1 THE WUZEERUT OF HEERA SING. 101
2 mendation probably saved the life of Jewaliir Sing'; but the
3 minister thought that the least punishment that could be in-
4 flicted upon him was to put him in irons and place him in
5 close confinement. As for Suchet Sing", the dread of his power
6 and influence, and the mediation of his elder brother, Goolaub
7 Sing', were sufficient to secure his exemption from all personal
8 punishment. But, to mark his displeasure and distrust, the
9 Wuzeer ordered that the two battalions of Suchet Sing with some
10 other of his men, who were constantly quartered in the fort,
11 should be expelled. Furthermore, as these troops did not imme-
12 diately leave the place on being ordered out, they were over-
13 powered, disarmed, and otherwise ignominiously treated, and
14 turned out by force. At the same time orders were issued pro-
15 hibiting the entrance of Rajah Suchet Sing, or any of his people,
16 without permission from the Wuzeer. This ill-usage galled the
17 haughty spirit of Suchet Sing exceedingly. Treated with
18 ignominy in the very presence of his mistress, and by the
19 order for his exclusion from the fort, cut off from all chance of
20 seeing or consulting with her, his indignation knew no bounds.
21 But his knowledge of Heera Sing's present power and in-
22 fluence, together with the cautions and persuasions of his
23 more prudent brother, kept him quiet for the time, and
24 in. the meanwhile, Goolaub Sing was induced to march for
25 Jummoo, apparently for the sole purpose of removing his
26 brother from Lahore, and thus to free the court from the risk
27 of further disturbance. Goolaub, had, however, reasons more
28 selfish for his desire to return to his domain in the hills. He
29 had contrived to obtain possession of most of the property which
30 his nephew Heera Sing had abstracted from the treasury for him-
31 self, as well as of all that had belonged to his late brother Dehan
32 Sing ; and, indeed, he had now found an opportunity of clear-
33 ing Lahore of all that appertained to himself and his family.
34 Having then given full instructions and counsel to Heera Sing
35 and Pundit Jellah for the guidance of their future policy, Rajah