`Theboyhasheardbazar-talk，’saidthepriest。
`Buthewasalwaysbymyside，’saidthelama。`Howshouldheknow？Ididnotknow。’
`Hewillmakeacleverjugglerwhentheoldmanisdead，’mutteredthepriesttotheheadman。`Whatnewtrickisthis？’
`Asign。Givemeasign，’thunderedtheoldsoldiersuddenly。`Iftherewerewarmysonswouldhavetoldme。’
`Whenallisready，thysons，doubtnot，willbetold。Butitisalongroadfromthysonstothemaninwhosehandsthesethingslie。’Kimwarmedtothegame，foritremindedhimofexperiencesintheletter-carryingline，when，forthesakeofafewpice，hepretendedtoknowmorethanheknew。Butnowhewasplayingforlargerthings-thesheerexcitementandthesenseofpower。Hedrewanewbreathandwenton。
`Oldman，givemeasign。Dounderlingsorderthegoingsofeightthousandredcoats-withguns？’
`No。’StilltheoldmanansweredasthoughKimwereanequal。
`DostthouknowwhoHeis，then，thatgivestheorder？’
`IhaveseenHim。’
`Toknowagain？’
`IhaveknownHimsincehewasalieutenantinthetopkhana[theArtillery]。’
`Atallman。Atallmanwithblackhair，walkingthus？’Kimtookafewpacesinastiff，woodenstyle。
`Ay。Butthatanyonemayhaveseen。’Thecrowdwerebreathless-stillthroughallthistalk。
`Thatistrue，’saidKim。`ButIwillsaymore。Looknow。Firstthegreatmanwalksthus。ThenHethinksthus。’Kimdrewaforefingeroverhisforeheadanddownwardstillitcametorestbytheangleofthejaw。
`AnonHetwitcheshisfingersthus。AnonHethrustshishatunderhisleftarmpit。’Kimillustratedthemotionandstoodlikeastork。
Theoldmangroaned，inarticulatewithamazement；andthecrowdshivered。
`So-so-so。ButwhatdoesHewhenHeisabouttogiveanorder？’
`Herubstheskinatthebackofhisneck-thus。ThenfallsonefingeronthetableandHemakesasmallsniffingnoisethroughhisnose。ThenHespeaks，saying：`Loosesuchandsucharegiment。Calloutsuchguns。’’
Theoldmanrosestifflyandsaluted。
``For’’-Kimtranslatedintothevernaculartheclinchingsentenceshehadheardinthedressing-roomatUmballa-``For，’saysHe，`weshouldhavedonethislongago。Itisnotwar-itisachastisement。Snff！’’
`Enough。Ibelieve。IhaveseenHimthusinthesmokeofbattles。Seenandheard。ItisHe！’
`Isawnosmoke’-Kim’svoiceshiftedtotheraptsing-songofthewaysidefortune-teller。`Isawthisindarkness。Firstcameamantomakethingsclear。Thencamehorsemen。ThencameHe，standinginaringoflight。
TherestfollowedasIhavesaid。Oldman，haveIspokentruth？’
`ItisHe。PastalldoubtitisHe。’
Thecrowddrewalong，quaveringbreath，staringalternatelyattheoldman，stillatattention，andraggedKimagainstthepurpletwilight。
`SaidInot-saidInothewasfromtheotherworld？’criedthelamaproudly。`HeistheFriendofalltheWorld。HeistheFriendoftheStars！’
`Atleastitdoesnotconcernus，’amancried。`Othouyoungsoothsayer，ifthegiftabideswiththeeatallseasons，Ihaveared-spottedcow。
ShemaybesistertothyBullforaughtIknow-’
`OrIcare，’saidKim。`MyStarsdonotconcernthemselveswiththycattle。’
`Nay，butsheisverysick，’awomanstruckin。`Mymanisabuffalo，orhewouldhavechosenhiswordsbetter。Tellmeifsherecover？’
HadKimbeenatallanordinaryboy，hewouldhavecarriedontheplay；
butonedoesnotknowLahorecity，andleastofallthefakirsbytheTaksaliGate，forthirteenyearswithoutalsoknowinghumannature。
Thepriestlookedathimsideways，somethingbitterly-adryandblightingsmile。
`Istherenopriest，then，inthevillage？IthoughtIhadseenagreatoneevennow，’criedKim。
`Ay-but-’thewomanbegan。
`Butthouandthyhusbandhopedtogetthecowcuredforahandfulofthanks。’Theshottold：theywerenotoriouslytheclosest-fistedcoupleinthevillage。`Itisnotwelltocheatthetemples。Giveayoungcalftothineownpriest，and，unlessthyGodsareangrypastrecall，shewillgivemilkwithinamonth。’
