THE BABU 



"It was my duty. I am truly sorry. Suppose I 

 had not reported and should die to-day, and should 

 go to heaven, and God should ask me, 'Have you 

 done your duty to-day?' what should I say to Him?" 



We gave it up; we were up against Revealed 

 Religion. 



So that night we took a freight train southward to 

 Voi, leaving the babu and his prayer bell, and his 

 green battle-axe and his conscience alone in the 

 wilderness. We had quite a respect for that babu. 



The district commissioner listened appreciatively 

 to our tale. 



"Of course I shall not carry the matter further," 

 he told us, "but having known the babu, you must 

 see ( that once he had reported to me I was com- 

 pelled to order you down here. I am sorry for the 

 inconvenience." 



And when we reflected on the cataclysmic up- 

 heaval that babu would have undergone had we not 

 been summoned after breaking one of The Laws 

 in The Book, we had to admit the district com- 

 missioner was right. 



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