Doyouknowwhatfearis？Notordinaryfearofinsult，injuryordeath，butabject，quiveringdreadofsomethingthatyoucannotsee——fearthatdriestheinsideofthemouthandhalfofthethroat——
fearthatmakesyousweatonthepalmsofthehands，andgulpinordertokeeptheuvulaatwork？ThisisafineFear——agreatcowardice，andmustbefelttobeappreciatedTheveryimprobabilityofbilliardsinadak-bungalowprovedtherealityofthethingNoman——drunkorsober——couldimagineagameatbilliards，orinventthespittingcrackofa“screw-cannon。”
Aseverecourseofdak-bungalowshasthisdisadvantage——itbreedsinfinitecredulityIfamansaidtoaconfirmeddak-bungalow-
haunter：——“Thereisacorpseinthenextroom，andthere’samadgirlinthenextbutone，andthewomanandmanonthatcamelhavejustelopedfromaplacesixtymilesaway。”thehearerwouldnotdisbelievebecausehewouldknowthatnothingistoowild，grotesque，orhorribletohappeninadak-bungalow。
Thiscredulity，unfortunately，extendstoghostsArationalpersonfreshfromhisownhousewouldhaveturnedonhissideandslept。
IdidnotSosurelyasIwasgivenupasabadcarcassbythescoresofthingsinthebedbecausethebulkofmybloodwasinmyheart，sosurelydidIheareverystrokeofalonggameatbilliardsplayedintheechoingroombehindtheiron-barreddoorMydominantfearwasthattheplayersmightwantamarkerItwasanabsurdfear；becausecreatureswhocouldplayinthedarkwouldbeabovesuchsuperfluitiesIonlyknowthatthatwasmyterror；
anditwasreal。
Afteralong，longwhilethegamestopped，andthedoorbangedI
sleptbecauseIwasdeadtiredOtherwiseIshouldhavepreferredtohavekeptawakeNotforeverythinginAsiawouldIhavedroppedthedoor-barandpeeredintothedarkofthenextroom。
Whenthemorningcame，IconsideredthatIhaddonewellandwisely，andinquiredforthemeansofdeparture。
“Bytheway，khansamah。”Isaid，“whatwerethosethreedooliesdoinginmycompoundinthenight？”
“Therewerenodoolies。”saidthekhansamah。
IwentintothenextroomandthedaylightstreamedthroughtheopendoorIwasimmenselybraveIwould，atthathour，haveplayedBlackPoolwiththeownerofthebigBlackPooldownbelow。
“Hasthisplacealwaysbeenadak-bungalow？”Iasked。
“No。”saidthekhansamah“Tenortwentyyearsago，Ihaveforgottenhowlong，itwasabilliardroom。”
“Ahowmuch？”
“AbilliardroomfortheSahibswhobuilttheRailwayIwaskhansamahtheninthebighousewherealltheRailway-Sahibslived，andIusedtocomeacrosswithbrandy-shrabThesethreeroomswereallone，andtheyheldabigtableonwhichtheSahibsplayedeveryeveningButtheSahibsarealldeadnow，andtheRailwayruns，yousay，nearlytoKabul。”
“DoyourememberanythingabouttheSahibs？”
“Itislongago，butIrememberthatoneSahib，afatmanandalwaysangry，wasplayinghereonenight，andhesaidtome：——
’MangalKhan，brandy-panido，’andIfilledtheglass，andhebentoverthetabletostrike，andhisheadfelllowerandlowertillithitthetable，andhisspectaclescameoff，andwhenwe——theSahibsandImyself——rantolifthimhewasdeadIhelpedtocarryhimoutAha，hewasastrongSahib！ButheisdeadandI，oldMangalKhan，amstillliving，byyourfavor。”
Thatwasmorethanenough！Ihadmyghost——afirsthand，authenticatedarticleIwouldwritetotheSocietyforPsychicalResearch——IwouldparalyzetheEmpirewiththenews！ButI
would，firstofall，puteightymilesofassessedcroplandbetweenmyselfandthatdak-bungalowbeforenightfallTheSocietymightsendtheirregularagenttoinvestigatelateron。
IwentintomyownroomandpreparedtopackafternotingdownthefactsofthecaseAsIsmokedIheardthegamebeginagain，——
withamissinbalkthistime，forthewhirwasashortone。
ThedoorwasopenandIcouldseeintotheroomClick——c1ick！
ThatwasacannonIenteredtheroomwithoutfear，fortherewassunlightwithinandafreshbreezewithoutTheunseengamewasgoingonatatremendousrateAndwellitmight，whenarestlesslittleratwasrunningtoandfroinsidethedingyceiling-cloth，andapieceofloosewindow-sashwasmakingfiftybreaksoffthewindow-boltasitshookinthebreeze！
Impossibletomistakethesoundofbilliardballs！Impossibletomistakethewhirofaballovertheslate！ButIwastobeexcused。
EvenwhenIshutmyenlightenedeyesthesoundwasmarvelouslylikethatofafastgame。
