YouwilladmitthatReggiehadreasontocallhisnewAccountantaNaturalCuriosityThetwomenfailedtohititoffatallRileyconsideredReggieawild，feather-headedidiot，giventoHeavenonlyknewwhatdissipationinlowplacescalled“Messes。”andtotallyunfitfortheseriousandsolemnvocationofbankingHecouldnevergetoverReggie’slookofyouthand“you-be-damned“air；
andhecouldn’tunderstandReggie’sfriends——clean-built，carelessmenintheArmy——whorodeovertobigSundaybreakfastsattheBank，andtoldsultrystoriestillRileygotupandlefttheroomRileywasalwaysshowingReggiehowthebusinessoughttobeconducted，andReggiehadmorethanoncetoremindhimthatsevenyears’limitedexperiencebetweenHuddersfieldandBeverlydidnotqualifyamantosteerabigup-countrybusinessThenRileysulkedandreferredtohimselfasapillaroftheBankandacherishedfriendoftheDirectors，andReggietorehishairIfaman’sEnglishsubordinatesfailhiminthiscountry，hecomestoahardtimeindeed，fornativehelphasstrictlimitationsInthewinterRileywentsickforweeksatatimewithhislungcomplaint，andthisthrewmoreworkonReggieButhepreferredittotheeverlastingfrictionwhenRileywaswell。
OneoftheTravellingInspectorsoftheBankdiscoveredthesecollapsesandreportedthemtotheDirectorsNowRileyhadbeenfoistedontheBankbyanMP。，whowantedthesupportofRiley’sfather，who，again，wasanxioustogethissonouttoawarmerclimatebecauseofthoselungsTheMPhadaninterestintheBank；butoneoftheDirectorswantedtoadvanceanomineeofhisown；and，afterRiley’sfatherhaddied，hemadetherestoftheBoardseethatanAccountantwhowassickforhalftheyear，hadbettergiveplacetoahealthymanIfRileyhadknowntherealstoryofhisappointment，hemighthavebehavedbetter；butknowingnothing，hisstretchesofsicknessalternatedwithrestless，persistent，meddlingirritationofReggie，andallthehundredwaysinwhichconceitinasubordinatesituationcanfindplayReggieusedtocallhimstrikingandhair-curlingnamesbehindhisbackasarelieftohisownfeelings；butheneverabusedhimtohisface，becausehesaid：“Rileyissuchafrailbeastthathalfofhisloathsomeconceitisduetopainsinthechest。”
LateoneApril，RileywentverysickindeedThedoctorpunchedhimandthumpedhim，andtoldhimhewouldbebetterbeforelong。
ThenthedoctorwenttoReggieandsaid：——“DoyouknowhowsickyourAccountantis？”“No！”saidReggie——“Theworsethebetter，confoundhim！He’saclackingnuisancewhenhe’swellI’llletyoutakeawaytheBankSafeifyoucandrughimsilentforthishot-weather。”
Butthedoctordidnotlaugh——“Man，I’mnotjoking。”hesaid“I’llgivehimanotherthreemonthsinhisbedandaweekorsomoretodieinOnmyhonorandreputationthat’sallthegracehehasinthisworldConsumptionhasholdofhimtothemarrow。”
Reggie’sfacechangedatonceintothefaceof“MrReginaldBurke。”
andheanswered：——“WhatcanIdo？”
“Nothing。”saidthedoctor“ForallpracticalpurposesthemanisdeadalreadyKeephimquietandcheerfulandtellhimhe’sgoingtorecoverThat’sallI’lllookafterhimtotheend，ofcourse。”
Thedoctorwentaway，andReggiesatdowntoopentheeveningmail。
HisfirstletterwasonefromtheDirectors，intimatingforhisinformationthatMrRileywastoresign，underamonth’snotice，bythetermsofhisagreement，tellingReggiethattheirlettertoRileywouldfollowandadvisingReggieofthecomingofanewAccountant，amanwhomReggieknewandliked。
Reggielitacheroot，and，beforehehadfinishedsmoking，hehadsketchedtheoutlineofafraudHeputaway——“burked“——theDirectorsletter，andwentintotalktoRiley，whowasasungraciousasusual，andfrettinghimselfoverthewaythebankwouldrunduringhisillnessHeneverthoughtoftheextraworkonReggie’sshoulders，butsolelyofthedamagetohisownprospectsofadvancementThenReggieassuredhimthateverythingwouldbewell，andthathe，Reggie，wouldconferwithRileydailyonthemanagementoftheBankRileywasalittlesoothed，buthehintedinasmanywordsthathedidnotthinkmuchofReggie’sbusinesscapacity。
