Evening journal., 1905-04-06
THE COLONEL
VALET
rcopyright. i9o5. By T. c. Mcclure.l J

infantry, stationed in the province or
Bombay, had taken a native valet be-.
cause that was the fashion, and he ex.
pected the fellow to assassinate him
some day, because that was the custom
of native Wallets. He thought the event
might happen the irst year, then the
second, the third, and when four years
bad gone By and no attempt had been
made on his life he called Nizam to him
Dne e-day and saids
"How is it that you have let me live
on so long?"
MAY the sahib colonel live for
thousand years" was the reply Of the
man with the impassive face who stood
before him in cringing attitude.
That's all CANNON, Nizam, and you
know it. Like all other Hindoos, you
have a deadly hatred of the English.
You wish for nothing so much as am
other rebellion and a chance to cut our
throats. DO l not speak the truthT
Great and powerful are the English,
and their rule is merciful and full of
justice"
"An sheer hypocrisy on your part, Nj
zam. You'd like to put your knife into
a dozen Of US today. You have now
been with me four years."
-Four long and happy years, sahib
colonel, and it would break my heart
to have you send me away"
more rot. There has not been a
week in the four years that have not
knocked you about 1 am quick tenn
pered, and l strike first and talk after
ward. l have cuffed and kicked you,
and l have had you whipped, and I'm
not fool enough to think you have pass
ed it all by"
I'm my heart there is nothing but
love for the sahib colonel" replied the
valet.
"All right Nizam. You won't tell the
truth, and I can't make you, and so
we will let this subject drop. Take
pointer from me, however When you
set out to kill me make quick Job Of
it. If you don't I'll have you roasted
over a slow fire"
Nizam went away to his room to
ponder. It was true that he hungered
for the coloners death. He would have
given everything but his own life to
bring it about 1t was true that for
four years he had been ready for any
opportunity and had never been with
out poison, but he feared the white
men. They could trace the most sVb-
tie poisons. and they were always sns-
piciOus. He knew of several Wallets
who had killed their sahibs, and each
and every one had been found out and
punished no matter how sharp they
were. He had often wondered n tf16
sahib colonel suspected his ifesAhgs,
and now that he knew he did he might
be taken out and shot any day. The
HindoOs alarm lasted for a month.
Then he began TO pluck up heart again.
The simplest and easiest weapon at
hand was one he had never thought Of,
and the idea came to him like fash
one day. sAn'hour later he was acting
on It. Two days later one of the beg
gars visiting the compound to ask for
food carried a basket. When finding
himself alone with MAN he said:
There in the basket you will find a
cobra fresh from the jungle, and the
slightest scratch from his fangs meaRs
death. Let him be turned loose in the
sahib colOneIs room, ana he win do
the rest When serpents ire found ev-
erywhere, who can say that you had
anything to do with this?"
There were guests at the mess that
night, with much drinking and speech
making. and the colonel came In late
and staggering under his load of wine.
He was not so far gone. however but
that be remembered certain things,
and while being put to bed he sleeplly
said:
"Nizam. you liar and hypocrite, you
know you'd like to murder me, but you
haven't the nerve. You are a coward.
You haven't the courage Of a woman.
I'm drunk tonight and shall sleep like
a log, but I shall have no fear of you"
II shall watch over the sahib colonel
as a mother over her child" replied the
valet as he turned his face aside TO
hide a smile.
Half an hour later the basket was
upset in the colonels chamber and the
kissing and angry cobra turned loose.
He would find the sleeper within ten
minutes and bury his fangs in his flesh.
Nizam sat down in his own room to
enjoy the sensation. In the course Of
an hour he would go out on the veran-
( da and push one Of the screens aside
and give the cobra a chance to escape.
1t might he said he had been care
less about the screen or they might say
that the sahib colonel had blundered
around after being left for the night
There was a bright moon, and 1t
| shone full into Nizam's room. There
were neither screens nor glass TO keep
it out. The natives Of India care nei-
ther for heat nor insects. AS the valet
sat crouched on his launches, wonder
ing and listening and smiling, some
thing came wriggling over the sill OF
the window and dropped to the floor.
The cobra had got out through the
screen of the coloners window, but had
not made Off TO the jungle. For two
minutes the serpent remained quiet
Then it began creeping toward the
valet. His eyes We're fastened upon It
and dilated in horror. but his muscles
were paralyzed, and he could make no
move. Nearer, nearer. and then the
cobra erected itself and hissed and
struck.
'Nlzam, where the devil are your
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