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"Lazily, as a gorged snake, he dragged himself out of the cave."
vaccine and lancets of a paternal Government.
"And to-morrow I go back to my home," said Jan Chinn to his faithful few, whom neither spirits, over-eating, nor swollen glands could conquer. It is hard for children and savages to behave reverently at all times to the idols of their make-belief, and they had frolicked excessively with Jan Chinn. But the reference to his home cast a gloom on the people.
"And the Sahib will not come again?" said he who had been vaccinated first.
"That is to be seen," said Chinn warily.
"Nay, but come as a white man—come as a young man whom we know and love, for as thou alone knowest, we are a weak people. If we again saw thy—thy horse—" They were picking up their courage.
"I have no horse. I came on foot—with Bukta, yonder. What is this?"
"Thou knowest—the thing that thou hast chosen for a night-horse." The little men squirmed in fear and awe.
"Night-horses? Bukta, what is this last tale of children?"
Bukta had been a silent leader in Chinn's presence, since the night of his desertion, and was grateful for a chance-flung question.
"They know, Sahib," he whispered. "It is the Clouded Tiger. That that comes from the place where thou didst once sleep. It is thy horse—as it has been these three generations."
"My horse! That was a dream of the Bhils."
"It is no dream. Do dreams leave the tracks of broad pugs on earth? Why make two faces before thy people? They know of the night-ridings, and they—and they—"
"Are afraid and would have them cease."
Bukta nodded. "If thou hast no further need of him. He is thy horse."
"The thing leaves a trail, then?" said Chinn.
"We have seen it. It is like a village road under the tomb."
