MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.

23

mile distant; but to try to explore a jungle in the darkness of an Indian night, while lightly and tastefully clad in pyjamas and slippers, was a task to which even the depths of his anxiety did not seriously incline him. So he went back to his tent, feeling rather chilly, and narrowly escaping a bullet, from a sentry unaccustomed to see his officers taking constitutionals in the dead of night in that sort of attire.

Of course next day Jack made inquiries about the suspected native, who turned out to be well known as a petty thief; but no one had seen him since the preceding afternoon. And strange to say, no one ever did see him! Whether he was exhausted by loss of blood and exertion in running so fast and far, and crawled into the jungle to die; whether in his wounded condition he was set upon by wild beasts and killed; or whether, thinking the camp an unhealthy place, he simply decided not to return to it, are things which no man knows. And his family said it was a pity; but of course he was a bad man, and would the sahib give them rupees? which, naturally, the sahib did.

There is little that is interesting to be told of the rest of Jack Jebb's life in India. He spent three years there-dreary years, when fever and

overwork alternated with each other, and the only scraps of enjoyment to be got out of existence were occasional shooting-parties, where he first tasted the delight of bagging "big game." He had shot ever since he knew which was the killing end of a gun, so he was not far behind even the old hands, and secured several good heads and skins in the course of these expeditions. But eventually these delights were put a stop to by repeated attacks of fever developing what is euphoniously called "hobnailed liver," whereby he was so pulled down that the doctor insisted on his going to the hills at

once.

Leave for him meant extra work for the others, so for some time he refused to apply for it; but when it became evident that he could no longer fulfil his duty if he stayed, he at last consented to go. It happened that at the station from which he was to start there ruled a native station-master, who, though never actively engaged in the mutiny, was strongly suspected of having done a good deal in a quiet way towards keeping it going in his locality. Nothing definite could be proved against him. Still, it was quite certain that this official loathed the English, and never missed an opportunity of covertly insulting any sick officer leaving from his depot for the hills; while, in view of the tremend

A RECALCITRANT INVALID.

25

ous "race" feeling engendered by the mutiny, the regulations most stringently forbade any Englishman, no matter what the provocation, to take the law into his own hands in the chastisement of a native. Jack, of course, knew the man's reputation, and consequently was prepared to stand some "cheek" from him.

By clinging to his post long after he was unfit to do his work, the invalid was so reduced that he had to be carried to the station in a litter, and doubtless he looked so ill that this native bully thought him a perfectly safe victim. Accordingly he began to make unpleasant remarks about the sick officer to his subordinates, speaking in a voice intended to reach the ear of the sufferer as he lay in his litter waiting for the train to be signalled. Jack set his teeth hard and besought his gods to lend him patience. As he made no sign, the station-master felt quite secure, and ventured a little further than he had ever gone before-just a shade too far for his own health; for rage giving him back his lost strength, Jack sprang from the litter and "went for" the surprised native in a thoroughly practical, scientific manner. Every blow was followed by a corresponding bulge on the station-master's fat body, as he doubled up on all-fours and abjectly entreated the sahib not to kill him!

The sahib graciously consented not to do so, especially as he felt on the verge of fainting himself. So he gave the man leave to get up, and crawled back to his litter more dead than alive, but with the joy of a virtuous action animating his soul. The station-master began to collect his own remains, wondering meanwhile how to be revenged. He soon thought of a plan, and going over to the litter, informed his enemy that he would not be allowed to proceed by the train then due, but would be sent to the station-house, there to await his trial next day for assaulting a native. Now Jack was anxious to get off to the hills, and felt, moreover, that the native had had the worst of it so far; so he offered him Rs. 20 as a salve for his bruises, if he would say no more about the matter, and keep a civil tongue in his head for the future.

"I will take Rs. 200 and not an anna less," said the man.

"Then you may go and be hanged,” replied Jack, "for you won't get it from me."

Well, the police arrived, and, sure enough, he was marched off to durance vile. Now it may

be imagined that a night in a close, hot cell, with no sort of refreshment for his body, and a cheerful prospect of being "broke" occupying his mind, had anything but a good effect on the

health and appearance of a man already down with fever.

So it came about that when he was carried into court next morning, the presiding magistrate smiled visibly on being told that it was the emaciated invalid in the litter who had overnight produced the awful wreck of humanity to be seen in the witness-box. For in order to produce a better effect, the station-master had allowed the blood to dry on his cheeks, and with one eye closed and dirty scraps of sticking - plaster artistically arranged over the other, he looked a very ill-used native indeed. He said, and had twenty witnesses to prove, that the sahib had flown at him like a tiger while he was simply doing his duty and trying to make his passengers comfortable, and that, not content with nearly shaking the breath out of his body, he had deprived him of his eyesight, as my lord, the judge, could see.

The judge listened to this moving tale, and he also listened to the witnesses. Then he heard what Jack had to say for himself, and also some details added by several Europeans who knew. Then he said, "You can pay this native Rs. 5 for a doctor's bill, also you can pay costs, and then I should recommend you to take the next train for the hills." Jack fully expected to have to pay about Rs. 500