Isawtheceiling-clothnearlyinthecentreoftheroombagwithashapethatwaspressingitdownwardanddownwardtowardthelightedlampsonthetableIsnatchedalampoutofdangerandstoodbackThentheclothrippedoutfromthewalls，tore，split，swayed，andshotdownuponthetablesomethingthatIdarednotlookattillStricklandhadsliddowntheladderandwasstandingbymyside。
Hedidnotsaymuch，beingamanoffewwords，buthepickedupthelooseendofthetable-clothandthrewitoverthethingonthetable。
“Itstrikesme。”saidhe，pullingdownthelamp，“ourfriendImrayhascomebackOh！youwould，wouldyou？”
Therewasamovementunderthecloth，andalittlesnakewriggle’dout，tobeback-brokenbythebuttofthemasheerrodIwassufficientlysicktomakenoremarksworthrecording。
StricklandmeditatedandhelpedhimselftodrinksliberallyThethingundertheclothmadenomoresignsoflife。
“IsitImray？”Isaid。
Stricklandturnedbacktheclothforamomentandlooked“ItisImray，’1hesaid，“andhisthroatiscutfromeartoear。”
Thenwespokebothtogetherandtoourselves：
“That’swhyhewhisperedaboutthehouse。”
Tietjens，inthegarden，begantobayfuriouslyAlittlelaterhergreatnoseheaveduponthedining-roomdoor。
ShesniffedandwasstillThebrokenandtatteredceiling-clothhungdownalmosttothelevelofthetable，andtherewashardlyroomtomoveawayfromthediscovery。
ThenTietjenscameinandsatdown，herteethbaredandherforepawsplantedShelookedatStrickland。
“It’sbadbusiness，oldlady。”saidhe“Mendon’tgoupintotheroofsoftheirbungalowstodie，andtheydon’tfastenuptheceiling-clothbehind’emLet’sthinkitout。”
“Let’sthinkitoutsomewhereelse。”Isaid。
“Excellentidea！TurnthelampsoutWe’llgetintomyroom。”
IdidnotturnthelampsoutIwentintoStrickland’sroomfirstandallowedhimtomakethedarknessThenhefollowedme，andwelightedtobaccoandthoughtStricklanddidthethinkingIsmokedfuriouslybecauseIwasafraid。
“Imrayisback。”saidStrickland“Thequestionis，whokilledImray？Don’ttalk-IhaveanotionofmyownWhenItookthisbungalowItookmostofImray’sservantsImraywasguile-lessandinoffensive，wasn’the？”
Iagreed，thoughtheheapundertheclothlookedneitheronethingnortheother。
“IfIcalltheservantstheywillstandfastinacrowdandlielikeAryansWhatdoyousuggest？”
“Call’eminonebyone。”Isaid。
“They’llrunawayandgivethenewstoalltheirfellows。”saidStrickland。
“Wemustsegregate’emDoyousupposeyourservantknowsanythingaboutit？”
“Hemay，foraughtIknow，hutIdon’tthinkit’slikelyHehasonlybeenheretwoorthreedays。”
“What’syournotion？”Iasked。
“Ican’tquitetellHowthedickensdidthemangetthewrongsideoftheceiling-cloth？”
TherewasaheavycoughingoutsideStrickland’sbedroomdoor。
ThisshowedthatBahadurKhan，hisbody-servant，hadwakedfromsleepandwishedtoputStricklandtobed。
“Comein。”saidStrickland“Itisaverywarmnight，isn’tit？”
BahadurKhan，agreat，green-turbaned，six-footMohammedan，saidthatitwasaverywarmnight，butthattherewasmorerainpending，which，byhishonor’sfavor，wouldbringrelieftothecountry。
“Itwillbeso，ifGodpleases。”saidStrickland，tuggingoffhishoots“Itisinmymind，BahadurKhan，thatIhaveworkedtheeremorselesslyformanydays-eversincethattimewhenthoufirstcameintomyserviceWhattimewasthat？”
“Hastheheaven-bornforgotten？ItwaswhenImraySahibwentsecretlytoEuropewithoutwarninggiven，andIevenI-cameintothehonoredserviceoftheprotectorofthepoor。”
“AndImraySahibwenttoEurope？”
“Itissosaidamongtheservants。”
“Andthouwilttakeservicewithhimwhenhereturns？”
“Assuredly，sahibHewasagoodmasterandcherishedhisdependents。”
