Evening star., 1922-02-05
f<Y 7 ERES the place and here's
~ the man." said Fortescue
when he and Maitland Matt nd

side.
Maitland, after his usual habit. said
nothing. His coldly efficient eyes
missed nothing of the scene before
them, and narrowed slightly, as
though in scorn.
Before the little house stood the
man whom they had come to seek
Rao Singh. sometime ressaldar of his
majesty's Eighth Sikhs. and now, by
reason of a crippled leg sustained In
Mesopotamia, a retired gentleman,
who lived in his little Malayan bun
galow and devoted himself to brush
ing his uniform. keeping his medals
bright and doing a bit Of shooting.
Rao Singh had knotted his long
rope of uncut hair. and now placed
his skullcap over the lump. Taking
one end of the twelve-yard turban
between his teeth, he began to wind
with deft, cunning movements. He
wound the cloth about his head In
that two-horned shape peculiar to
Sikhs When he had finished he
caught up the fiat steel turban-ring,
an inch in width and foot In diam
eter, and adjusted it over the turban.
Then he turned to his visitors with
salute and a smile.
LORDLY man. this Sikh-six feet
two under his turban. tight
curled black beard over his massive
mouth and chin, white ivories un-
touched by betel-paste, and wealth
of proud. dignified character in his
III itry
and Rao Singh was Sikh Of the very
blood of Guru the master.
II have a chit for you from the
resident, Ressaldar," said Fortescue.
He produced a letter and extended 1t.
Rao Singh tore 1t open and glanced
through the contents, then came to
attention and saluted.
'Fortescue Sahib. am no shikar.
but I can take you into the hills
where you can find tiger"
Fortescue shook hands and turned.
This is my companion, Maitland
sahib, who accompanies me in search
Of the striped one"
Maitland bowed slightly, coldly.
then lighted q cigarette and turned
toward the view from the mountain
side.
For a space Fortescue and Rao
Singh discussed the proposed hunt.
The keen intuition of tho ressaldar
scented two things-frst, Fortescue
Sahib was an army man Of his own
type and kind and was less inter-
ested in tigers than in getting the
expedition off: second, Maitland Sa-
hib knew little Of the country, dis
played little interest in the game or
his companions, and appeared to treat
Fortescue and everything around him
with a cold, aloof courtesy which was
repellent rather than attractive. He
was not the type whom Fortescue
should have chosen for q hunt, in
the ressaldar's opinion.
Only once did Maitland speak.
Then. after answering direct ques-
tion from Fortescue, he glanced curl
ously at Rao Singh.
These Sikh troops" he said, ignor-
ing the ressaldar. seem always to
wear that ring around their turbans.
What's the reason?"
Largely chronological" answered
Fortescue. "a peculiar weapon Of
the people, a survival from the pri-
Hal udSS. 4ucy dI0 SEdlhSo 4IO1A
childhood to throw the ring like a
boomerang, or on the same order.
I've seen one, well sharpened, take
off a mans head like an egg. Well,
what about the trip? Are you salts
fed with the arrangements?''
Quite" And Maitland nodded
coldly. For a bare instant his eff
cient. slightly scornful eyes rested
upon Fortescue. There were hatred
and fear and frozen fury in their
shallow cleaning. Ono would have
sworn that he deemed Fortescue a
liar and a rascal. Yet Fortescue was
an officer and a very courteous gen.
tleman.
II Fortescue was aware Of this at
titude, Of this silent enmity, he
showed it in no word or look. But
when the two men returned from
Singh looked after one Of the pair
with q fiercely proud delight, and
after the other with an unconcealed
scorn.
by Guru!" he said to himself, ''there
Is something strange about this hunt
ing!"
And in this he was quite correct.
COME days after Fortescue and
~ Maitland departed on their search
for stripes was at the residency on
consular business when the subject
of the two men came up between US.
The resident shook his head sadly.
you've heard something Of 1t,
then? 1t could not be entirely hushed
up. Of course-a sorroy affair, pom
my word! You've not met the men?"
"Fortescue, yes" I answered. Il
met him two months ago in Penang.
He struck me as a very fine sort Of
chap. 1 know the rumors. but dis
believe them absolutely"
Tho resident nodded. Most people
do disbelieve them-that's the devil
Of 1t! The whole affair will come
out officially next month"
At this sat up. you don't mean
the rumors are true
Not half the truth, old chap. This
bounded Maitland, now-know him?"
I shook my head. The resident
opened a box of cheroots and ordered
drinks.
Maitland is Fortescue's cousin and
heir-point number one. There was
something between the two men at
homo during the war. I'm not sure
about the details, but fancy that
Maitland married the girl who should
have married the other chap. For
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