Talbot Mundy

“ You’ve married a nautch-girl before witnesses!”
It was unseemly—horrible; Ommony was screaming at him. Strange with his hunger to exploit had probed the man’s secret passion to its depths and driven all that was evil in him to the surface. He was worse than a woman with her child condemned to death, for in that hour he lacked power to plead—a primitive, abysmal human stricken to the heart and fighting back. He struck Jeff’s arm away, and Molyneux rose from his chair to help restrain him. But Strange’s answer brought them all to a standstill. ”

“ Charley, eyeing him thoughtfully; diagnosed stage-fright and tried to comfort him.
“You should worry,” he said. “You’ll have done your best. That’s all a man can do.”
But Ommony’s creed is stern. He must save the forest. India, the world, the universe would undoubtedly continue to evolve, whatever happened. But there would be no excuse acceptable in face of leagues and leagues of slaughtered trees. ”

“ You drew pay from Madame Poul—from Lady Molyneux.”
“Yes, sahib. Likewise percentage from priests in form of cash, and subsidy from raja, plus gift from Mellidrum Isstrange, added to share of profit from sale of soda-water. Am well contented. Oh, no reason to complain. However, sahib being babu’s friend, in view of Karma and advantage of beneficence—have thought it well to—permit sahib to—acquire much merit by—by contributing likewise and rounding out—emolument? Eh? Yes, sahib? Your very humble and obedient servant! Chullunder Ghose prays to all the gods for your honor’s full recovery! ”

“ His whole plan began to look like a nightmare that might end any way except satisfactorily, and the infernal music in the courtyard heightened the suggestion, grating on nerves already on end from lack of sleep and proper meals. ”

“ I beg your pardon.”
“By ——, Ommony, shake hands with him!” roared Molyneux. “He’s played the game. He turned the tables on you. He’s a good sport after all. What’s more, he’s given this Panch Mahal to those rascally priests. No chance for anybody now to get a foot-hold. Go on, shake hands!”
“Not yet,” said Ommony. “Where’s Charley Mears?”
“Here. I’m all right,” said Charley. Then he answered the question unspoken on Ommony’s lips. “Strange has been —— decent. He bought the film for enough to finance a picture-shooting trip all through the Indian jungles. ”

“ Where the dickens was she?
“Strange is looking much too pleased with himself,” he said presently.
“It’s my belief he knows this camera’s up here,” said Charley, squatting down at last beside his gun, since all was ready. “He glanced up here once or twice,” he added, wiping the sweat off his hands on the seat of his pants. “Gee! ”