-lance in his day, but whose services were now enlisted on
the side of order--or, at least, we hoped so. He was a fighting-man, and
rather fond of that sort of exercise; so that I was not much surprised
one day when I got a letter from him to say that his villagers had
pursued and arrested, after a fight, a number of armed robbers, who had
tried to lift some of the village cattle. The letter came to me when I
was in my court-house, a tent ten feet by eight, trying a case. So,
saying I would see Saw Ka's people later, and giving orders for the
prisoners to be put in the lock-up, I went on with my work. When my case
was finished, I happened to notice that among those sitting and waiting
without my tent-door was Saw Ka himself, so I sent to call him in, and I
complimented him upon his success. 'It shall be reported,' I said, 'to
the Commissioner, who will, no doubt, reward you for your care and
diligence in the public service.'

As I talked I noticed that the man seemed rather bewildered, and when I
had finished he said that he really did not understand. He was aware, he
added modestly, that he was a diligent headman, always active in good
deeds, and a terror to dacoits and other evil-doers; but as to these
particular robbers and this fighting he was a little puzzled.

I was considerably surprised, naturally, and I took from the table the
Burmese letter describing the affair. It began, 'Your honour, I, Maung
Saw Ka, headman,' etc., and was in the usual style. I handed it to Saw
Ka, and told him to read it. As he read, his wicked black eyes twinkled,
and when he had finished he said he had not been home for a week.

'I came in from a visit to the river,' he said, 'where I have gathered
for your honour some private information. I had not been here five
minutes before I was called in. All this the letter speaks of is news to
me, and must have happened while I was away.'

'Then, who wrote the letter?' I asked.

'Ah!' he said, 'I think I know; but I will go and make sure.'

Then Saw Ka went to find the guard who had come in with the prisoners,
and I dissolved court and went out shooting. After dinner, as we sat
round a great bonfire before the mess, for the nights were cold, Saw Ka
and his brother came to me, and they sat down beside the fire and told
me all about it.

It appeared that three days after Saw Ka left his village, some robbers
came suddenly one evening to a small hamlet some two miles away and
looted from th