be poor men," one said, "but our hands bring to thee, oh Healer--from
the people of Hurda, oh Healer--" and breaking off, because his lips
could speak no more, he stooped reverently to lay aside the covering.

A great folded leaf appeared; a long heavy stalk; then the flawless
splendour of one bloom--immaculate! a sacred lotus, brought from far
lakes. The Gul Moti received its ineffable loveliness and rose to
stretch her fingers toward the multitude. Then their shouts swept the
horizon.

Still, their concept of Neela Deo's character must be either shattered or
restored--and soon; they would not wait. Ominously quiet questions went
up to the mahouts; and the mahouts were full-ready to answer! In the
end, it sounded like a wild Himalayan chant about Neela Deo's great fight
to save Gunpat Rao. The people listened patiently, till an inward
meaning enlightened them. Then they exulted:

"Neela Deo, Neela Deo, King of all elephants!"

"Exalted in majesty, Defender of honour, protecting his own with
strength! We will remember him!"

"Neela Deo, Neela Deo, King of all elephants!"

"He with the wisdom of ages. Destroyer of devastators, preserving his
friend with blood! Our children shall not forget!"

"He the Discerner of men, Equitable King! He the Discerner of evil,
Invincible King! All generations after us shall hear of him; but we have
looked upon his face!"

"Neela Deo, Neela Deo, King of all elephants!"

CHAPTER XV

_The Lair_

Carlin appeared to get right again in a few days of quiet after her
terrific experience on Mitha Baba. There were a few more wonderful
weeks for Skag and herself in the Malcolm M'Cord bungalow in
Hurda--weeks always remembered. Then Skag undertook a little adventure
of his own that had to do with Tiger. He was away seven days in all
and made no report of the thing he had done to his department. He came
back with a deeper quiet in his eyes and told no one but Carlin what
the days had shown him. Skag never was at his best in trying to make
words work. He was slow to explain. He had been hurt two or three
times in earlier days, trying to tell something of peculiar interest to
his work and finding incredulity and uncertain comment afterward. This
made the animal trainer more wary than ever about talk.

But Carlin required few words. Carlin always understood. She didn't
praise or fall into excesses of admiration, but she understood, and the
older one gets the dea