The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-06-24
know nnt bou HuSsiap Alt tho

I know not how Russian ALI, the
khansama, and l reached the house
after this, but when we got there we
found that everything was as the
chowkidhar had said, for the house
lay empty and the sahibs furniture
had gone, as if the evil spirits of the
ness with their breath. Truly the dog
of watchman had spoken the truth
when he said that this was the work of
no mortal hand.
"Girl up your i0ins,' | said. turning
10 the chowkidhar. run with the speed
Of the wind TO the houses that lie on
the four sides of the compound and ask
of the servants whether there are any
who know how this evil thing has come
about; perclancc you will find some
one who has stayed ut home and not
! gone to the marriage"
And when the chowkidhar had told
all who dwelt round about how the
sahib's belongings had vanished a
great crowd came running. so that in
n minute the house was full. But
every man had been to the marriage
feast and no one could tell how this
thing had happened.
At this moment the khanSama seized
me by the arm and pointed to the gate,
and as he did so my heart sank within
ne. for it was the sahb who had re-
! turned. and with him had come the
magistrate sahib. and we had not pre-
pared tale Truly never before had
been so unwilling TO go forth and
meet the master.
Then ran | and held ON the step of
the sahib's carriage as he alighted.
"Oh, heaven born,' cried, prostrating
myself humbly on the ground before
| him, II am not fit to lick the dust OF
| thy feet: l am like Il worm in thy
| path
What is the matter, GirZi Khan?"
| the sahib interrupted. Make short
work of it and tell me why this crowd
! has collected in my house"
Great and wonderful things have
| happened in thine absence" | replied
quickly, SO that he might not be veXed
| with impatience. ut was thus: | had
sat In the verarda all the evening. in
accordance with thy command, oh, high
born one, when suddenly l was seized
in a most uncomfortable manner with
raging thirst that forced me to so to
my house in order to drink water. But,
sahib, hardly had l reached mine own
threshold when heard a mighty rush.
ing sound behind me, and, looking
round, I saw that thy house was en-
veloped in great cloud of dust. And
Immediately my heart stood stu with
fear so that l returned in all haste
l and ali the other servants also. And,
sahib, the house was left as thou seest
it now, for the floor stands as bare as
the desert of the Punjaub, and the evil
spirits of the air have left the heaven
born neither 4 bed to rest his weary
limbs upon nor plate that the khan
sama may set before him ut meal times
And all these men who live in the COM
pound about thine own have seen
these things and can bear testimony
And the crowd shouted: 1T is all as
the bearer has said"
Then did the magistrate sahib look
sternly at me, as if he would look down
into my lying soul.
SIS this tale true?' he asked.
Now my heart sank at his sternness.
at is true," 1 answered, bending
down before him in order to hide my
confusion.
But my sahib only walked up and
down the veranda, and said, Damn.
DAMN as all English sahibs do when
they are angry.
"Send for the other servants" the
magistrate sahib said.
So the chowkidhar ran and fetched
them from their houses, where they
were in hiding, for they had all re-
turned to the compound by this time.
Drive quickly to the Thana," the
magistrate sahib continued, addressing
the syce (thc groom) 'and bring back
with you two constables, who Will take
down the dispositions of these rogues."
Then did the magistrate salib offer to
take our master back to his house, for
our sahib had neither chair to sit
upon nor knife with which to cut his
meat. SO they departed.
Now the English law IS strange
thing; sometimes the Government will
act with the foolishness of little child.
and at other times it will rend the evil
doer limb from limb. Therefore, as
none of us knew its power, and Us there
was great diversity of opinion as to
whether the magistrate sahib would
cause us to be beaten with cords until
we We're near to death or whether we
would be thrown into prison for the
rest Of our lives, we all agreed to tell
different tales to the police when they
arrived, so that no man might know
which was the truth, and thus the ends
of justice might be frustrated. And
after long time had passed and our
evidence was quite prepared, the syce
returned, and with him came two con-
lesser. Then did the one of lesser rank
marshal us into line, while he who
was the superior questioned us and
wrote down our statements in book
that he had brought from the Thana,
which is the police station. And when
all was finished. it was found that the
evidence was different, and that no two
men had told the same tale; so the two
constables Withdrew a little distance
from us, and talked among themselves.
Listen to me- o We rOgues," cried the
principal one, when the consultation
was finished; pay attention while l
speak This is grave case. How can
you expect any magistrate sahib to be
merciful when no two men give the
same evidence? and how are we to
know that you yourselves may not have
taken the missing goods? The case lies
black against you; and which of you
does not know that the English law is
mighty, and can do as it listeth with
such miScreantS as come within its