rior native servant; his face was broad and flat,
but kindly and good-humoured. He salaamed many times, but still said
nothing.

"Ask him what he wants," I cried, turning to our fair-weather friend,
the cook.

The deferential Nepaulese did not wait to be asked. "Salaam, sahib," he
said, bowing again very low till his forehead almost touched the ground.
"You are Eulopean doctor, sahib?"

"I am," I answered, taken aback at being thus recognised in the forests
of Nepaul. "But how in wonder did you come to know it?"

"You camp near here when you pass dis way before, and you doctor little
native girl, who got sore eyes. All de country here tell you is very
great physician. So I come and to see if you will turn aside to my
village to help us."

"Where did you learn English?" I exclaimed, more and more astonished.

"I is servant one time at British Lesident's at de Maharajah's city.
Pick up English dere. Also pick up plenty lupee. Velly good business
at British Lesident's. Now gone back home to my own village, letired
gentleman." And he drew himself up with conscious dignity.

I surveyed the retired gentleman from head to foot. He had an air of
distinction, which not even his bare toes could altogether mar. He was
evidently a person of local importance. "And what did you want me to
visit your village for?" I inquired, dubiously.

"White traveller sahib ill dere, sir. Vely ill; got plague. Great
first-class sahib, all same like Governor. Ill, fit to die; send me out
all times to try find Eulopean doctor."

"Plague?" I repeated, startled. He nodded.

"Yes, plague; all same like dem hab him so bad down Bombay way."

"Do you know his name?" I asked; for though one does not like to desert
a fellow-creature in distress, I did not care to turn aside from my
road on such an errand, with Hilda and Lady Meadowcroft, unless for some
amply sufficient reason.

The retired gentleman shook his head in the most emphatic fashion. "How
me know?" he answered, opening the palms of his hands as if to show
he had nothing concealed in them. "Forget Eulopean name all times so
easily. And traveller sahib name very hard to lemember. Not got English
name. Him Eulopean foleigner."

"A European foreigner!" I repeated. "And you say he is seriously ill?
Plague is no trifle. Well, wait a minute; I'll see what the ladies say
about it. How far off is your village?"

He pointed with his hand, somewhat vaguely, to the hillside. "Two hours'
walk