Part 8 (2/2)
”Any word?” asked Warrington
”I spoke with tho said he entered by that door-that sht It is a teak door, bolted and with no keyhole on the outside”
”Good for you,” said Warrington, glancing quickly up and down the wet street, where the la water There seeuess in Delhi, where the shadows all have eyes
He gave a quiet order, and trooper number one passed his reins to number two
”Go and try that door Kick it in if you can-but be quick, and try not to be noisy!”
The trooper swung out of the saddle and obeyed, while Warrington and the other ainst surprise In India, as in lands less ”civilized,” the cavalry are not allowed to usurp the functions of police, and the officer or man who tries it does so at his own risk There ca on teak that ceased after two minutes
”The door is stout There is no answer from within,” said the trooper
”Then wait here on foot,” coton ”Get under cover and watch Stay here until you're relieved, unless so happens; in that case, hurry and report For instance”-he hesitated, trying to iinable-”suppose the risaldar-e and come home with him But-oh, suppose the place takes fire, or there's a riot, or you hear a fight going on inside- then hurry to barracks-understand?”
The wet trooper nodded and saluted
”Get into a shadow, then, and keep as dry as you can,” ordered Warrington ”Come on!” he called to the other h the street as if he rode with despatches through a zone of rifle fire Behind him clattered a rain-soaked trooper and two horses
Colonel Kirby stepped out of his bathrooed his white dress-tie before the sitting-rooton, hurrying in and standing where the rain from his wet clothes would do least harer-skins where the ers, orderlies or servants always stood on that spot After a ton a bathrooton explained
”What did the police say?”
”Said they were busy”
”Now, I could go to the club,” ton, and have a talk with hin a search-warrant Armed with that, we could-”
”Perhaps persuade a police officer to send two constables with it to-rin
”Yes,” said Kirby
”And if we do much on our own account we'll fall foul of the Indian Penal Code, which altereth every week,” said Warrington
”If it weren't for the fact that I particularly want a ith hi out for his mess-jacket that the servant had laid on a chair, ”there'd not be round that I can see for action of any kind He has a right to go where he likes”
That point of view did not seeton before; nor did he quite like it, for he frowned
”On the other hand,” said Kirby, diving into hishis neat shoulders until they fitted into it as a charger fits into his skin, ”under the circu into consideration certain private information that has reached me-if I were supposed to be behind a bolted door in the bazaar, I'd rather appreciate it if Ranjoor Singh, for instance, were to-ah-take action of some kind”
”Exactly, sir”
”Hallo-what's that?”