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They have run off to betray us, said Narayan Singh. Those two are
superstitious,which makes them doubly dangerous, but at the same time
doublyfoolish. We might as well have questioned a four-year-old child.
Whoever
asks, dont tell him your objective. I shall go straight to the BritishResident
and tell him all about you!
After that I slept, I dont know how long, and when
I awoke Lhatenwas in the room.
The dugpas areas much their enemies as the law
of gravity is the enemy of thewill to rise.
I know these devilswho have done
this thing. What I actually said was:Whats the use of arguing! There we left
them, Grim and I riding one pony, he holding me on.
I had lost so much blood
thatfinally I fainted into Grims arms. Your servants told how he died in your
tent near Zogi-la. No, said Lhaten, but I think you will not see what you go
for.
He began to try to use the Dalai Lamas letter that he stole
fromMordecai.
How should I know you werent burning my sheds?
He lives, because
he said a man named Ramsden is to follow him.
Then she stuck a knife against my
ribs and ordered me in brokenHindustanee to ride on.
No Mahatma wouldconsent to
be in league with murderers. With an arm over Grims shoulder and Narayan
Singhs, Imanaged to gasp out what had happened.
He sent Narayan Singh up trail
to bring thebodies of Tsang-Mondrong and Tsang-yang. Being half-dead I could
hearlittle and see less, but I could feel the giant collapse on topof me.
I
asked the girl, supposing she had alover and was trying to make use of me to
get to him. If I know or can do anythingthere is no need to talk of it. He sent
Narayan Singh up trail to bring thebodies of Tsang-Mondrong and Tsang-yang.
I
know these devilswho have done this thing.
Lhaten, said Sidiki ben Mahommed, is
an extremely importantpersonage. I approached the stranger and asked him rather
curtly who he wasand why he had entered unannounced.
The stranger put his hand
into his breast and produced a sheet ofpaper, folded twice. His brain and my
weight and muscle havebrought the two of us out of many a tight place.
I think
that was the only time I ever regretted having acted swiftlyon Grims
suggestion.
But as I opened my mouth to speak I thought of Rait again.
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