266 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



by a most unholy smell. A small heap of hill grains, 

 the quarter of a cocoanut, and three little marigolds lay 

 there on the matting ; while a tiny cotton wick, oil- 

 floated in a rude earthen saucer, sent up its sooty thread 

 of smoke and flickered on a greasy smear of red ochre 

 that had been freshly applied to the front of the chest. 



Now this was the last straw. Possessed by a spirit of 

 idle curiosity, I had hitherto retained the chest in my 

 hands instead of accepting the Colonel's alternative. I 

 had a half-hearted idea that I should like to learn the 

 sequel if any to that strange yarn in which spite 

 the touch of humorous incredulity with which he had 

 endeavoured to cover it the old gentleman had betrayed 

 such undoubted belief. But this latest development was 

 too high a price to pay for my fancy. I drew a chair 

 to my escritoire and scribbled a note. The chest should 

 leave to-morrow. 



This done, I stepped in annoyance to the door, intend- 

 ing to summon my servant to remove the sacrificial 

 offerings the burnt part of which I had already extin- 

 guished when it struck me that by so doing I might 

 draw too large an amount of inquisitiveness to the object 

 of their devotion ; I therefore turned and gathered them 

 up, looking for some place in which I might conceal them 

 from prying eyes. Why, Jhapoo himself should safeguard 

 them! 



My keys were themselves locked away in security, but 

 after a while I unearthed them, and quietly unlocking the 

 resting-place of the stuffed Gond, raised the lid. 



I had put away the votive tokens of an unknown pro- 

 pitiator, when something in the appearance of the ghastly, 

 stuffed figure attracted my attention. It seemed to-night 

 as if the skin shone with a smoother lustre, as if the whole 

 frame had been furbished up. The slight powdering of 

 dust that I had noted of late had been removed, and the 

 faintest touch of vermilion, just so much as might adhere 