“ThatistrueIamverytired，butIcangobuck-shootingto-morrowGivemethelittleriflethatI
useforblackbuck；itisinthecaseyonder。”
Themanstoopedoverthecase，bandedbarrels，stock，andfore-endtoStrickland，whofittedthemtogetherYawningdolefully，thenhereacheddowntothegun-case，tookasoliddrawncartridge，andslippeditintothebreechofthe。360express。
“AndImraySahibhasgonetoEuropesecretly？Thatisverystrange，BahadurKhan，isitnot？”
“WhatdoIknowofthewaysofthewhiteman，heaven-born？”
“Verylittle，trulyButthoushaltknowmoreIthasreachedmethatImraySahibhasreturnedfromhissolongjourneyings，andthatevennowheliesinthenextroom，waitinghisservant。”
“Sahib！”
Thelamp-lightslidalongthebarrelsoftherifleastheyleveledthemselvesagainstBahadurKhan’sbroadbreast。
“Gothenandlook！”saidStrickland。
“TakealampThymasteristired，andhewaitsGo！”
Themanpickedupalampandwentintothedining-room，Stricklandfollowing，andalmostpushinghimwiththemuzzleoftherifleHelookedforamomentattheblackdepthsbehindtheceiling-cloth，atthecarcassofthemangledsnakeunderfoot，andlast，agreyglazesettingonhisface，atthethingunderthetable-cloth。
“Hastthouseen？”saidStrickland，afterapause。
“IhaveseenIamclayinthewhiteman’shandsWhatdoesthepresencedo？”
“Hangtheewithinamonth！Whatelse？”
“Forkillinghim？Nay，sahib，considerWalkingamongus，hisservants，hecasthiseyesuponmychild，whowasfouryearsold。
Himhebewitched，andintendayshediedofthefeverMychild！”
“WhatsaidImraySahib？”
“Hesaidhewasahandsomechild，andpattedhimonthehead；
whereforemychilddiedWhereforeIkilledImraySahibinthetwilight，whenhecamebackfromofficeandwassleepingTheheaven-bornknowsallthingsIamtheservantoftheheaven-born。”
Stricklandlookedatmeabovetherifle，andsaid，inthevernacular：
“ThouartwitnesstothissayingHehaskilled。”
BahadurKhanstoodashengreyinthelightoftheonelampTheneedforjustificationcameuponhimveryswiftly。
“Iamtrapped。”hesaid，“buttheoffencewasthatman’sHecastanevileyeuponmychild，andIkilledandhidhimOnlysuchasareservedbydevils。”heglaredatTietjens，crouchedstolidlybeforehim，“onlysuchcouldknowwhatIdid。”
“ItwascleverButthoushouldsthavelashedhimtothebeamwitharopeNow，thouthyselfwilthangbyaropeOrderly！”
AdrowsypolicemanansweredStrickland’scallHewasfollowedbyanother，andTietjenssatstill。
“Takehimtothestation。”saidStrickland“Thereisacasetoward。”
“DoIhang，then？”saidBahadurKhan，makingnoattempttoescapeandkeepinghiseyesontheground。
“Ifthesunshines，orthewaterruns，thouwilthang。”saidStricklandBahadurKhansteppedbackonepace，quivered，andstoodstillThetwopolicemenwaitedfurtherorders。
“Go！”saidStrickland。
“Nay；butIgoveryswiftly。”saidBahadurKhan“Look！Iamevennowadeadman。”
Heliftedhisfoot，andtothelittletoethereclungtheheadofthehalf-killedsnake，firmfixedintheagonyofdeath。
“Icomeofland-h~dingstock。”saidBahadurKhan，rockingwherehestood“Itwereadisgraceformetogotothepublicscaffold，thereforeItakethiswayBeitrememberedthatthesahib’sshirtsarecorrectlyenumerated，andthatthereisanextrapieceofsoapinhiswashbasinMychildwasbewitched，andIslewthewizard。
Whyshouldyouseektoslayme？Myhonorissaved，and-and-I
die。”
Attheendofanhourhediedastheydiewhoarebittenbythelittlekariat，andthepolicemanborehimandthethingunderthetable-clothtotheirappointedplacesTheywereneededtomakeclearthedisappearanceofImray“This。”saidStrickland，verycalmly，asheclimbedintobed，“iscalledthenineteenthcenturyDidyouhearwhatthatmansaid？”
“Iheard。”Ianswered“Imraymadeamistake。”
