THE CONTRACTOR 145 



unbidden. The remiss servant swore by everything sacred 

 that heJvnew nothing ; but under threats of dire punishment 

 he confessed that as he dozed, he dreamt that he saw the 

 contractor vanishing out of the house. The contractor was 

 at once sent for, and was asked by the General why he 

 had dared to attempt to bribe him ? He pleaded absolute 

 ignorance of the whole affair, and would not make the 

 slightest admission of guilt even when the General ordered 

 him to prison. Next morning when he was brought up 

 again, he was equally obstinate in his protestations of 

 innocence. The General vowing that he'd either get the 

 truth out of him or kill him, sent him back to jail for a week 

 to change his mind on bread and water. When the seven 

 days had passed, and when he was alone with the General 

 for the third time, he preserved the same inflexible demeanour 

 of truthful innocence. The General thereupon told him that 

 if he would not confess, he would have him run the gauntlet 

 through the ranks of a regiment, every man of which would 

 be armed with a stick to flog his bared back. " You may 

 flog me to death or kill me in any other way you like, but 

 I'll not confess to a crime of which I am innocent," was the 

 undaunted reply. " I'll give you one more chance," said the 

 General, " before I call in the guard. Are you determined 

 to abide the consequences of your denial ? " " I am," 

 solemnly replied the contractor." "Then," said the General, 

 extending his hand with a pleasant smile, "you are my man. 

 I can do business with you." And after that, the General 

 gave the contractor the big railway job and every other bit of 

 work out of which money could be made in his jurisdiction. 