Enteredangrilythefaithfulpartnerofmysorrows，KadirBaksh。
“Thisbungalowisverybadandlow-caste！NowonderthePresencewasdisturbedandisspeckledThreesetsofdoolie-
bearerscametothebungalowlatelastnightwhenIwassleepingoutside，andsaidthatitwastheircustomtorestintheroomssetapartfortheEnglishpeople！Whathonorhasthekhansamah？
Theytriedtoenter，butItoldthemtogoNowonder，iftheseOoriashavebeenhere，thatthePresenceissorelyspottedItisshame，andtheworkofadirtyman！”
KadirBakshdidnotsaythathehadtakenfromeachgangtwoannasforrentinadvance，andthen，beyondmyearshot，hadbeatenthemwiththebiggreenumbrellawhoseuseIcouldneverbeforedivineButKadirBakshhasnonotionsofmorality。
Therewasaninterviewwiththekhansamah，butashepromptlylosthishead，wrathgaveplacetopity，andpityledtoalongconversation，inthecourseofwhichheputthefatEngineer-
Sahib’stragicdeathinthreeseparatestations——twoofthemfiftymilesawayThethirdshiftwastoCalcutta，andtheretheSahibdiedwhiledrivingadogcart。
IfIhadencouragedhimthekhansamahwouldhavewanderedallthroughBengalwithhiscorpse。
IdidnotgoawayassoonasIintendedIstayedforthenight，whilethewindandtheratandthesashandthewindow-boltplayedading-dong“hundredandfiftyup。”Thenthewindranoutandthebilliardsstopped，andIfeltthatIhadruinedmyonegenuine，hall-markedghoststory。
HadIonlystoppedatthepropertime，Icouldhavemadeanythingoutofit。
Thatwasthebitterestthoughtofall！
THESTRANGERIDEOFMORROWBIEJUKES
Aliveordead-thereisnootherway-
NativeProverb。
THEREis，astheconjurerssay，nodeceptionaboutthistale。
Jukesbyaccidentstumbleduponavillagethatiswellknowntoexist，thoughheistheonlyEnglishmanwhohasbeenthereA
somewhatsimilarinstitutionusedtoflourishontheoutskirtsofCalcutta，andthereisastorythatifyougointotheheartofBikanir，whichisintheheartoftheGreatIndianDesert，youshallcomeacrossnotavillagebutatownwheretheDeadwhodidnotdiebutmaynotlivehaveestablishedtheirheadquartersAnd，sinceitisperfectlytruethatinthesameDesertisawonderfulcitywherealltherichmoneylendersretreataftertheyhavemadetheirfortunesfortunessovastthattheownerscannottrusteventhestronghandoftheGovernmenttoprotectthem，buttakerefugeinthewaterlesssands，anddrivesumptuousC-springbarouches，andbuybeautifulgirlsanddecoratetheirpalaceswithgoldandivoryandMintontilesandmother-n’-pearl，IdonotseewhyJukes’staleshouldnotbetrueHeisaCivilEngineer，withaheadforplansanddistancesandthingsofthatkind，andhecertainlywouldnottakethetroubletoinventimaginarytrapsHecouldearnmorebydoinghislegitimateworkHenevervariesthetaleinthetelling，andgrowsveryhotandindignantwhenhethinksofthedisrespectfultreatmenthereceivedHewrotethisquitestraightforwardlyatfirst，buthehassincetoucheditupinplacesandintroducedMoralReflections，thus：
InthebeginningitallarosefromaslightattackoffeverMyworknecessitatedmybeingincampforsomemonthsbetweenPakpattanandMuharakpur-adesolatesandystretchofcountryaseveryonewhohashadthemisfortunetogotheremayknowMycoolieswereneithermorenorlessexasperatingthanothergangs，andmyworkdemandedsufficientattentiontokeepmefrommoping，hadIbeeninclinedtosounmanlyaweakness。
Onthe23dDecember，1884，IfeltalittlefeverishTherewasafullmoonatthetime，and，inconsequence，everydognearmytentwasbayingitThebrutesassembledintwosandthreesanddrovemefranticAfewdayspreviouslyIhadshotoneloud-mouthedsingerandsuspendedhiscarcassinterroremaboutfiftyyardsfrommytent-doorButhisfriendsfellupon，foughtfor，andultimatelydevouredthebody；and，asitseemedtome，sangtheirhymnsofthanksgivingafterwardwithrenewedenergy。
Thelight-heartednesswhichaccompaniesfeveractsdifferentlyondifferentmenMyirritationgaveway，afterashorttime，toafixeddeterminationtoslaughteronehugeblackandwhitebeastwhohadbeenforemostinsongandfirstinflightthroughouttheeveningThankstoashakinghandandagiddyheadIhadalreadymissedhimtwicewithbothbarrelsofmyshot-gun，whenitstruckmethatmybestplanwouldbetoridehimdownintheopenandfinishhimoffwithahog-spearThis，ofcourse，wasmerelythesemi-deliriousnotionofafeverpatient；butIrememberthatitstruckmeatthetimeasbeingeminentlypracticalandfeasible。
