lands over Neela Deo's trunk and was
about to make his turn in the press, he saw the Chief Commissioner
himself, walking behind the wounded elephant with uncovered head.
After a keen glance, the great judge motioned Skag to close in by his
side. His strong face was shadowed by deep concern; and for some time
he did not speak. This was the man of whom Skag had heard that his
name was one to conjure with. His fame was for unfailing equity,
which--together with strange powers of discernment and bewildering
kindness--had won for him the profound devotion of the people. Skag's
thoughts were on these matters when he heard, on a low explosive breath:

"Most extraordinary thing I've ever seen!"

The Englishman's eye scarcely left the huge figure swaying before him
and the distress in his face was obvious.

"I see you're greatly concerned," Skag said gently.

"Well, you understand, I've jolly good right to be--he saved my life!
And he's got a hole in his neck you can put your head into--only it's
filled up and covered up with twenty dirty turbans! And by the way,
you may not know, but it's unwritten law--past touching--the man in
this country never uncovers his head excepting in the presence of his
own women. It's more than a man's life is worth to knock another's
turban off, even by accident. But look, yonder are the turbans of my
caravan--deputies, law-clerks and servants together--on Neela Deo's
neck! Their heads are bare before this multitude and without shame.
What's one to make of it? There's no knowing these people!"

Skag's eye quite unconsciously dropped to the white helmet, carried
ceremonially in the hand; and glancing away quickly, he caught a
mounting flush on the stern countenance.

Presently the Chief Commissioner spoke again:

"We were coming in on the best trail through a steady bit of really old
tree-jungle--Neela Deo leading, as always. We've been out nine weeks
from home, among the villages. It's not supposed to be spoken, but a
stretch like that is rather a grind. The elephants wanted their own
stockades; they were tired of pickets. You understand, they're all
thoroughly trained. They answer their individual mahouts like a man's
own fingers. Neela Deo is the only elephant I've heard of who has been
known to run; I mean, to really run--and then only when he's coming in
from too many weeks out.

"Few European men have ever seen an elephant run. Nothing alive can
pass him on the ground