WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR
might be 'advantageously employed on relief-work’ and suggesting that he put 'em to work on some broken-down old reservoir he 's discovered, so as to have a good water-supply when the Rains break. 'Thinks he can cauk the dam in a fortnight. Look at his marginal sketches—are n't they clear and good? I knew he was pukka, but I did n't know he was as pukka as this."
"I must show these to William," said Mrs. Jim. "The child 's wearing herself out among the babies."
"Not more than you are, dear. Well, another two months ought to see us out of the wood. I 'm sorry it 's not in my power to recommend you for a V. C."
William sat late in her tent that night, reading through page after page of the square handwriting, patting the sketches of proposed repairs to the reservoir, and wrinkling her eyebrows over the columns of figures of estimated water-supply.
"And he finds time to do all this," she cried to herself, and—well, I also was present. I 've saved one or two babies."
She dreamed for the twentieth time of the god in the golden dust, and woke refreshed to feed loathsome black children, scores of them, wastrels picked up by the wayside, their bones almost breaking their skin, terrible and covered with sores.
Scott was not allowed to leave his cart-work, but his letter was duly forwarded to the Government, and he had the consolation, not rare in India, of knowing that another man was reaping where he had sown. That also was discipline profitable to the soul.
[227]
