Part 24 (1/2)

'Our Lord Hi backward And for n' He put his hand in his bosom, and drew forth the Wheel of Life 'Look! I considered this after I had meditated There remains untorn by the idolater no ernail'

'I see'

'So much, then, is the span of my life in this body I have served the Wheel all my days Now the Wheel servesthee upon the Way, there would have been added to me yet another life ere I had found my River Is it plain, chela?'

Kiht diagonally the rent ran - froives birth to the Child (as it is drawn by Tibetans) - across the human and animal worlds, to the Fifth House - the eic was unanswerable

'Before our Lord won Enlightenment' - the lama folded all aith reverence - 'He was tempted I too have been tempted, but it is finished The Arrow fell in the Plains - not in the Hills Therefore, what make we here?'

'Shall we at least wait for the haki I shall live in this body What can a hakim do?'

'But thou art all sick and shaken Thou canst not walk'

'How can I be sick if I see Freedoet food froe Oh, the weary Road!' Kim felt that he too needed rest

'That is lawful Let us eat and go The Arrow fell in the Plainsbut I yielded to Desire Make ready, chela'

Kiear who had been idly pitching pebbles over the cliff She smiled very kindly

'I found hi and sneezing with cold He was so hungry that he forgot his dignity and gaveout an empty palm 'One is very sick about the stoht eye

'I spoke to the Bengali first - and to the people of a near-by village after The Sahibs will be given food as they need it - nor will the people ask money The plunder is already distributed The Babuspeeches to the Sahibs Why does he not leave thereatness of his heart'

”Was never a Bengali yet had one bigger than a dried walnut But it is no matterNow as to walnuts After service coe is thine'

'It is s in h the cohed deeply'But my master, led by a vision -'

'Huh! What can old eyes see except a full begging-bowl?'

'- turns froain'

'Bid him stay'

Kie if he be crossed,' he replied impressively 'His curses shake the Hills'

'Pity they did not save hier-hearted one who ser Stay!'

'Hillwoman,' said Kim, with austerity that could not harden the outlines of his young oval face, 'these ood to us! Since when have men and women been other than o upon this hour I ao with hiuest in all the villages, but' - he broke into a pure boy's grin - 'the food here is good Give ive it thee? I ae'

'Then I curse thee - a little - not greatly, but enough to re

'Thou hast cursed me already by the down-dropped eyelash and the uplifted chin Curses? What should I care for mere words?' She clenched her hands upon her boso hardly of h, but still a wo,' said Kio, for I a'

The worily 'I was foolish,' said she 'Who is thy wohest thou? Once, long ago, if thou canst believe, a Sahib looked on o, I wore European clothes at the Mission-house yonder' She pointed towards Kotgarh 'Once, long ago I was Ker-lis-ti-an and spoke English - as the Sahibs speak it Yes My Sahib said he would return and wed me - yes, wed me He went away - I had nursed him when he was sick - but he never returned Then I saw that the Gods of the Kerlistians lied, and I went back to my own peopleI have never set eyes on a Sahib since (Do not laugh at ) Thy face and thy walk and thy fashi+on of speech putive a dole Curse me? Thou canst neither curse nor bless!' She set her hands on her hips and laughed bitterly 'Thy Gods are lies; thy works are lies; thy words are lies There are no Gods under all the Heavens I know itBut for awhile I thought it was my Sahib come back, and he was my God Yes, once I arh Now I give allish word, and tied the

'I wait for thee, chela,' said the laainst the door- post

The woure with her eyes 'He walk! He cannot cover half a o?'

At this Ki the weight of the bag, fairly lost his teoes?'

'Nothing - but so to thee, priest with a Sahib's face Wilt thou carry hio to the Plains None must hinder thless The stupid body is spent, and we are far from the Plains'

'Behold!' she said simply, and drew aside to let Kiive hireat God Thou art a priest' She turned away

The la by the door-post One cannot strike down an old ht Weakness bowed hi on Ki

'It is all well,' said Kim 'It is the thin air that weakens thee In a little while we go! It is the mountain-sickness I too am a little sick at stomach,' - and he knelt and comforted with such poor words as came first to his lips Then the woman returned, more erect than ever

'Thy Gods useless, heh? Try h' She hailed hoarsely, and there came out of a cow-pen her two husbands and three others with a dooli, the rude native litter of the Hills, that they use for carrying the sick and for visits of state 'These cattle' - she did not condescend to look at the as thou shalt need'

'But ill not go Sio near the Sahibs,' cried the first husband

'They will not run away as the others did, nor will they steal baggage Two I know for weaklings Stand to the rear-pole, Sonoo and Taree' They obeyed swiftly 'Lower now, and lift in that holy e and your virtuous wives till ye return'

'When will that be?'

'Ask the priests Do not pesterat the foot, it balances better so'

'Oh, Holy One, thy Hills are kinder than our Plains!' cried Kim, relieved, as the la's bed - a place of honour and ease And e it to -'

'A wos as much as I do thy curses It is my order and none of thine Lift and away! Here! Hast thou money for the road?'

She beckoned Kilish cash-box under her cot