to seize the babu's collar. "He's the man who wanted to be regimental clerk! He's th

nto the fresh ai

him. Kirby, colonel of light cavalry, and considered by many the soundest man in

hole, for heaven's

at were new to him-so new that he could not express his sensations in the form of speech. The door shut behind them with a slam, and when th

lance toward it to reassure himself, Kirby opened his mouth wide a

rain would wash Yasmini's musk from him. It was nearly pitch-dark, but Warrington could

riend! What were you d

rin

. "We might be recognized.

to be pushed along at a trot ahead of the adjutant,

ering in last; and the risaldar sent

said Wa

mp!" sai

l complicitee in this or any other eventualitee. I am married ma

get this ring?"

le matter. There is nothing untoward in that connection. Risaldar-Major Ranjoor S

he

ded to know th

means of telling ti

go? About h

am not able to observe more than one thing at a time. And yet many

ide the barrack gate?

certainly. B

then, sir!" said Warring

id Kirby, with more satisfaction th

not, sahib! The risaldar

he give you

alm of my h

ace-in what stree

b. It was in the dark, a

e it you at

hib! Positi

is he

but elderly person of no metaphysi

say when he g

he threa

you, what

nd you will say Ranjoor Singh said, "All will presently be made clear"; and should you forget the message, babuji, or should you fail to find him soon, there are those who will make it their urgent business, babuji, to open that belly of

know?" deman

y, s

they?" as

inside of my belly, sahib. Oh, a b

l you who '

of individuals, what was use of going to police, who would laugh at me? I went to Yasmini,

possessed of a bright

thrown her s

," he asked, "from here

anjoor Singh gav

the carriage window and gazed in

ablee ye

he driver wh

rnment from box-seat," said the

't!" command

at I want to know is wh

min

sa

n a mirror, and you were sca

Yasmini? Were the sa

ini were you afraid?

cobras

ded Warrington, with

er women show

hy

een necessary. Oh, but I was already quite

man! To convin

shortlee be my bedmate. Ah! To think of it cause

f you don't tell me wha

rb

inor offenses but cumulative in effect. Being fam

d Kirby. "Let him show the driver where

ncourage him to mount the box with greater speed; but his helplessness became so obvious that Warrington turned friend an

babu, pointing. And the r

e note of the fact that they were not so very fa

began to scrat

atter?" deman

t my belly open, sahib!

r the fear was genuine and candidly ex

e cast deep shadows, and a row of trees stood sentry in spasmodic moonlight. In front of the temple, s

id the babu; and

lly cr

the matt

e are snakes in that

ow-

tight by the loin-cloth, depending on it as a yacht

babu, caressing his waist again. "Look, sahib! Look! Oh,

babu seemed to shrug himself away from the snakes, but the effect was to shove Warrington the odd half-inch it needed t

rington; and the r

swore afterward that the babu did nothing to them; he supposed it

rolled like a big ball backward over the carriage top, fell to earth behind the carriage, bumped into Warrington, who was struggling to his

the horses stopped, and Colonel

ington!" he orde

yed, but witho

said. "And I saw him go into the temple. We won'

e mud from himself with

costume," he said vindictively. "Gad, I'd like to

enough already without a charge of temple breaking. Tell the risaldar to dri

The outer night had given him at leas

smells the inside of this shay!" he said cheerily

by. "Is that his loin-

e is about the only consolation prize we get out of the evening's sport. I wish it smel

a better view of it in the dim light that entered through the wi

match

stru

rom Ranjoor Singh! Now-d'you suppose that heathen meant

ling fingers could unfold it. He would not have admitted to himself what

ce it was not marked private, and there was noth

e being out of question after declaration of war, will Colonel Kirby sahib please put in Order o

ll?" asked

all," sa

it's a

s it isn't, and I've a

O

said

ng mystified became too much for Warrington, and he began to hum to himself. Humming

ke a gun," he

y gr

his head out of the window to investig

he demanded. "Keep your h

isaldar's raised whip. As if he understood the requirements of the occasion without being told, the risaldar sent t

t, sir?"

seen to yesterday!" growled

was,

e bump the

like a gun any longer

s if we'd dro

, thank God! What

" said W

y we

od look for causes. He could find none, although a black leather apron, usually

ou?" he asked the risaldar; but the ri

bareheaded, to help the smell evaporate from his hair; and the shay rumbled awa

t any minute as a fire-engine should be-in that particular, India's speed is as three to Prussia's one. The moment orders to marc

and ten changes of water, when he felt that he dared face his own servant without blushing, he m

ead smell of no

k, s

f dog-

sah

arbolic disin

at would outsmell most things. He laved his hea

e ordered then; and again

the room and his own person until not even a bloodhound could have tracked him back to

mmle to come and see

*

him through tight lips with words that we

the same thing. Haven't had time to burn mine yet-wa

ket and produced a little lace hand

houli! Shame to burn 'em, w

n while I was go

it down to their trooper being murdered and another man being missing. Well, just about the time you and Warrington drove off in t

way to their quarters with a lantern, and if he can find any of 'em awake perhaps he can get the truth out of 'em,

ored the

ngton to go and ask

he scent to have a word with him! Musk! Never smelt anything like it in my life! Talk about girls! He must be in love with half India

said Kirby. "Was

think he ought to be spoken to? I mean, the eve of w

of the Day," Kirby interrupted. "I

end an

you

esk, while Brammle puffed at a cigar by the w

Singh (D Squadron) ass

ammle, and the major eyed the a

Squadron sa

be seen,"

nging a lantern and chuckling to himself as he reflected what D Squadron would be likely to invent

use for a thousand tales too many and too imaginative, he hurried in search of it, taking a short cut to where by that time the shay should be. On his way, close to h

come along it. And it certainly had been behind the shay when they left barracks. Mor

away from it sidewise until its light no longer shone on him. He listened, as a dog does, with intelligence an

did you, babuji?" he smiled. "And curled under the apr

hould I walk through Delhi naked? You, who wear

gton; and the babu see

in a corner of tha

en I am relieved. I am preserve

Kirby sahib when you had the chance? Eh?"

l message duly delivered, commercial precedent was all on my side that I s

t ring and message?" demanded Warrington ster

service rendered, my disposition may be chang

Warrington produced twe

, babuji? See them

positivelee earned a lakh o

dar-Major Ranjoo

guard on his way to investigate. The babu

wife and children all dependent. Is that rupees twenty? I w

ps came

wl. Total price of story rupees twenty. Or else the sahib may deliver me to guard, a

Recognizing an officer, the

ld hold tongue for twenty years, unles

gton; and the babu's finge

ington. "Put this bab

"Kindlee present my serious respects

had gone into

s come, the F

he world, oh,

whistling wh

wandering

-homes, oh,

seek and s

here, and

ceaseless-

' the world,

e search of th

the maze of

s no key! Oh

NI'S