Though the religion of the Chaplain has failed me, the religion of my Mother, taught to me at her knee, has implanted in me an ineradicable belief in the ultimate justice of things, and the unquenchable hope of “somehow good”.

I am about to go before my Maker or to obliteration and oblivion.  If the former, I am prepared to say to Him:  “You made me a man.  I have played the man.  I look to you for justice, and that is—­compensation and not ‘forgiveness’.  Much less is it punishment.  You have treated me ill and given me no help.  You have bestowed free-will without free-dom.  Compensate me or know Yourself unjust.”

To a servant or child who spoke so to me and with equal reason, I would reply:—­

“Compensation is due to you and not ’forgiveness’—­much less punishment,” and I would act accordingly....  Why should I cringe to God—­and why should He love a cringer more than I do?

God help Men and Women—­and such Children as are doomed to grow up to be Men and Women.

As I finish this sentence I shall put my revolver in my mouth and seek Justice or Peace....

* * * * *

“Bad luck,” murmured Mr. Robin Ross-Ellison, “that was the man of all men for me!  A gentleman, wishful to die....  That is the sort that does things when swords are out and bullets fly.  Seeks a gory grave and gets a V.C. instead.  He and Mike Malet-Marsac and I would have put a polish on the new Gungapur Fusiliers....  Rough luck....”

He was greatly disappointed, for his experiences in the bazaars, market-places, secret-meeting houses, and the bowers of Hearts’ Delights,—­the Rialtos of Gungapur (he disguised, now as an Afghan horse-dealer, now as a sepoy, now as a Pathan money-lender, again as a gold-braided, velvet waistcoated, swaggering swashbuckler from the Border)—­his experiences were disquieting, were such as to make him push on preparations, perfect plans, and work feverishly at the “polishing” of his re-organized Corps.

Also the reports of his familiar, a Somali yclept Moussa Isa, were disquieting, disturbing to a lover of the Empire who foresaw the Empire at war in Europe.

Moussa Isa also knew that there was talk among Pathan horse-dealers and budmashes of the coming of one Ilderim the Weeper, a mullah of great influence and renown, and talk, moreover, among men of other race, of a Great Conspiracy.

Moussa was bidden to take service as a mill-coolie in one of Colonel Dearman’s mills, and to report on the views and attitude of the thousands who laboured therein.  This he did and there learnt many interesting facts.

Sec. 4.  MR. AND MRS. CORNELIUS GOSLING-GREEN.