Chapter 9
CLAVERDON RAISED himself abruptly, his eyes fixed on the 'token' which the Tibetan held out for his inspection. It was a small curved knife, with a jewelled haft butted with silver, the kind of thing a woman might carry, but certainly no weapon for a man.
'A woman's toy, my friend, for no man's hand could grasp the haft to give the killing-stroke. It is too small. Therefore, it is a woman's knife— but what woman rode with the ghosts through the moonlight in the night?'
Claverdon, staring at the dainty weapon, was already asking himself that question. He stretched a hand for the knife and examined it carefully for any indication of its owner that it might offer, but found none.
Yet that Nima-Tashi was right, he had no doubt. There were small handed men among the Rajputs; but n
