Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-07-20


| hadn't done it," cried the boy, dimly
conscious that his story had fallen wo-
fully fiat. Tell you what, you won't
use the poor old chap at all. Ugh!
You've given me the creeps, Pam
phlett l think I'll turn in now"
A month later Noel Sheriff. was toss
ing restlessly on bed of sickness His
pinched face and blue lips told elo-
quently enough of the severity of his
symptoms, and his nurse and his doc
tor shook their heads despondingly
over his case.
But it was Pamphlet who sat up at
night, and who lowered round the
sick bed by day, taking his rest by
snatcheS when he could. 1t was to
Pamphlet that the sick boy turned
for amusement and for solace, and so
far the native had not failed him.
One afternoon he heard strange
footsteps ascending the stairs, and he
rose softly and went TO the door. A
stout, red-faced man was painting for
breath on the landing.
"My name is Sumpter, surgeon to
the hospital for tropical diseases. DR..
Jones asked me to see young Sheriff.,
as he was not at all sure of the cause
OF the illness which is killing the lad"
The black eyes and the gray eyes
met in ardent conflict, and the black
gave down before the gray.
I'll join you in the room below"
said Sumpter, with tightening of the
lips, "when"-and he emphasized the
word-"I have finished my eXamina
ton"
ut appears from the history that the
lads symptoms began three weeks ago,
and he seems to think that some curry
he ate was the origin of his troubles.
He says that it didn't agree with him,
and l can quite believe that" Out
never word spoke Pamphlett.) "A
curious thing found out, and that was,
by an error on the cooks part, only
enough curry for one was sent up. By
a little questioning 1 found out that
you and he tossed for it, and curiously
enough, you lost, Mr.. Pamphlet. Now,
the only point on which l am in the
dark is: Did you give him powdered
glass, fnely-cut up, camel's hair or
bamboo chips, eh?'
The voice was so cold and yet so .uer-
CHESS in its directness that sullenly
enough the native surrendered.
"Camel's hair!" he said, between his
teeth.
"And so you've taken up with an Eng
lish lad who in the goodness of his
heart, makes friend of you, which not
one in thousand would, and you poi
son him? You live together, work to-
gether, and you poison him. l know
your race thoroughly. Few do admit,
but do; and, by my fathers soul, there
isn't another cur like you from one end
of India to the other!"
Thoughtfully Pamphlet stood aside
to let his master-for such he felt him
already to be-pass in; and still more
thoughtfully, he went to the appointed
place, and waited for long minutes with
| what patience he could muster. Pres
emily the heavy tread warned him that
the moment for battle had come, and he
braced himself for the fray.
"Now, Mr.. Pamphlet, the case Up
stairs is exceedingly interesting to an
| old Anglo-Indian surgeon. The boy Is
suffering from what we used TO call
'zenana cholera
The native insensibly dropped into
the attitude of appeal all natives as
sumo when before the European. His
head was bent, and he stood with his
| hands crossed on his breast.
80, my father and my mother!" he
began, in Hindoostanee, dropping at
once the European metaphor and as
Stunning the picturesque native idiom,
"the words of wisdom have indeed fall
en- from thy lips. 1t is given to the pro-
| tector of the poor to know the inmost
| thoughts of his servant, and foolish
would thy slave be to hide anything.
"Thy servant had father who was
far above all other parents in his kind
ness and in his care for his children.
Ten years ago he was nearly killed by
wicked men who cut his head with
swords and broke his arm most evilly.
| When in time he recovered he left us
with his blessing and went to holy
shrine to return thanks for his recov-
cry.
"On the way Azrael touched him, and,
laying himself down in the long grass
at the roadside, he went to his gods in
silence. After seven years the accursed
Feringhi, now lying upstairs, passed by
and found the poor remains of the holy
pilgrim.
did he pass by in reverence? No! o
powerful one. He picked up the bones
of my father and made them a byword
and a scott. He was of different faith
from our people; but he did not even re.
spect our feelings.
"Your high honor would have slain
the infidel on the spot; not so your
servant. He administered the poison to
satisfy the spirit, wandering now a
homeless phantom until the sacred
rites are fulfilled. 1t is finished"
Sumpter had said nothing, but the Sc
verify had gone from his face as he
listened to the passionate words.
GOT" he said, after pause; take
your relics-take your books and your
goods and go to holy Ganges. Burn
there the unburied bones, and then re-
turn to your village. Do not attempt to
come back, for the arm of the law is
long, and strikes certainly, if it be slow
Go!
"He will recover. OF that am sure
else / had not let you depart. Go! l
take back what / said; you had cause.
You were your fathers son. Col"