Warrington emptied his pockets upon the table; silver
and gold and paper. "Eh? That's the stuff. Without it the world's
not worth a tinker's dam. Count out seventy pounds, James."

"Sixty-seven."

"Seventy or nothing," declared Warrington, putting his hands down upon
the glittering metals. Rupees and sovereigns never lose their luster
in the East.

Calmly, then, James took sovereign after sovereign until he had
withdrawn the required sum. "Gold is heavy, Sahib," he commented.

"Hang it, your hands are steadier than mine!"

"You go back home?"

"Yes. Something like home. I am going to Paris, where good people go
when they die. I am going to drink vintage wines, eat truffles and
mushrooms and caviar, and kiss the pretty girls in Maxim's. I've been
in prison for ten years. I am free, free!" Warrington flung out his
arms. "Good-by, jungles, deserts, hell-heat and thirsty winds!
Good-by, crusts and rags and hunger! I am going to live."

"The Sahib has fever," observed the unimaginative Eurasian.

"That's the word; fever. I am burning up. Here; go to the boat and
give the purser these six sovereigns. Here are three more. Go to the
Strand and get a bottle of champagne, and bring some ice. Buy a box of
the best cigars, and hurry back. Then put this junk in the trunk. And
damn the smell of kerosene!"

James raised his hand warningly. From the adjoining room came the
sound of a quarrel.

"Rupees one hundred and forty, and I want it now, you sneak!"

"But I told you I couldn't square up until the first of the month."

"You had no business to play poker, then, if you knew you couldn't
settle."

"Who asked me to play?" shrilled the other. "You did. Well, I haven't
got the money."

"You miserable little welcher! That ring is worth a hundred and forty."

"You'll never get your dirty fingers inside of that."

"Oh, I shan't, eh?"

Warrington heard a scuffling, which was presently followed by a low
choking sob. He did not know who occupied the adjoining room. He had
been away for weeks, and there had been no permanent boarders before
that time. He rushed fearlessly into the other room. Pinned to the
wall was a young man with a weak pale face. The other man presented
nothing more than the back of his broad muscular shoulders. The
disparity in weight and height was sufficient to rouse Warrington's
sense of fair play. Besides, he was in a rough mood himself.

"Here, that'll do," he cri