rnoon at Darjeeling and of the photograph in his
dispatch-box came to taunt Jack in the moonlight as he wended his way to
the bungalow at the Police Lines, fresh as he was from the experience of
a married woman's kisses given in response to his own.

Tommy was at home and awake when he came in, and remarked bluntly
concerning his extraordinary pallor.

"How did it go off? Was Barrington Fox Esquire particularly cordial?"

"He wasn't there," came gruffly from Jack.

"Not there?"

"I'll repeat it if you like."

"Don't be ratty. I was only expressing natural surprise. Possibly she
knew he wouldn't be there when she asked you."

"You are as uncharitable as everyone else."

"No, I am merely somewhat discerning."

"It does you credit."

"My son, hearken to the words of wisdom and the voice of the
sage--'Whoso is partner with a thief, hateth his own soul----'"

"Oh, go to blazes," said Jack pouring himself out a whisky-and-soda.

"'A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.'"

"I've been to Church--Drop it."

"'Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his
friend,'" Tommy persisted with a twinkle in his eye.

"Thanks, I'm much obliged but it isn't necessary. Have a cigarette."

It was mentioned that the doctor dined at the Bara Koti that evening.

When the news of an extra mouth to feed was conveyed to the cook in the
kitchen, Abdul surveyed three snipe among potato chips with a problem of
multiplication vexing his soul.

"With the _padre-sahib_ they are three, yet without warning they bring a
fourth! Now what to do? _ai khodar_!--how to arrange?"

"Why disturb thyself, brother?" said the _khansaman_ sympathetically as
he put extra plates on the rack of the hot-case in which an open fire in
a cast-iron cooker burned fiercely. "Cut each bird in two and make toast
for each portion, in this way there will be some left for thee and me.
If the master say aught, ask if it is his almighty will that the
_shikari_ be sent out at a moment's notice in the moonlight to shoot
another bird."

The fine sarcasm of his advice created a general laugh of good-humour
among the servants assembled to serve the dinner. "In my last place,"
continued the Mohammedan butler, "my Sahib who had no wife would, out of
sheer provocation, bring six or eight sahibs home to eat with him, and
could we protest? _Yah, khodar!_ that instant with two kicks would we
have been dismissed, and he so ready