
"It's perfectly true," Tynan vehemently asserted as the major's words gave him an idea. Dull though he was, like many foolish people he had a certain amount of cunning.
"Why should it not be true?" he continued. "I don't wish to say anything against Ted Russell, but I don't see why he should have the credit that's due to me."
"Tell us, then," suggested Colonel Woodburn, "what really did happen in the fort, and when the idea of blowing up the magazine first occurred to you."
"As soon as we got inside," Tynan doggedly answered, "I whispered to Russell that perhaps we should be reduced to that. I whispered, because I did not wish the Rajputs to suspect. Then during one of the quiet intervals I slipped away and laid a trail of powder from the magazine to the door of the room we were holding. I didn't carry it farther, for the same reason--fear of our sepoys' terror."
Tynan had now completely abandoned himself to the father of lies, and he went on recklessly.