Part 7 (1/2)

”How ht,” said the babu unwinking He neither blushed nor hesitated

”I will take compassion on your loss and replace five rupees of it,” said Ranjoor Singh, ”when you have told me which way the murderer went”

”My eyes are too dirief,” said the babu ”No man's memory works under such conditions Now, that h

This was too easy! The babu was prepared to bargain for an hour, fighting for rupee after rupee until his wit assured hian to believe he had set the limit far too low

”I do not re at his stomach as if he kept his recollections stored there

”You said twenty-five rupees, eight annas? Well, I will pay the half of it, and no est unutterable things ”Moreover, I will pay it when I have proved thy mehts coh drew out his purse and counted twelve rupees and three quarters into the palm of his hand

”Which way?” he deht annas of earned eone while I watched the movements of a murderer! It is not easy to keep brave heart and res!”

”See here, thou bellyful of memories! Remember and tell me, or I return this money to my purse and march thee by the nape of thy fat neck to the police station, where they will put thee in a cell for the night and jog thy memory in ways the police are said to understand! Speak! Here, take the money!”

The babu reached out a fat hand and the silver changed owners

”There!” said the babu, jerking a thuh that door!”

”That narrow teak door, down the passage?”

But the babu was gone, hurrying as if goaded by fear of hell and all its angels

Ranjoor Singh strode across the street in a bee-line and entered the dark passage He had seen the yellow light of a lah a chink in an upper shutter, and he intended to try directness on the problee to the door; he counted theainst the panel that would have driven it in had it been less than teak

There caain Then he beat on the door with his clenched fists Presently he turned his back to the door and kept up a steady thunder on it with his heels And then, after about five ratulated himself then that the noise he had made had called the attention of passers-by and of all the neighbors, and though he had had no fear and no other intention than to enter the house at all costs, he certainly had that much less compunction now

He heard three different bolts drawn back, and then there was a pause He thought he heard whispering, so he resumed his thunder Al bea on its pivot, and the door opened about an inch

He pushed, but soain So Ranjoor Singh leaned all his weight and strength against the door, drawing in his breath and shoving with all his ht Resistance ceased The door fleard, as it had done once before that day, and closed with a bang behind hi were the days and oh! wicked the weather- Endless and thankless the round- Grinding God's Grit into rookies together; I was the upper stone, he was the nether, And Gad, sir, they groaned as we ground!

Bitter the blame (but he helped me to bear it), Grim the despair that we ate!

But hell's loose! The dam's down, and none can repair it!

'Tis our turn! Go, summon my brother to share it!