glory of the same old Indian stars.

It was Nut Kut, the great black elephant not long down from his own
wilds among the Vindha Hills, who left his station first and moved on
out into the night. Gunpat Rao followed him. . . . One by one they
filed away. Indeed, there was not one shrub left to bar their path.
But in this falling of calamity upon their so successful foolish plan,
the mahouts were stricken--desperate. There was something grotesque
about their hands, as they disappeared. With wild gestures and
twisted-back faces many of them went out of sight. The elephants were
surely their masters, in that hour.

They all passed quite close to where the Chief Commissioner sat in
Neela Deo's howdah. Neela Deo had regained his dignity; he was gravely
driving fragments of black and yellow stripes into the sand--patiently
finishing his job. But Kudrat Sharif's voice had no effect upon the
others; and the Chief Commissioner was entirely helpless. No one could
prevent their going. Then it appeared that one had not gone--one
other, beside Neela Deo.

Mitha Baba, the greatest female of the caravan, under her pale rose
caparison and gold lacquered howdah with its curtains of frost-green,
was beating the ground with angry feet and thrusting her head aside
impatiently. Something was holding her. When he saw, the Chief
Commissioner made haste to reach her--leaving Kudrat Sharif, who was
confident of keeping Neela Deo.

Mitha Baba's station in the circle was close to where the Gul Moti sat;
her new housings had been specially designed to recognise her devotion
to the Gul Moti, whose low 'cello tones were now soothing the great
creature and restraining her. But when the Chief Commissioner
approached, Mitha Baba started, flinging herself forward--and the Gul
Moti was suddenly at the edge of the stand. Just as the elephant
lunged out to take her stride, the colourful voice that she had never
refused to obey said:

"Come near, Mitha Baba, come near!"

Mitha Baba was not sure about it; she struck the voice aside with her
head. But the voice was saying:

"Mitha Baba, you may take me with you!"

Then Son-of-Power was on his feet, but it was too late--Mitha Baba
decided quickly and she acted soon--he could not reach the edge in time
to go himself, but on an impulse he threw his great-coat into the Gul
Moti's hands and she laughed as she caught it from the howdah.

In swerving suddenly to pass close by the stand, the