eed of arms, and how could
soldiers use Government rifles upon mere cultivators in the fields?' the
Regimental Chaplain replied. 'Moreover, the revolver was sent back,
together with a money-order for the cartridges expended. _"Borrow not;
but if thou borrowest, pay back soon!"_ That is written in the Hymns.
Rutton Singh took a sword, and he and Attar Singh went to Pishapur and,
after word given, the four brethren fell upon their persecutors in
Pishapur village and slew seventeen, wounding ten. A revolver is better
than a lawsuit. I say that these four brethren, the two with _us_, and
the two mere cultivators, slew and wounded twenty-seven--all their
mother's kin, male and female.

'Then the four mounted to their housetop, and Attar Singh, who was
always one of the impetuous, said "My work is done," and he made
_shinan_ (purification) in all men's sight, and he lent Rutton Singh
Baynes Sahib's revolver, and Rutton Singh shot him in the head.

'So Attar Singh abandoned his body, as an insect abandons a blade of
grass. But Rutton Singh, having more work to do, went down from the
housetop and sought an enemy whom he had forgotten--a Patiala man of
this regiment who had sided with the persecutors. When he overtook the
man, Rutton Singh hit him twice with bullets and once with the sword.'

'But the man escaped and is now in the hospital here,' said the
Subadar-Major. 'The doctor says he will live in spite of all.'

'Not Rutton Singh's fault. Rutton Singh left him for dead. Then Rutton
Singh returned to the housetop, and the three brothers together, Attar
Singh being dead, sent word by a lad to the police station for an army
to be dispatched against them that they might die with honours. But none
came. And yet Patiala State is not under English law and they should
know virtue there when they see it!

'So, on the third day, Rutton Singh also made _shinan_, and the youngest
of the brethren shot him also in the head, and _he_ abandoned his body.

'Thus was all correct. There was neither heat, nor haste, nor abuse in
the matter from end to end. There remained alive not one man or woman of
their mother's kin which had oppressed them. Of the other villagers of
Pishapur, who had taken no part in the persecutions, not one was slain.
Indeed, the villagers sent them food on the housetop for those three
days while they waited for the police who would not dispatch that army.

'Listen again! I know that Attar Singh and Rutton Singh o