`Amaster-beggarartthou，’purredthepriestapprovingly。`Notthecunningoffortyyearscouldhavedonebetter。Surelythouhastmadetheoldmanrich？’
`Alittleflour，alittlebutterandamouthfulofcardamoms，’Kimretorted，flushedwiththepraise，butstillcautious-`Doesonegrowrichonthat？
And，asthoucanstsee，heismad。ButitservesmewhileIlearntheroadatleast。’
HeknewwhatthefakirsoftheTaksaliGatewerelikewhentheytalkedamongthemselves，andcopiedtheveryinflectionoftheirlewddisciples。
`IshisSearch，then，truthoracloaktootherends？Itmaybetreasure。’
`Heismad-manytimesmad。Thereisnothingelse。’
HeretheoldsoldierhobbledupandaskedifKimwouldaccepthishospitalityforthenight。Thepriestrecommendedhimtodoso，butinsistedthatthehonourofentertainingthelamabelongedtothetemple-atwhichthelamasmiledguilelessly。Kimglancedfromonefacetotheother，anddrewhisownconclusions。
`Whereisthemoney？’hewhispered，beckoningtheoldmanoffintothedarkness。
`Inmybosom。Whereelse？’
`Giveitme。Quietlyandswiftlygiveitme。’
`Butwhy？Hereisnotickettobuy。’
`AmIthychela，oramInot？DoInotsafeguardthyoldfeetabouttheways？GivemethemoneyandatdawnIwillreturnit。’Heslippedhishandabovethelama’sgirdleandbroughtawaythepurse。
`Beitso-beitso。’Theoldmannoddedhishead。`Thisisagreatandterribleworld。Ineverknewthereweresomanymenaliveinit。’
Nextmorningthepriestwasinaverybadtemper，butthelamawasquitehappy；andKimhadenjoyedamostinterestingeveningwiththeoldman，whobroughtouthiscavalrysabreand，balancingitonhisdryknees，toldtalesoftheMutinyandyoungcaptainsthirtyyearsintheirgraves，tillKimdroppedofftosleep。
`Certainlytheairofthiscountryisgood，’saidthelama。`Isleeplightly，asdoalloldmen；butlastnightIsleptunwakingtillbroadday。EvennowIamheavy。’
`Drinkadraughtofhotmilk，’saidKim，whohadcarriednotafewsuchremediestoopium-smokersofhisacquaintance。`ItistimetotaketheRoadagain。’
`ThelongRoadthatoverpassesalltheriversofHind，’saidthelamagaily。`Letusgo。Buthowthinkestthou，chela，torecompensethesepeople，andespeciallythepriest，fortheirgreatkindness？Trulytheyareb&；umacron；t-parastNote，butinotherlives，maybe，theywillreceiveenlightenment。Arupeetothetemple？
Thethingwithinisnomorethanstoneandredpaint，buttheheartofmanwemustacknowledgewhenandwhereitisgood。’
`HolyOne，hastthouevertakentheRoadalone？’Kimlookedupsharply，liketheIndiancrowssobusyaboutthefields。
`Surely，child：fromKulutoPathî；nkot-fromKulu，wheremyfirstcheladied。Whenmenwerekindtouswemadeofferings，andallmenwerewell-disposedthroughoutalltheHills。’
`ItisotherwiseinHind，’saidKimdrily。`TheirGodsaremany-armedandmalignant。Letthemalone。’
`Iwouldsettheeonthyroadforalittle，FriendofalltheWorld-thouandthyyellowman。’Theoldsoldierambledupthevillagestreet，allshadowyinthedawn，onagaunt，scissor-hockedpony。`Lastnightbrokeupthefountainsofremembranceinmyso-driedheart，anditwasasablessingtome。Trulythereiswarabroadintheair。Ismellit。See！Ihavebroughtmysword。’
Hesatlong-leggedonthelittlebeast，withthebigswordathisside-handdroppedonthepommel-staringfiercelyovertheflatlandstowardstheNorth。`TellmeagainhowHeshowedinthyvision。Comeupandsitbehindme。Thebeastwillcarrytwo。’
`IamthisHolyOne’sdisciple，’saidKim，astheyclearedthevillage-gate。
Thevillagersseemedalmostsorrytoberidofthem，butthepriest’sfarewellwascoldanddistant。Hehadwastedsomeopiumonamanwhocarriednomoney。