to catch you in his
arms as you fell from your horse with that terrible gash across your
forehead. That was how he said you saved his life and always became his
greatest friend."

The Colonel's lips had parted to check the narration again and again;
but he seemed fascinated by the strange look in the boy's eyes, and for
the time being it was as if the whole scene of many years before was
being enacted once again; while, to Glyn's astonishment, the boy slowly
rose from his seat, went round to the Colonel's side of the table, to
stand behind his chair till the waiter left the room, and then laying
one hand on the old warrior's shoulder, with the other he drew away that
which covered the big scar, and bending over him he said softly:

"Father told me I was to try and grow up like you, who saved his life,
and that I was always to think of you as my second father when he was
gone."

As Singh ended he bent down gently, and softly and reverently kissed the
scar, while the Colonel closed his eyes and Glyn noticed that his lips
were quivering beneath the great moustache, which seemed to move
strangely as if it had been touched.

For a few moments then there was a deep silence, during which Singh
glided back to his seat, took up his knife and fork, and said, in quite
a changed tone of voice:

"It always makes me think of that when I sit and look at you. And it
comes back, sir, just like a dream. My father the Maharajah told me I
was never to forget that story; and I never shall."

Just at that moment the door was opened, and the waiter entered bearing
another dish, while through the opening there came a burst of music as
if some band were playing a march.

"Hah!" cried the Colonel, speaking with quite a start, but with his
voice sounding husky and strange, and the words seeming forced as he
gave Singh a long and earnest look. "Why, surely that is not a military
band?"

"No, sir," said the waiter, as he proceeded to change the plates, two of
them having their contents hardly touched. "There's a wild-beast show
in the town, sir, in the field at the back," and as he spoke the man
looked sharply at the boys.

"Oh," said the Colonel with a forced laugh. "Why, boys, is that where
your elephant came from?"

And then the dinner went on, with the Colonel forcing himself into
questioning the boys about their adventure, and from that he brought up
the elephants in Dour, and chatted about tiger-shooting and the dangers
of