Glacier County chief., 1940-01-12
cast nnD We5T
TALBOT MUNDY
e1Alsor auaoy-wAu SERVICE

ted arfully evasive perjury. Nor
wood sat at the foot of the long Ia
BILE, looked, listened, and made end
less notes.
They weren't half through by
lunch-time. They gave him tiffin in
the palace, all by himself, in a si-
lent room, where a clock licked as
loud as fork against plate and he
caught himself eating in time to the
hypnotic beat, thinking of diamonds.
Curried mutton and rice. Whiskey
and soda. Sweet cakes. Fruit. Cot
fee. A cigar. And then back to the
Council room to listen to more argu-
ments that were interrupted by the
arrival of Rundhia's Bengali ply
stefan, shepherding a servant who
carried big blue goblet on plate.
The Maharajah swallowed his tom
ic and Immediately became less
nervous. Then he asked, in Eng
lish, presumably for Norwood's ben
eft:
''How is Mrs. Harding?"
Norwood cared less than nothing
about Mrs. Harding's feelings at the
moment, but he couldn't help hear
ing the doctors answer:
''She is not well. But cannot
persuade her to take medicine. She
is petulant-very."
The Maharajah tried to seem in
credulous of any lady's petulance:
Convey my solicitude."
Norwood managed to escape from
the conference soon after that. He
was away on the horse before the
sails woke up. He cantered to the
Residency, where he had to wait in
the Office an exasperating fifteen
minutes, until the Resident could be
awakened from his afternoon snooze
and could get tubbed and come
downstairs.
MAY see you alone, sir?"
The Resident nodded. He didn't
appear to enjoy the prospect. They
went into the darkened library, and
Norwood sat in the same chair that
Rundhia had occupied. He laid the
black paper package of diamonds on
the table:
''Take a look at those, sir. I
want to turn them over to you. I
would like to get receipt, and to
make statement in writing"
The Resident opened the envelope
and poured the diamonds into his
hand. He made a wry face and
poured them back again:
miner" E
81 haven't counted them"
'"They look valuable. Where did
you get them?"
81 am not absolutely certain. I
think they must have been slipped
into my pocket, early this morning,
by one of the unofficial representa-
tives of the temple authorities, who
met me by appointment. near the
waterfall"
''What were you doing?"
Inviting myself for visit of in
spection of the mine. They met me
to discuss it."
"And you say they dropped these
in your pocket?"
II believe so. It's a pretty OBJ
vious attempt to bride me to write
a report in their favor"
"But they said nothing? Not even
a hint?"
Zone of them, l remember, did
say he hoped my judgment wouldn't
be affected by worthless arguments.
He rather dwelt on the word worth
less, but it made no special impress
sion on me at the time"
Very well, Captain Norwood,
will take your statement" The Resi-
dent glanced at his watch. you're
rather late with it. There seems to
me to be needed some explanation
when you called this morning."
81 didn't know, at that time, that
l had them in my pocket"
The Residents face was express
sionless: "You had better be sure
to include that in your statement.
It's credible, of course, in view of
your record. But people might draw
differences. Don't you think so?"
You suggest, sir?"
Nothing. am offering advice.