ReggiewashumbleAndhehadlettersinhisdeskfromtheDirectorsthataGilbarteoraHardiemighthavebeenproudof！
Thedayspassedinthebigdarkenedhouse，andtheDirectors’
letterofdismissaltoRileycameandwasputawaybyReggie，who，everyevening，broughtthebookstoRiley’sroom，andshowedhimwhathadbeengoingforward，whileRileysnarledReggiedidhisbesttomakestatementspleasingtoRiley，buttheAccountantwassurethattheBankwasgoingtorackandruinwithouthimInJune，asthelyinginbedtoldonhisspirit，heaskedwhetherhisabsencehadbeennotedbytheDirectors，andReggiesaidthattheyhadwrittenmostsympatheticletters，hopingthathewouldbeabletoresumehisvaluableservicesbeforelongHeshowedRileytheletters：andRileysaidthattheDirectorsoughttohavewrittentohimdirect。
Afewdayslater，ReggieopenedRiley’smailinthehalf-lightoftheroom，andgavehimthesheet——nottheenvelope——ofalettertoRileyfromtheDirectorsRileysaidhewouldthankReggienottointerferewithhisprivatepapers，speciallyasReggieknewhewastooweaktoopenhisownlettersReggieapologized。
ThenRiley’smoodchanged，andhelecturedReggieonhisevilways：
hishorsesandhisbadfriends“Ofcourse，lyinghereonmyback，MrBurke，Ican’tkeepyoustraight；butwhenI’mwell，IDOhopeyou’llpaysomeheedtomywords。”Reggie，whohaddroppedpolo，anddinners，andtennis，andalltoattendtoRiley，saidthathewaspenitentandsettledRiley’sheadonthepillowandheardhimfretandcontradictinhard，dry，hackingwhispers，withoutasignofimpatienceThisattheendofaheavyday’sofficework，doingdoubleduty，inthelatterhalfofJune。
WhenthenewAccountantcame，Reggietoldhimthefactsofthecase，andannouncedtoRileythathehadagueststayingwithhim。
Rileysaidthathemighthavehadmoreconsiderationthantoentertainhis“doubtfulfriends“atsuchatimeReggiemadeCarron，thenewAccountant，sleepattheClubinconsequenceCarron’sarrivaltooksomeoftheheavyworkoffhisshoulders，andhehadtimetoattendtoRiley’sexactions——toexplain，soothe，invent，andsettleandresettlethepoorwretchinbed，andtoforgecomplimentarylettersfromCalcuttaAttheendofthefirstmonth，RileywishedtosendsomemoneyhometohismotherReggiesentthedraftAttheendofthesecondmonth，Riley’ssalarycameinjustthesameReggiepaiditoutofhisownpocket；and，withit，wroteRileyabeautifulletterfromtheDirectors。
Rileywasveryillindeed，buttheflameofhislifeburntunsteadilyNowandthenhewouldbecheerfulandconfidentaboutthefuture，sketchingplansforgoingHomeandseeinghismother。
Reggielistenedpatientlywhentheofficeworkwasover，andencouragedhim。
AtothertimesRileyinsistedonReggie’sreadingtheBibleandgrim“Methody“tractstohimOutofthesetractshepointedmoralsdirectedathisManagerButhealwaysfoundtimetoworryReggieabouttheworkingoftheBank，andtoshowhimwheretheweakpointslay。
Thisin-door，sick-roomlifeandconstantstrainsworeReggiedownagooddeal，andshookhisnerves，andloweredhisbilliard-playbyfortypointsButthebusinessoftheBank，andthebusinessofthesick-room，hadtogoon，thoughtheglasswas116degreesintheshade。
Attheendofthethirdmonth，Rileywassinkingfast，andhadbeguntorealizethathewasverysickButtheconceitthatmadehimworryReggie，kepthimfrombelievingtheworst“Hewantssomesortofmentalstimulantifheistodragon。”saidthedoctor。
“Keephiminterestedinlifeifyoucareabouthisliving。”SoRiley，contrarytoallthelawsofbusinessandthefinance，receiveda25-per-cent，riseofsalaryfromtheDirectorsThe“mentalstimulant“succeededbeautifullyRileywashappyandcheerful，and，asisoftenthecaseinconsumption，healthiestinmindwhenthebodywasweakestHelingeredforafullmonth，snarlingandfrettingabouttheBank，talkingofthefuture，hearingtheBibleread，lecturingReggieonsin，andwonderingwhenhewouldbeabletomoveabroad。
