The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-30

Moreover. when the boat returns. you
will most certainly be rifled at He
stood over me in the dim light of the
dawn chuckling and laughing to him
self SURPRISING my first impulse to
catch the man by the neck and throw
him On to the quicksand rose sullenly
and followed him to the platform be-
low the burrows
Suddenly and futilely. as thought
while spoke. asked. "Gunga Dass.
what is the good of the boat if | can t
get out anyhow" recollect that even
in my deepest trouble had been specu-
lating vaguely on the waste of ammu-
milton in guarding an already well pro-
tected foreshore
Gunga Dass laughed again and made
answer tThey have the boat only in
daytime. 1t is for the reason that there
is way. hope we shall have the
pleasure Of your company for much
longer time. 1t is pleasant spot when
you have been here some years and eat
en- roast crow long enough. -
l staggered, numbed and helpless, to-
ward the fetid burrow allotted to me
and fell asleep. An hour or SO later l
was awakened by piercing scream
the shrill. high pitched scream of u
horse in pain. Those who have once
heard that will never forget the sound.
found some little difficulty in scram-
bling out of the burrow When l was
in the open. l saw Pornic, nv Door old
Joraic. lying dead on the sandy soil
ilow they had killed him cannot guess
3un3a Dass explained that horse was
better than crow, and greatest coed
Of greatest number is political maxim.
We are row republic. Mr.. Jukes,
and you are entitled to fair share of
the beast. If you like, we will paas
vote Of thanks Shall propose?'
Yes, we We're republic indeed--a
republic of wild beasts penned at the
bottom Of pit. to eat and fight and
sleep till we died attempted no pro-
test of any kind. but sat down and
stared at the hideous sight in front of
me. In less time almost than it takes
me to write this Pornics body was di-
vided. in some hnclean way or other.
The men and women had dragged the
fragments on to the platform and were
preparing their morning meal Gunga
Dass cooked mine. The almost irresisti-
BILE impulse to fly at the sand walls un-
til was wearied laid hold of me
afresh. and had to struggle against it
with all my might. Gunga Dass was
Extensively jocular till told him that
if he addressed another remark of any
kind whatever to me should strangle
him where he sat- This silenced him
till silence became insupportable and
bade him say something.
.'You will live here till you die like
the other Feringhi. he said coolly.
watching me over the fragment of girls
tie that he was gnawing.
What other sahib. you swine3
Speak at once. and DON stop to tell me
lie. :
ZEE is over there. answered Gunga
Dass. pointing to furrow mouth about
four doors to the left of my own. "You
can see for yourself He died in the
burrow as you will die and will die
and as all these men and women and
the old child will also die. %
For pity sake. tell me all you know
about him. Who was he? When did he
come. and when did he die?''
This appeal was weak step on my
part Gunea Dass only leered and re-
piled. II will not-unless you give me
something first.
Then recollected where was and
struck the man between the eyes. par
TALLY stunning him. He stepped down
from the platform at once and, cringing
and fawning and weeping and attempt
ing to embrace my feet, led me round
to the burrow which he had indicated.
II know nothing whatever about the
gentleman Your God be my witness
that l do not. He was as anxious to es-
cape as you were. and he was shot from
the boat. though we all did all things to
prevent him from attempting. He was
shot here Gunga Dass laid his hand
on his lean stomach and bowed to the
earth.
WELL and what then? Go onl''
'.And then-and then. your honor,
we carried him into his house and gave
him water and put wet cloths on the
wound. and he lay down in his house
and gave up the ghost.
In how long? In how long2''
'.About half an hour after he re-
ceived his wound. call Vishnu to wit
ness, yelled the wretched man. "that
i did everything for him. Everything
which was possible, that didl"
He threw himself down on the ground
and clasped my ankles. But l had my
doubts about Gunga Dass' benevolence
and kicked him off as he lay protest.
ing
II believe You robbed him of every
thing he had. But can find out in q
minute or two. How long was the sahib
heref''
Nearly a year and half l think
he must have gone mad. But hear me
swear. protector of the poor Won't
your honor hear me swear that never
touched an article that belonged to
him? What IS your worship going to