ss Sahib. My missis always so good to me--my
missis done die."

CHAPTER XXXV

MUNG BAW LIES LOW

In some mysterious manner the cause of Mrs. Krauss's death was hushed
up; there was no inquest, and the announcement in the Rangoon Gazette
merely stated: "On the 8th inst., Flora, the beloved wife of Herr Karl
Krauss, suddenly, of heart failure."

Sophy had been carried off to the "Barn" a few hours after her aunt had
passed away, and never again entered "Heidelberg." The funeral was
large, expensive, and imposing, and included a crowd of rather
unexpected and decidedly shabby mourners, who brought with them
offerings of cheap, home-made wreaths and crosses, and wore faces of
sincere and unaffected grief. Strange to say, the grave prepared to
receive Mrs. Krauss was next to that in which lay the remains of
Richard Roscoe. The two cocaine victims rested side by side in death,
drawn together by the long arm of coincidence.

It had been decided that Sophy was to remain at the "Barn" and
accompany Mrs. Gregory when she went home in August. She quickly
recovered her looks and spirits amid bright society and cheerful
surroundings. There had been an auction at "Heidelberg," everything
was disposed of; the accumulation of twelve years was scattered to the
winds, the servants were disbanded, and the house was closed.

Herr Krauss sent Sophy a quantity of his wife's jewels, with a letter
thanking her for all her care and attention, but she only retained a
ring that had been worn daily by her aunt, and returned the remainder,
which was afterwards disposed of in Balthazar's Sale Rooms and fetched
a handsome sum.

It was said that Herr Krauss had felt his wife's death acutely; he had
left Rangoon without the ceremony of farewells, departing no one knew
whither.

Time slipped by, and so far had brought no trace of the cocaine gang.
On several occasions Shafto had ridden round by the big Kyoung behind
the Turtle Tank and met with no success--nothing but a shake of the
_pongye's_ shaven head. On his first visit he had dismounted, given
his horse to its _syce_, and boldly approached the monastery, outside
of which an imposing group of _pongyes_ was assembled. The attitude of
some was lofty and disdainful; others, with a friendly glance,
acknowledged the stranger's ceremonious greeting. Towering
majestically among his fellows stood Mung Baw, who, throwing them a
hasty explanation, advanced to welcome Shafto with a s