ow weakening dam. All
gave way at last in a smother of foam, racing logs, bobbing black
heads and confusion indescribable. The river tossed everything before
it. I saw the red head go down with the last remnants of the jam and
disappear between the great grinding, tree-trunks. It rose close to
the bank and blowing like a grampus. Namgay Doola wrung the water out
of his eyes and made obeisance to the King. I had time to observe him
closely. The virulent redness of his shock head and beard was most
startling; and in the thicket of hair wrinkled above high cheek bones
shone two very merry blue eyes. He was indeed an outlander, but yet a
Thibetan in language, habit, and attire. He spoke the Lepcha dialect
with an indescribable softening of the gutturals. It was not so much
a lisp as an accent.

'Whence comest thou?' I asked.

'From Thibet.' He pointed across the hills and grinned. That grin
went straight to my heart. Mechanically I held out my hand and Namgay
Doola shook it. No pure Thibetan would have understood the meaning of
the gesture. He went away to look for his clothes, and as he climbed
back to his village, I heard a joyous yell that seemed unaccountably
familiar. It was the whooping of Namgay Doola.

'You see now,' said the King, 'why I would not kill him. He is a bold
man among my logs, but,' and he shook his head like a schoolmaster,
'I know that before long there will be complaints of him in the
court. Let us return to the Palace and do justice.' It was that
King's custom to judge his subjects every day between eleven and
three o'clock. I saw him decide equitably in weighty matters of
trespass, slander, and a little wife-stealing. Then his brow clouded
and he summoned me.

'Again it is Namgay Doola,' he said despairingly. 'Not content with
refusing revenue on his own part, he has bound half his village by an
oath to the like treason. Never before has such a thing befallen me!
Nor are my taxes heavy.'

'O King,' said I. 'If it be the King's will let this matter stand
over till the morning. Only the Gods can do right swiftly, and it may
be that yonder villager has lied.'

'Nay, for I know the nature of Namgay Doola; but since a guest asks
let the matter remain. Wilt thou speak harshly to this red-headed
outlander. He may listen to thee.'

I made an attempt that very evening, but for the life of me I could
not keep my countenance. Namgay Doola grinned persuasively, and began
to tell me about a big brown