The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-01-26
east nnp uE5T
BY TALBOT MUNDY

against mine that Norwood hasn't
made up his mind that he wants
herr"
Stoddart refilled his pipe with al
most supernatural patience. "What
are we up to tonight?" he demand
ed. why are we here in this bloody
truck? Where are we going?"
Didn't he tell your"
mo, he told me to look after you"
"That's what / told him to tell
you"
IAN right, General Moses, where
are we going? To the Promised
Land?"
Were going hunting bribe."
'Who from?"
"Gulbaz."
"How much?"
"You may keep all you get"
''How much do you reckon well
get?"
Twice half o. what he thinks it's
worth. We split it fifty-fifty, on ac-
count O. your puritan nature and
your good looks and your gift for
not letting your head know what
your brains are doing"
'What are we going to be bribed
FORT"
'sFor our virtue. What else could
he buy? Mine amt for sale, but
yours is. He wants it for the travel
ling wax-works o. curiosities he's
taking along to tour India"
"AI right then, put it this way:
why are we worth bribing?"
1--WE amt" said Moses.
'sSpeak for yourself. Whose money
is he chucking away"
t'You may bet your boots it isn't
his money. Considering the kind o.
badmash crook he is, that has to
pay out money by the bucketful to
keep his skin on his back and his
line o. retreat open, Gulbaz is close.
He's so mean that a Scotch flea
couldn't get living off him."
Moses raised the cover of the
truck and took a quick glance at
the narrow street. Then he low
cred the cover and spoke:
"We'll be there in a minute. I
want you to get this, Stoddart. Try
to understand it. It's important.
Gulbaz has it in for Captain Nor
wood. That's how big sucker he
is. He's crafty. But he hasn't sense
enough to know that there's two men
in India can beat him. Ones me.
The others Cockalorum Norwood.
Catch 'em-alive-o Norwood. One O.
these days Gulbaz is going to sit
in Norwood's net, alive and nasty.
But not yet"
"Why not?"
''None o. your business. You're
only a fathead sergeant. You know
nothing o. the inside workings o.
things. But Gulbaz isn't here in
Kadur for his health. or for yours
and mine either. He's here to get
Captain Norwood and make profit
at the same time. He's got a game
on, and he's got it all timed to a
minute. That's why you're here"
"There you 60 again." said Stod-
dart. .'Blowed if l understand you.
Speak plain"
.'I'n say it Slow" said Moses.
words o. one syllable. If ] was
alone, and if Gulbaz was ready, he'd
stick knife into me. But seeing
that you're along, and you a SOL
der that has cost the taxpayer
heap O. money for upholding the
blooming dignity of His Majesty the
King, he'll think twice about it. II
/ was stuck in the back it 'ud be
a loss to the human race and a
bulls eye for Gulbaz. But they
wouldn't even write it up in the pa
per-"
s'Not in the society column"
asked Stoddart.
"But If it happened to you,. half
the sweating countryside 'ud have
to turn out for your funeral, march
ing slow, arms reversed, Dead
March in Saul. And after that,
there'd be an investigation, two
courts Of enquiry, military and civil,
plus headache for the Maharajah
and at least column in the Bombay
Times embellishing the record of
faithful Tommy Atkins"
(TO BE CONTINUED