what they considered their vested rights to be passed
over in silence. Example might spread. My man must be made an example
of. I had a case in the Court of the Deputy Magistrate some twenty
miles or so from the factory. The moonshee had been named as a witness
to prove the writing of some papers filed in the suit. They got a
citation for him to appear, a mere summons for his attendance as a
witness. Armed with this, they appeared at the factory two or three
days before the date fixed on for hearing the cause. I had just ridden
in from Purneah, tired, hot, and dusty, and was sitting in the shade
of the verandah with young D., my assistant. One policeman first came
up, presented the summons, which I took, and he then stated that it
was a _warrant_ for the production of my moonshee, and that he must
take him away at once. I told the man it was merely a summons,
requiring the attendance of the moonshee on a certain date, to give
evidence in the case. He was very insolent in his manner. It is
customary when a Hindoo of inferior rank appears before you, that he
removes his shoes, and stands before you in a respectful attitude.
This man's headdress was all disarranged, which in itself is a sign of
disrespect. He spoke loudly and insolently; kept his shoes on; and sat
down squatting on the grass before me. My assistant was very
indignant, and wanted to speak to the man; but rightly judging that
the object was to enrage me, and trap me into committing some overt
act, that would be afterwards construed against me, I kept my temper,
spoke very firmly but temperately, told him my moonshee was doing some
work of great importance, that I could not spare his services then,
but that I would myself see that the summons was attended to. The
policeman became more boisterous and insolent. I offered to give him a
letter to the magistrate, acknowledging the receipt of the summons,
and I asked him his own name, which he refused to give. I asked him if
he could read, and he said he could not. I then asked him if he could
not read, how could he know what was in the paper which he had
brought, and how he knew my moonshee was the party meant. He said a
chowkeydar had told him so. I asked where was the chowkeydar, and
seeing from my coolness and determination that the game was up, he
shouted out, and from round the corner of the huts came another
policeman, and two village chowkeydars from a distance. They had
evidently been hiding, observing all