ing mahouts. Ram
Yaksahn bent his head.

"It was determined," he said with satisfaction, "by wise men of
authority who rule such matters at the trap-stockades, that this
elephant had done just judgment; because the man had done murder.

"But we could not come close to this elephant--to link with his
leg-chains--for his threatening eye. That night and the next day, he
kept the body between his feet--the body of the little child he
kept--save when he swung it. No man could prevent.

"Then he left it" (Ram Yaksahn's voice suddenly went husky), "and came
to me--and put me on his neck. For this reason I am his to him; and he
is mine to me!"

"Well done, well done!" the mellow voice of Kudrat Sharif spoke softly;
and the mahouts of the Chief Commissioner's stockades assented.

"There is yet one thing," Ram Yaksahn resumed, "and I should cover my
face to tell it. But if you learn that I am a fool of fools, consider
my foolishness. His blackness is strange; his strength is mighty--it
took four to handle him, not two, in the beginning--and his quickness
is more quick than a man can think. Also, he has a red devil in his
eye.

"When my name was spoken after his name and my duty rendered me to
serve him, I found he was indeed my master. We consider the creatures
of his kind are exalted above men; but I thought him a son of darkness,
come up out of the pit. In my fool heart I did; and I do not know yet.

"At the time when he was trapped, I was in High Himalaya finding a fair
woman of lineage as good as my own--as my fathers have done. So when
this last thing happened, not many weeks ago, a son of mine lay on his
mother's breast. She came out with the child and sat near me. She was
teaching me that my son laughed. I saw only her; and knew only that
her babe was strong.

"I forgot that this elephant browsed close by, having long picket
chains to reach the tender branches. He came toward where we sat and
stood looking at us; and I called on her to behold the red devil in his
eye. But I looked--not into his eye; and I did not see him upon
us--till he lifted my son from her breast. I saw the little body swing
up, far above my head--the so very little body--and I heard her cry in
the same breath."

Ram Yaksahn laid his forehead against his fists and softly beat his
head. Looking up with drawn features, he went on:

"My face was in the grasses when I heard her laugh. Then I saw the
babe--not longer than a ma