“Simplyandsolelythroughnotknowingthenatureandcoincidenceofalittleseasonalfever。
BahadurKhanhasbeenwithhimforfouryears。”
IshudderedMyownservanthadbeenwithmeforexactlythatlengthoftimeWhenIwentovertomyownroomIfoundhimwaiting，impassiveasthecopperheadonapenny，topulloffmyboots。
“WhathasbefallenBahadurKhan？”saidI。
“Hewasbittenbyasnakeanddied；therestthesahibknows。”wastheanswer。
“Andhowmuchofthematterhastthouknown？”
“AsmuchasmightbegatheredfromonecominginthetwilighttoseeksatisfactionGently，sahibLetmepulloffthoseboots。”
IhadjustsettledtothesleepofexhaustionwhenIheardStricklandshoutingfromhissideofthehouse：
“Tietjenshascomebacktoherroom！”
AndsoshehadThegreatdeer-houndwascouchedonherownbedstead，onherownblanket，andinthenextroomtheidle，emptyceiling-clothwaggedlight-heartedlyasitflailedonthetable。
MOTIGUJ——MUTINEER
ONCEuponatimetherewasacoffee-planterinIndiawhowishedtoclearsomeforestlandforcoffee-plantingWhenhehadcutdownallthetreesandburnedtheunderwood，thestumpsstillremainedDynamiteisexpensiveandslowfireslowThehappymediumforstump-clearingisthelordofallbeasts，whoistheelephantHewilleitherpushthestumpoutofthegroundwithhistusks，ifhehasany，ordragitoutwithropesTheplanter，therefore，hiredelephantsbyonesandtwosandthrees，andfelltoworkTheverybestofalltheelephantsbelongedtotheveryworstofallthedriversormahouts；andthissuperiorbeast’snamewasMotiGujHewastheabsolutepropertyofhismahout，whichwouldneverhavebeenthecaseundernativerule；forMotiGujwasacreaturetobedesiredbykings，andhisname，beingtranslated，meantthePearlElephantBecausetheBritishgovernmentwasintheland，Deesa，themahout，enjoyedhispropertyundisturbedHewasdissipatedWhenhehadmademuchmoneythroughthestrengthofhiselephant，hewouldgetextremelydrunkandgiveMotiGujabeatingwithatent-pegoverthetendernailsoftheforefeetMotiGujnevertrampledthelifeoutofDeesaontheseoccasions，forheknewthatafterthebeatingwasover，Deesawouldembracehistrunkandweepandcallhimhisloveandhislifeandtheliverofhissoul，andgivehimsomeliquorMotiGujwasveryfondofliquor-arrackforchoice，thoughhewoulddrinkpalm-treetoddyifnothingbetterofferedThenDeesawouldgotosleepbetweenMotiGuj’sforefeet，andasDeesagenerallychosethemiddleofthepublicroad，andasMotiGujmountedguardoverhim，andwouldnotpermithorse，foot，orcarttopassby，trafficwascongestedtillDeesasawfittowakeup。
Therewasnosleepinginthedaytimeontheplanter’sclearing：thewagesweretoohightoriskDeesasatonMotiGuj’sneckandgavehimorders，whileMotiGujrootedupthestumps-forheownedamagnificentpairoftusks；orpulledattheendofarope-forhehadamagnificentpairofshoulders-whileDeesakickedhimbehindtheearsandsaidhewasthekingofelephants。
AteveningtimeMotiGujwouldwashdownhisthreehundredpounds’weightofgreenfoodwithaquartofarrack，andDeesawouldtakeashare，andsingsongsbetweenMotiGuj’slegstillitwastimetogotobedOnceaweekDeesaledMotiGujdowntotheriver，andMotiGuilayonhissideluxuriouslyintheshallows，whileDeesawentoverhimwithacoirswabandabrickMotiGujnevermistookthepoundingblowofthelatterforthesmackoftheformerthatwarnedhimtogetupandturnoverontheotherside。
ThenDeesawouldlookathisfeetandexaminehiseyes，andturnupthefringesofhismightyearsincaseofsoresorbuddingophthalmiaAfterinspectionthetwowouldcomeupwithasongfromthesea。”MotiGuj，allblackandshining，wavingatorntreebranchtwelvefeetlonginhistrunk，andDeesaknottinguphisownlongwethair。