262 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



knew that he had great news for me. ' Real news ! * 

 whispered the old fellow, putting out his hand and salaam- 

 ing in his old way, as he had so often done when bringing 

 me his invariably reliable information of game. ' Tiger 

 news ! ' he continued, chuckling gently to note my 

 saddened air. ' Oh, my understanding is clear enough/ 

 he repeated, reading my expression ' clear enough, 

 sahib. Just three fingers of the sahib's ddru* (spirit), 

 he went on. And I poured him out some brandy and 

 water. Then he began. 



" I can see it all now," murmured the Colonel ; " the 

 little jungle camp under the big trees, the setting sun, the 

 darkening shadows in the tent ; the earnest eyes of 

 the dying man, his clear though excitable speech, and all 

 his carefully repeated directions, overruling my objections, 

 begging, appealing. Strange tale was it that was then 

 unfolded to me ; matters that concern the Gonds and no 

 other people ; weird lore that never, surely, before had 

 been hinted of to any European. 



" Finally, to still the poor sufferer, I consented. Night 

 fell, and still the darkened tent ; but Jhapoo's mind, now 

 at rest, had begun to wander, and his mutterings had 

 gradually glided into incoherence. 



" Something had been forgotten in the nullah, the bed of 

 the Kokri ; that was clear ; but more of it was to be had. 

 Where ? Ah ! It was buried. 



" ' Under the doorway ? ' 



" ' Yes, under the doorway ' 



'"At Nnda?' 



"'Yes. Nanda Bakajhan' (his native hamlet in the 

 Satpurds). 



"And so the night rolled on. 



" Towards morning I had fallen forward asleep, but was 

 awakened by a movement at my side. Outside in the 

 jungle the waking peafowl were mewing at the dawn, and 

 the cheery notes of the grey jungle-cock rang out sharp 



