Warren sheaf., 1910-04-07
Copyrighted By Short Stories Co., Ltd.)

tense green, saffron shot with silver.
Paulet and Hira Singh had returned
direct to th hotel, but Philip Thom.
ASSN, allured by that which was to
them the veriest commonplace, saun.
tered serenely through the bazaar, to-
ward the wider space within the open
city gate. 55.5s75, 49,.
g As he stood there, little aside from
the stream Of traffic, a new sound
broke on his ears. Turning, he saw;
in an open space before the low shops,
two figures, until now unnoticed. One
was a boy, dark and impassive Of
expression, his clothes tattered and
faded. y y..7a
Thomassin went closer to see. The
liquid notes rose and fell, first loud
and cheerful, then slower, more soft,
Slipping almost imperceptibly into the
monotonous chant Of the snake-charm-
ers. The flute unlike any that he
had ever happened to notice-was of
ivory, with a row Of turquoises set in
band of gold that twisted entirely
around it from one end to the other.
While he looked at 1t curiously, stand
ing in the full blaze Of the sunlight,
something faint flash as of a mirror
drew his attention to the second fig
,ure. In a low, arched doorway stood
a tall man, wrapped In dull gray
cloak On his head was a green ~tur-
ban, with tarnished golden fringe
hanging about it. His eyes, deep-set
and compelling, sought those of the
young Englishman. s}s
The music ceased with a low wall;
the player held out his hand, its thin
fingers curved in appeal. Thomassin,
half needing the whisper of "Sahib,
sahib!" from the lad, yet unable to
draw his attention from the man in
the gray cloak, dropped a small coin
into the waiting palm, and walked
across to the shop, stepping aside to
avoid falling over a sprawling brown
baby, whose mother had set it down
while she bargained for a handful of
greasy sweetmeats, paying down their
price with feigned reluctance.
The ring on his f7nser-the finest
seal in Mira Achmet's collection
was too tight. 1t made his hand throb
and burn. The shop was that. of a
working goldsmith. When he reached
it, the man in gray was sitting inside,
twisting some gold wire into brace
let like those worn by the women of
the district.
~ "The sahib's ring is too small?" he
asked, in low, rather dull voice.
Thomassin nodded, holding out his
sun-burned hand The jeweller took
up a little. guage.
1T should be stretched two sizes
larger. Will the sahib be seated
while I make it right for him." Again
Thomassin assented, this time almost
wearily, He dropped down on the
waiting pile of cushions with sense,
Of relief. The place was so quiet.
Only a single ray of sunshine through
a crevice in the roof, falling athwart
his hand and glinting on the handsome
sapphire that Paulet had pronounced
haWless. And Mark Paulet knew. Had
he not lived for nine years in Suraj-.
pore, learning to know the people.
around him, taught by Hira Singh,
more comrade than retainer?
\. "a sudden glareSin his eyes brought
him to his feet with a start The hot
sun shone on him as he stood there in
the open space before the Lahore gate.
The fute-player was gone The naked
baby still sprawled at his feet; its,
mother was still counting out the few
coins from her scanty store. Where
wereSthe jeweller and his shop?
Z Thomassin could not repress cry
of amazement, and all faces turned
toward him. "A little nut-colored po-
!iceman elab borately uniformed d-ran
up.
HAS the sahib lost something he
inquired with Difference, having seen
Thomassin in the company Of Mark
Paulet.
my seal ring gasped Thomassin.
Il went into the gold smiths Shop
over there but the wizened face
expressed only polite incredulity
Where, sahib? This is not the i
jewelers. quarter. No goldsmith has
his shop between the Lahore gate and
the house of Mira Achmet, the jewel
merchant. Moreover, the sahib has
been standing quite still perfect tlee
and not moving. !"
Thomassin's temper rose in q sud.
len gust. He had been tricked In