“He was a curious-looking gentleman, too, that Russian—­just the sort of face that you would never forget after once seeing it, with skin that was dried and yellow like parchment; black hair that was trained into a heavy curl on the top of his forehead, and a big hooked nose.

“Well, your ladyship and miss, away we went with our elephants and train of servants, and very pleasantly we spent our two months’ leave of absence.  The Captain he shot tigers, and the Russian he did his best at pig-sticking.  Our last week had come, and in three more days we were to set off on our return, when that terrible misfortune happened which deprived me of the best of masters, and your ladyship of the best of sons.

“Early one morning I was roused by Rung Budruck, the Captain’s favourite sycee or groom.  ‘Get up at once,’ he said, shaking me by the shoulder.  ’The sahib Captain is very ill.  The black devil has seized him.  He must have opium or he will die.’  I ran at once to the Captain’s tent, and as soon as I set eyes on him I saw that he had been seized with cholera.  I went off at once and fetched M. Platzoff.  We had nothing in the way of medicine with us except brandy and opium.  Under the Russian’s directions these were given to my poor master in large quantities, but he grew gradually worse.  Rung and I in everything obeyed M. Platzoff, who seemed to know quite well what ought to be done in such cases; and to tell the truth, your ladyship, he seemed as much put about as if the Captain had been his own brother.  Well, the Captain grew weaker as the day went on, and towards evening it grew quite clear that he could not last much longer.  The pain had left him by this time, but he was so frightfully reduced that we could not bring him round.  He was lying in every respect like one already dead, except for his faint breathing, when the Russian left the tent for a moment, and I took his place at the head of the bed.  Rung was standing with folded arms a yard or two away.  None of the other native servants could be persuaded to enter the tent, so frightened were they of catching the complaint.  Suddenly my poor master opened his eyes, and his lips moved.  I put my ear to his mouth.  ‘The diamond,’ he whispered.  ‘Take it—­mother—­give my love.’  Not a word more on earth, your ladyship.  His limbs stiffened; his head fell back; he gave a great sigh and died.  I gently closed the eyes that could see no more, and left the tent crying.

“Your ladyship, we buried Captain Chillington by torchlight four hours later.  We dug his grave deep in a corner of the jungle, and there we left him to his last sleep.  Over his grave we piled a heap of stones, as I have read that they used to do in the old times over the grave of a chief.  It was all we could do.

“About an hour later M. Platzoff came to me.  ’I shall start before daybreak for Chinapore,’ he said, ’with one elephant and a couple of men.  I will take with me the news of my poor friend’s untimely fate, and you can come on with the luggage and other effects in the ordinary way.  You will find me at Chinapore when you reach there.’  Next morning I found that he was gone.