VENGEANCE OF JHAPOO THE GOND 249 



uncommunicative ; and I had never succeeded in drawing 

 from him the secret of his success. 



Another matter that had excited my curiosity was a 

 large chest or box of unusual shape and Indian manu- 

 facture, measuring about three feet high and a couple of 

 feet square, that rested in the hall directly below the skin 

 of an immense tiger, that, with its stuffed head raised on 

 a bracket, was mounted on the wall. This box or casket 

 appeared to be made of " shisham " or " blackwood," and 

 was profusely adorned with innumerable copper clamps 

 and embossed nails in true native style, resembling closely 

 the cash chests used by bunniahs or Indian merchants. 



In outward appearance the box was enormously ,heavy ; 

 but, accidentally knocking against it one day, I had dis- 

 covered that it was really astonishingly light. It bore 

 traces of long-continued use and much travel ; and I had 

 noticed that the Colonel's eye often rested on it with a pre- 

 occupied expression. The only person I had ever known 

 to handle the chest was Abdul Ghani, a silent and faithful 

 old Muhammadan butler, who still acted as body-servant 

 to the master whom he had served so long in the East ; 

 and him I had found once or twice quietly polishing it with 

 oil and a rag in his native way. 



At length the time had come for me to bid adieu to my 

 host On the morrow the weekly steamer would carry me 

 southward on a journey that allowing for a short stay in 

 town would end only in the distant military cantonment 

 in India, to which my regiment had been ordered on 

 relief during my absence on leave. 



The equinoctial gales had been threatening for some 

 days, and the night wind was whistling wildly inland from 

 the loch outside, as old Mulligatawny once more rilled up 

 my glass, and, raising his own, drank affectionately to 

 that next meeting which alas ! we were fated never to 

 realise. 



A bright fire crackled on the hearth and shed its warm 