ButattheendofSeptember，onemercilesslyhotevening，heroseupinhisbedwithalittlegasp，andsaidquicklytoReggie：——“Mr。
Burke，IamgoingtodieIknowitinmyselfMychestisallhollowinside，andthere’snothingtobreathewithTothebestofmyknowledgeIhavedonenowt“——hewasreturningtothetalkofhisboyhood——“tolieheavyonmyconscienceGodbethanked，Ihavebeenpreservedfromthegrosserformsofsin；andIcounselYOU，Mr。
Burke。”
Herehisvoicedieddown，andReggiestoopedoverhim。
“SendmysalaryforSeptembertomymotherdonegreatthingswiththeBankifIhadbeensparedmistakenpolicy。
nofaultofmine。”
Thenheturnedhisfacetothewallanddied。
ReggiedrewthesheetoverItsface，andwentoutintotheverandah，withhislast“mentalstimulant“——aletterofcondolenceandsympathyfromtheDirectors——unusedinhispocket。
“IfI’dbeenonlytenminutesearlier。”thoughtReggie，“Imighthaveheartenedhimuptopullthroughanotherday。”
TOD’SAMENDMENT。
TheWorldhathsetitsheavyyokeUpontheoldwhite-beardedfolkWhostrivetopleasetheKing。
God’smercyisupontheyoung，God’swisdominthebabytongueThatfearsnotanything。
TheParableofChajjuBhagat。
NowTods’Mammawasasingularlycharmingwoman，andeveryoneinSimlaknewTodsMostmenhadsavedhimfromdeathonoccasions。
Hewasbeyondhisayah’scontrolaltogether，andperilledhislifedailytofindoutwhatwouldhappenifyoupulledaMountainBatterymule’stailHewasanutterlyfearlessyoungPagan，aboutsixyearsold，andtheonlybabywhoeverbroketheholycalmofthesupremeLegislativeCouncil。
Ithappenedthisway：Tods’petkidgotloose，andfledupthehill，offtheBoileaugungeRoad，Todsafterit，untilitburstintotheViceregalLodgelawn，thenattachedto“Peterhoff。”TheCouncilweresittingatthetime，andthewindowswereopenbecauseitwaswarmTheRedLancerintheporchtoldTodstogoaway；butTodsknewtheRedLancerandmostoftheMembersofCouncilpersonally。
Moreover，hehadfirmholdofthekid’scollar，andwasbeingdraggedallacrosstheflower-beds“GivemysalaamtothelongCouncillorSahib，andaskhimtohelpmetakeMotiback！”gaspedTodsTheCouncilheardthenoisethroughtheopenwindows；
and，afteraninterval，wasseentheshockingspectacleofaLegalMemberandaLieutenant-Governorhelping，underthedirectpatronageofaCommander-in-ChiefandaViceroy，onesmallandverydirtyboyinasailor’ssuitandatangleofbrownhair，tocoercealivelyandrebelliouskidTheyheadeditoffdownthepathtotheMall，andTodswenthomeintriumphandtoldhisMammathatALLtheCouncillorSahibshadbeenhelpinghimtocatchMotiWhereathisMammasmackedTodsforinterferingwiththeadministrationoftheEmpire；
butTodsmettheLegalMemberthenextday，andtoldhiminconfidencethatiftheLegalMembereverwantedtocatchagoat，he，Tods，wouldgivehimallthehelpinhispower“Thankyou，Tods。”
saidtheLegalMember。
Todswastheidolofsomeeightyjhampanis，andhalfasmanysaises。
Hesalutedthemallas“OBrother。”Itneverenteredhisheadthatanylivinghumanbeingcoulddisobeyhisorders；andhewasthebufferbetweentheservantsandhisMamma’swrathTheworkingofthathouseholdturnedonTods，whowasadoredbyeveryonefromthedhobytothedog-boyEvenFuttehKhan，thevillainousloaferkhitfromMussoorie，shirkedriskingTods’displeasureforfearhisco-
matesshouldlookdownonhim。
SoTodshadhonorinthelandfromBoileaugungetoChotaSimla，andruledjustlyaccordingtohislightsOfcourse，hespokeUrdu，buthehadalsomasteredmanyqueerside-speecheslikethechoteeboleeofthewomen，andheldgraveconversewithshopkeepersandHill-
cooliesalikeHewasprecociousforhisage，andhismixingwithnativeshadtaughthimsomeofthemorebittertruthsoflife；themeannessandthesordidnessofitHeused，overhisbreadandmilk，todeliversolemnandseriousaphorisms，translatedfromthevernacularintotheEnglish，thatmadehisMammajumpandvowthatTodsMUSTgohomenexthotweather。