Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
HOW HE WAS AVENGED.
BY Conan w. Doyle.

The travellers from beyond Morada-
bad having reached Kaladoongie, were
discovered to be men of consequence
by the Thanadar, and were invited by
him to join the circle of the great
round his fire on the evening of their
arrival. 1t was very warm and the
dismal silence was only accented by
the distant howl of a lonely jackal
The sheet lightning fickered fitfully
over the foothills, mocking the gasp
ing Teral with its faint promise of 4
coming change.
The conversation round the fire flag
ged, and the hookah passed languidly
from hand to hand. Those present
would have retired to sleep, had sleep
been possible; but as that was a con-
summation not easily attained at this
season Of the year, they preferred their
present miseries to those that come in
the wakeful night watches when the
Teral Is athirst. Ram Deems arrival
was nightly boon to those who were
wont to assemble round the Thana-
dar's fire; there was always the posi-
bility Of his having news; and, besides,
men seemed to acquire fresh vitality
from contact with his vigorous person.
ality. The strangers were especially
grateful for his arrival; and when he
had taken his usual place beside the
fire the hookah was at once passed to
him.
"Any tidings, coach-wan ji?" inquir-
ed the Tenadar.
None, sahib, save that the great
frog in the veil ut Lal Kooah-who is
as old as the well, and wiser than most
men-gave voice just ere l started, and
the bunnia said it was a sure sign of
rain within two days, as the frogs
warning had never been known to
fail"
"Nana Debi send 1t be So" exclaim-
ed the little carrier, "for my bullocks
be starved for the lack of green food.
and bhoosa tchaff) is past my means"
"Thou shouldst not complain, Goor
Dutt," said Ram Deen, with smile;
"their very leanness is thy passport
through the jungle. Fatter kline would
have been devoured and their driver
with them long ere this
countered in the jungle having thus
been given, one of the strangers was
moved to ask concerning the lame tiger
of Huldwani, part of whose biography
they had heard from Ram Deen at
Lal Kooah on the previous day.
"Coach-wan il, vast thou not afraid
to carry the mail after the Staying of
thy hostler, Nandha?'
'Those who carry the queens mail
may not stop for fear. Nevertheless.
fear rode with me day and a night
after the death Of Nandha.'
at is great thing" said the little
carrier, noddng at the wayfarers,
while Ram Deen drank tobacco"
When Ram Deen had passed the
hookah to his neghbor. he went on:
brothers, on the day that Nandha
was carried off by the tiger. l sent
word to the postmaster of Naini Tai
concerning the killing, and the out
going mail brought me word that the
sirdar government would send me
help. Ye know that tiger kills not
two days in succession: so / had no
fear when / traversed the road to and
from Lal Kooah till the second day
after the Staying of Nandha. Ere
started on that morning the munshi
told me to drive to the dark bungalow
for a sahib who had been sent to slay
the slayer of men. Brothers, when
went to the dark bungalow there came
forth 10 me a man child-a Faringi-
whose chin was as smooth as the palm
OF my hand.
"I would have laughed. but that
thought Of the tiger that knew would
be waiting for us, and taking pity on
him, said: The jungle hereabouts is
full Of wild fowl. sahib. and 'twere
pity when shikar is so plentiful you
should waste this morning looking for
4 budmash tiger who will not come
forth for two days yet He answered
me never a word, but we'll into the