Evening star., 1911-06-03

full OF grave sympathy. not unshadowed
with personal sadness. Yet he hesitated
| and Nehal Singh went on, thoughtfully:
There are some things I do not un-
some game for money. I have heard OF
that before, but do not understand. Are
you then SO poor?''
Geoffries laughed miserably.
II am now" he said.
Then 1t is money that is the trouble?'
ut always is. At first one plays for
the fun of the thing and because-oh.
well, one has to. don't you know. After
ward. one plays to get it back"
But you have not got it back?''
Geeffries shook his head.
Il never do" he said. I'm a rotter
at bridge
"A hundred rupees!" Nehal went on. re-
fiectively. That was the sum. think?
1t is very littIe-not enough to cause you
any trouble
Not by ITSELF Geoffries agreed. with
q fresh collapse into his old depression.
But 1t is the last straw. I'm cut pretty
understand. and there are other things
polo ponies. dinner races, subscrip-
tons
"And the bazaar"
Geoffries caught his breath and glanced
across at the stern. unhappy face. He
tempt which at first seemed ridiculous,
and then insolent and then terrible. Boy
as he was there flashed through his easy
going brain some vague Uniformed recog-
milton OF the unshifting national RESPONSE
bility which weighs upon the shoulders
of the greatest and the least He under
stood. though not clearly. that he and his
three comrades had dragged themselves
a foreigner, and with that shock Of under
standing came the desire to vindicate
himself and the uncounted millions who
were linked to him.
You think badly Of us. Rajah sahib.'
right to do SO from what you have seen:
but you have not seen ali-no, not nearly
ALL You've seen US In the soft days,
when we've nothing to do but drill re-
cruits and while away the time as best
We can. Think what the monotony
means-day after day the Same work. the
same faces. Who can blame US II we get
slack and ready to do anything for a
change? I know some OF us are rotters-
long to the British regiment. and are ac-
customed to luxury and ease in the old
country. 1 haven't got that excuse-I'm
in the Gurkhas-and what do do be-
cause am rotter. But there are men
who are not There are men. Rajah Sa-
hib. right up there by the northern prov
inces, who are made OF steel and iron,
real men. heroes"
Nehal Singh leaned forward and caught
his companion by the arm.
earnestness. Heroes?'
Geonries nodded. That look OF snthu-
sfastic sympathy won his heart and
awoke hin soldiers slumbering pride.
I'm no good at explaining" he said,
''but I know OF things that would stir
your blood. For q whole year-my first
year, was UP north In q mud fortress.
where there was only one other European
officer It was Nicholson. You mayn't
have heard OF him-pFecious few people
haye-but up there in that lonely. awful
place. with wild hill tribes about US and
handful of sepoys for our protection,
he was q god-yes. q god: for there was
not one Of US that didn't worship him and
honor him. We would have followed
him to the mouth OF hell. He was young
only six months q captain, and yet there
was nothing he didn't seem to know,
nothing he couldn't do. Every day he
was in the saddle, reconnoiteFing. visit
ing the heads OF the tribes, making peace,
distributing justice. Every day he went
out with his life In his hands. and every
night he came back. quiet, unpretending.
never boasting never complaining. and
yet we knew that somewhere he had
Tisked himself to clear q stone out OF our
way, to win IN enemy over to our side.
to confirm q friend In his friendship
Yes. he was . man: and there arc others
like him. No one hears about them, but
they don't care They go on giving their
lives and energy to their work. and never |
ask for thanks or reward. I-once hoped |
to be like that. but came to Marut-and