is a man's job,' said Creighton.

It was a wry-necked matter of unauthorized and incendiary
correspondence between a person who claimed to be the ultimate
authority in all matters of the Mohammedan religion throughout the
world, and a younger member of a royal house who had been brought to
book for kidnapping women within British territory. The Moslem
Archbishop had been emphatic and over-arrogant; the young prince was
merely sulky at the curtailment of his privileges, but there was no
need he should continue a correspondence which might some day
compromise him. One letter indeed had been procured, but the finder
was later found dead by the roadside in the habit of an Arab trader, as
E.23, taking up the work, duly reported.

These facts, and a few others not to be published, made both Mahbub and
Creighton shake their heads.

'Let him go out with his Red Lama,' said the horse-dealer with visible
effort. 'He is fond of the old man. He can learn his paces by the
rosary at least.'

'I have had some dealings with the old man--by letter,' said Colonel
Creighton, smiling to himself. 'Whither goes he?'

'Up and down the land, as he has these three years. He seeks a River
of Healing. God's curse upon all--' Mahbub checked himself. 'He beds
down at the Temple of the Tirthankars or at Buddh Gaya when he is in
from the Road. Then he goes to see the boy at the madrissah, as we
know for the boy was punished for it twice or thrice. He is quite mad,
but a peaceful man. I have met him. The Babu also has had dealings
with him. We have watched him for three years. Red Lamas are not so
common in Hind that one loses track.'

'Babus are very curious,' said Lurgan meditatively. 'Do you know what
Hurree Babu really wants? He wants to be made a member of the Royal
Society by taking ethnological notes. I tell you, I tell him about the
lama everything which Mahbub and the boy have told me. Hurree Babu goes
down to Benares--at his own expense, I think.'

'I don't,' said Creighton briefly. He had paid Hurree's travelling
expenses, out of a most lively curiosity to learn what the lama might
be.

'And he applies to the lama for information on lamaism, and
devil-dances, and spells and charms, several times in these few years.
Holy Virgin! I could have told him all that yeears ago. I think
Hurree Babu is getting too old for the Road. He likes better to
collect manners and customs information. Yes, he wants to be an FRS.