Through her eye-lashes she watched him creep noiselessly to the table and examine the cash box.  Then he returned to the side of her bed and coughed.  Mrs. Bose again succeeded in keeping perfectly still and he moved round to his master’s bedside.  Here he stood motionless for some seconds and then unfastened the sword.  The zemindar was sleeping heavily and as he detached the sword Ram smiled to himself as if everything was very satisfactory.  He grasped the sword in his right hand and made a trial stroke.  Then, smiling again, he lifted the curtain of the zemindar’s bed with his left hand.

Mrs. Bose felt sure that his motive was murder as well as robbery, and she now shrieked loudly for aid.  At the first sound of her voice Ram dropped the sword and fled from the room.  His wife’s piercing screams of “Murder!  Help!” woke the zemindar, but by the time he understood what had taken place Ram had let himself out of the house and was gone.

When morning came the police were informed and the zemindar offered a handsome reward for the arrest of Ram; but though the police hunted in Lucknow and elsewhere and also searched the village where Ram’s relatives lived, no one knew anything of him and he was never again heard of in Lucknow.

Some years after, the old zemindar died and one of the last remarks he made was:  “I should like to know what has happened to poor Ram.”  He had never forgotten his affection for his old protege, and had quite forgiven him for his ungratefulness.

PART II

Tiger Stories

The Bearer’s Fate

Mr. Gupta, a Bengali gentleman, was a skilled engineer.  The Government thought highly of him and whenever any work of special difficulty had to be undertaken, always chose him.

At one time he was stationed at Hazaribagh.  This district is even now infested with tigers, and in those far-off days these lords of the jungle roamed far and wide.

There was then no railway.  Travelling was done by palki or by “push-push”—–­a box-like carriage on four wheels, in which the traveller was forced to recline, and which relays of coolies pushed before them.  The roads were often mere tracks through dense forest.

It happened that Mr. Gupta was ordered to report on some important work a few miles away.  His devoted wife carefully packed his luggage.  They were a happy couple and each short parting was a pain in their lives.  A trustworthy old servant always accompanied his master to camp.  But to-day to his mistress’ surprise he begged not to go.

When Gupta came in, his wife told him of the man’s unwillingness to accompany him.

“Nonsense!” said Gupta, “he will have to go.  What has happened to him?”

“I think he is ill” the wife excusingly replied, her tender heart full of the man’s wistful face and strange manner.  Still she agreed with her husband and told the bearer, he must go with his master.