Talbot Mundy

“ It was part of the honor of those naked forest-men never to let out of sight the one white man who understood them, and whom in part—at times—they thought they understood too.
The forest is long and wide, but Chota Pegu lies on a promontory as it were, projecting far into an ocean of trees. From Ommony’s bungalow to the raja’s palace is hardly forty miles, although by train, including the wait at Sissoo Junction, the journey would take a day and a night. ”

“ It was only by hearsay that he knew the raja had two wives and quite a nice stable of dancing women; but it is always fun to speculate on how a man contrives to keep the peace in such complicated circumstances.
“I do as I —— please!” the raja answered after a moment; and in the set lips and studied air of nonchalance was written a whole volume of strife-behind-curtains. But that, again, was no affair of Ommony’s; he was merely glad to know of it; since, to quote a favorite proverb of Chota Pegu, all straws serve the birds at nesting time. ”

“ You understand me?”
“Sadly!”
“Disobey—and deal with me!”
“Sahib, with what reluctance would I do the first! To deal with your honor is a privilege.”
“A privilege that hurts at times!” said Ommony. “All right, stay here and entertain yourself.”
Without pausing to consider what the babu might regard as entertainment, he returned to the veranda.
“Sorry. Urgent business on the other side of the forest. Can you and Jeff amuse yourselves?” he asked Strange. And Strange, with a second tiger to his bag in mind, made departure easy. ”

“ All governments are capable of anything. Ommony, as an individual, is not to be judged by that standard. But he was no such fool as to answer outright, and so set the raja dickering with shroffs again. He tickled hope, that springs eternal in a raja’s breast as with the rest of us. ”

“ A European lady of most exquisite breeding, looks, and attainments! She is teaching me to dance the two-step, and there will jolly well be a revolution in Chota Pegu if I don’t look out! And by jove, Ommony old boy, you know, if I could afford to I jolly well would abdicate. This business of being a petty raja is no fun for a man of any intellect. I would like to live in Europe. ”

“ So it was only a little after one that afternoon when the sweating pony steadied to a walk between low houses built from the débris of ancient cities, Diana flopped panting in the shade of a high wall, the jungli followed suit, and Ommony dismounting, hammered with the butt of his riding-whip on a gate so old that the iron studs had rusted themselves loose and shook as the struck wood quivered. ”

“ The raja pulled Ommony forward by the coat, and signed to him to peer through.
“Hs-s-sh!” he whispered.
MADAME ZELMIRA POULAKIS was sitting almost facing the aperture, turning over the pages of a guide-book on her lap, and talking over her shoulder.
“No, Charley, no more dancing, it’s too hot. Come and help with this. I can’t find Chota Pegu in the book; if we can’t find something about it we’ll be at the mercy of our own resources, and the fewer they are the more they’ll confuse us. Come on. Come and help me.” ”

“ All rich men crave amusement, and enjoy the truth if it is handed to them on such terms as let them laugh at it, that being the old court jesters’ secret. And there on the fringe of that forest all the world’s news seemed to come, for Ommony to turn over and subject to scrutiny. ”

“ Of all the men in India who can weave tales from the entrails of events Cottswold Ommony stands first. His gift is to see below the surface, and interpret; and he sees so much more than camera or microscope, that what he says has a sound of half-humorous prophecy. ”

“ Perhaps the raja will come too. Hadn’t we better wait for him?”
Ommony raised his voice a trifle, and capped the safety.
“No,” he said, “he’s looking up information for me about his claims in regard to the forest. It’ll take him fifteen minutes.”
With that hint for the man behind the spy-hole he led the way out, and they walked three abreast down the long drive, Zelmira in the midst.
“Don’t talk yet,” said Ommony. “People’s backs give more away than they imagine.” ”

“ The sahib asked, is she at the station? She arrived at a station, let us hope. This babu, not having seen his goddess since Sissoo Junction at hour of midnight, train being belated, can only surmise her ladyship’s present whereabouts. Will hazard guess subject to modification by feminine caprice.”
“Where is she?” Ommony demanded sternly.
“This babu, having changed trains at Sissoo Junction, hazards guess her ladyship may now be at Chota Pegu—in direction as thumb points—across forest—guestess of three-gun raja of same ilk.” ”

“ This babu ascertained much that otherwise finding lodgement among thorns or stones, as in Christian parable, might have been unreproductive. Summoning courage to approach expensive suite of rooms by door in corridor, knocked and offered to tell fortunes. Sahib—glorious sahib—fell, as Yankees have it. Secret of successful fortune-telling is to tell what customer intensely desires to hear. ”

“ This enraptured babu brings compliments of Memsahib Zelmira Poulakis to Ommony sahib, who is therefore enviable.”
OMMONY turned his back for a moment to consider. The East can read thought fairly accurately if allowed to watch the thinker’s eyes and face, and it seldom pays to betray concern. ”

“ They’re not fit to have a raja; they can’t pay for one! I’ve said that frequently. But I have forest-rights, you know. It’s all very well for you to claim control of the forest, and you’ve conserved it beautifully ”