IthereforeorderedmygroomtosaddlePornicandbringhimroundquietlytotherearofmytentWhentheponywasready，I
stoodathisheadpreparedtomountanddashoutassoonasthedogshouldagainliftuphisvoicePornic，bytheway，hadnotbeenoutofhispicketsforacoupleofdays；thenightairwascrispandchilly；andIwasarmedwithaspeciallylongandsharppairofpersuaderswithwhichIhadbeenrousingasluggishcobthatafternoonYouwilleasilybelieve，then，thatwhenhewasletgohewentquicklyInonemoment，forthebruteboltedasstraightasadie，thetentwasleftfarbehind，andwewereflyingoverthesmoothsandysoilatracingspeed。
Inanotherwehadpassedthewretcheddog，andIhadalmostforgottenwhyitwasthatIhadtakenthehorseandhogspear。
ThedeliriumoffeverandtheexcitementofrapidmotionthroughtheairmusthavetakenawaytheremnantofmysensesIhaveafaintrecollectionofstandinguprightinmystirrups，andofbrandishingmyhog-spearatthegreatwhiteMoonthatlookeddownsocalmlyonmymadgallop；andofshout-logchallengestothecamel-thornbushesastheywhizzedpastOnceortwiceI
believe，IswayedforwardonPornic’sneck，andliterallyhungonbymyspurs-asthemarksnextmorningshowed。
Thewretchedbeastwentforwardlikeathingpossessed，overwhatseemedtobealimitlessexpanseofmoonlitsandNext，I
remember，thegroundrosesuddenlyinfrontofus，andaswetoppedtheascentIsawthewatersoftheSutlejshininglikeasilverbarbelowThenPornicblunderedheavilyonhisnose，andwerolledtogetherdownsomeunseenslope。
Imusthavelostconsciousness，forwhenIrecoveredIwaslyingonmystomachinaheapofsoftwhitesand，andthedawnwasbeginningtobreakdimlyovertheedgeoftheslopedownwhichI
hadfallenAsthelightgrewstrongerIsawthatIwasatthebottomofahorse-shoeshapedcraterofsand，openingononesidedirectlyontotheshoalsoftheSutlejMyfeverhadaltogetherleftme，and，withtheexceptionofaslightdizzinessinthehead，Ifeltnohadeffectsfromthefallovernight。
Pornic，whowasstandingafewyardsaway，wasnaturallyagooddealexhausted，buthadnothurthimselfintheleastHissaddle，afavoritepoloonewasmuchknockedabout，andhadbeentwistedunderhisbellyIttookmesometimetoputhimtorights，andinthemeantimeIhadampleopportunitiesofobservingthespotintowhichIhadsofoolishlydropped。
Attheriskofbeingconsideredtedious，Imustdescribeitatlength：inasmuchasanaccuratementalpictureofitspeculiaritieswillbeofmaterialassistanceinenablingthereadertounderstandwhatfollows。
Imaginethen，asIhavesaidbefore，ahorseshoe-shapedcraterofsandwithsteeplygradedsandwallsaboutthirty-fivefeethigh。
Theslope，Ifancy，musthavebeenabout65degrees。Thiscraterenclosedalevelpieceofgroundaboutfiftyyardslongbythirtyatitsbroadestpart，withacrudewellinthecentreRoundthebottomofthecrater，aboutthreefeetfromthelevelofthegroundproper，ranaseriesofeighty-threesemi-circularovoid，square，andmultilateralholes，allaboutthreefeetatthemouthEachholeoninspectionshowedthatitwascarefullyshoredinternallywithdrift-woodandbamboos，andoverthemouthawoodendrip-boardprojected，likethepeakofajockey’scap，fortwofeetNosignoflifewasvisibleinthesetunnels，butamostsickeningstenchpervadedtheentireamphitheatre-astenchfoulerthananywhichmywanderingsinIndianvillageshaveintroducedmeto。
HavingremountedPornic，whowasasanxiousasItogetbacktocamp，IroderoundthebaseofthehorseshoetofindsomeplacewhenceanexitwouldbepracticableTheinhabitants，whoevertheymightbe，hadnotthoughtfittoputinanappearance，soIwaslefttomyowndevicesMyfirstattemptto“rush“Pornicupthesteepsand-banksshowedmethatIhadfallenintoatrapexactlyonthesamemodelasthatwhichtheant-lionsetsforitspreyAteachsteptheshiftingsandpoureddownfromaboveintons，andrattledonthedrip-boardsoftheholeslikesmallshotAcoupleofineffectualchargessentusbothrollingdowntothebottom，halfchokedwiththetorrentsofsand；andIwasconstrainedtoturnmyattentiontotheriver-bank。