the bells," he said to himself.
"Each man must strike hard before sound answers to his hand, and truly
it is well to think of this at times." And, still amused by the fleeting
memory of the evening, he went to bed and slept.

XV

IN WHICH THE FURTHERING OF A STRANGE COMRADESHIP IS CONTINUED, AND A
BEGGAR FROM AMRITZAR CRIES IN THE STREETS OF MANGADONE

Trade was slack in the shop of Leh Shin, the Chinaman. He had sat in the
odorous gloom and done little else than feel his arms and rub his legs,
for the greater part of the day. His new acquaintance, Shiraz, had taken
over possession of his goods, scrutinizing them with care before he did
so, in case the brass pots had been exchanged in the night for inferior
pots of smaller circumference, and in the end he had departed into his
own rat-burrow, two doors up the street, where his friend the Burman was
already established in a gloomy corner. Leh Shin heard of this through
his assistant, who had followed the coolie into the house, and
investigated the premises as he stood about, with offers of assistance
for his excuse.

"They have naught with them, save only a box that has no lock upon it,
and also the boxes bought from thy shop, Leh Shin, but these are empty,
for I looked closely, when they talked in the hither room, where they
are minded to live. Jewels, didst thou say? Then that fox with the red
beard has sold them and the money is stored in some place of security."

"Ah, ah," said the Chinaman, his eyes dull and fixed.

"And 'ah, ah' to thee," retorted the assistant, who found the response
lacking in interest. "I would I knew where it was hidden."

With a sudden change of manner he squatted near the ear of Leh Shin and
talked in a soft whisper.

"Is not the time ripe, O wise old man, is not the hour come when thou
mayst go to the house of the white Sahib and demand a piece for closed
lips?"

He pursed up his small mouth and pointed at it.

Leh Shin shook his head.

"I am already paid, and I will not demand further, lest he, whom we know
of, come no more. Drive not the spent of strength; since the price is
sufficient, I may not demand more, lest I sin in so doing."

The assistant glared at him with angry eyes.

"Fool, and thrice fool," he muttered under his breath, but Leh Shin did
not heed him, and did not even appear to hear what he said. For a long
time the old Chinaman seemed wrapped in his thought, and at last he got
up, and leaving the shop