Evening star., 1911-06-03

Wis answered. Add up the dem total
will you, there's a good fellow. / mus
be getting home. There's that boring
parade tomorrow at 5 again, and I've go
a headache that will last me q week
thanks to Nappy's bad champagne Well
what's the damage"
The young fellow who had sat with his
head bowed over his cards looked uy
with sickiy smile.
Yes, what's the damager' he said. -
can't be bothered-I've lost count. Yor
and / must have done pretty badly
Phipps."
II dare say we shall survive" his part.
ner rejoined. carelessly- I'VE have lost
five rubbers. How does that work out
Webb?"
TN trouble you for q hundred each. q
Webb answered. after q minutes calcu-
lation. quite q nice profitable evening
for us. eh. Saunders. Thanks, awfully
old fellow" He gathered up the rupees
ward him. The boy himself sat as though
frozen to stone. Only when Saunders
gave him a friendly nudge he started and
looked about him as though he had been
awakened out Of q trance.
and Webb-would you mind waiting till
tomorrow? I'll raise 1t somehow
haven't got so much
Phipps broke into q laugh.
You silly young duffer" he said.
pocket money. eh? Been buying too
many sweeties?"
The other two men roared, but the boys
features never relaxed.
me-" he mumbled. "I'll bring it tomor-
row, l promise"
Webb rose from his chair. stretching
himself languidly.
'All right he agreed. Tomorrow will
do. BY Jove, what q gorgeous night 1t
10 Lon Cd ho 1y.0f
ing his aristocratic face to the sky.
Saunders, you don't want to go to bed.
you old cOrmorant- Come on with mo
and Wen spend the night hours
worthily."
I'm camel" Saunders rejoined. THAT
Is. il it's anything decent. I'm not 60
ing to do any more tar worshiping. that's
certain
Don't want you to. I'm going to dress
up and have run around the bazaar,
had better do likewise You see things
you don't see in the daytime. I can tell
you, and some Of the women aren't bad.
Come on! We can run round to my dig
Phipps and Geoffries?
The weedy young man addressed as
Phipps rose with alacrtty.
anything for q change" he said.
Wake up. Innocence!' He brought his
hand down with friendly thump on
Geoffries' shoulder. but the boy shook his
head.
NO" he said. in the same rough. mo-
notonous voice. 'Tm done for tonight.
You fellows get on without me-"
LAS you like. Good night"
Good night"
The three men went into the bungalow.
Gradually their voices died away in the
distance. but the boy never moved. never
shifted his blank stare from the cards in
front Of him. 1t was curious tableau.
In the midst of the darkness It was as
though a limelight had been thrown on
to a theatrical representation Of despair,
while beneath. hidden by the shadow. a
lonely spectator, to whom the scene was
a horrible revelation, fought out O hard
battle between Indignation and disbelief.
Throughout the conversation Nehal
Singh had stood rigid. his hand cienched
on the Jeweled hilt OF his sword. hts eyes
rtveted on the faces Of the four men who
were thus unconsciously drawing him
into the intimate circle Of their life. Much
that they said was incomprehensibie to
him. The references to Napoleon" and
to the unknown individual contemptuous-
ly dubbed "the fellow" were not clear,
but they left him q gnawing sense OF in
suit and scorn which he could not con-
quer. The subsequent chink Of money
changing hands had Jared upon his ears
the final dispute concerning their
further pleasure made him sick with dis
gust. These gentlemen sought their
amusement In Q place where he would
have scorned to Get his foot.
This fact obliterated for q moment