When you have given
the ring to him he will ask you questions, and you will say Ranjoor
Singh said, "All will presently be made clear"; and should you forget
the message, _babuji_, or should you fail to find him soon,
there are those who will make it their urgent business,
_babuji_, to open that belly of thine and see what is in it!'
So, my God, gentlemen! I am veree timid man! I have given the ring
and the message, but how will they know that I have given it? I did
not think of that! Moreover, I am unrewarded--I have no emolument--as
yet!"
"How will _who_ know?" demanded Warrington.
"They, sahib."
"Who are they?" asked Kirby.
"The men who will investigate the inside of my belly, sahib. Oh, a
belly is so sensitive! I am afraid!"
"Did he tell you who 'they' were?"
"No, sahib. Had he done so, I would at once have sought police
protection. Not knowing names of individuals, what was use of going
to police, who would laugh at me? I went to Yasmini, who understands
all things. She laughed, too; but she told me where is Colonel Kirby
sahib."
Colonel Kirby became possessed of a bright idea, his first since
Yasmini had thrown her spell over him.
"Could you find the way," he asked, "from here to wherever it was
that Risaldar-Major Ranjoor Singh gave you that ring?"
The babu thrust his head out of the carriage window and gazed into
the dark for several minutes.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103