domes, minarets,
palm-trees, roofs, towers, and masts.

Almost before the anchor had splashed into the spawn-skeined water off
the Apollo Bunder a native boat drew alongside and a very well-dressed
native climbed up the companion-ladder in quest of me. I had sent King a
wireless, but his messenger was away in advance of even the bankers'
agents, who flock on board to tout for customs business.

He handed me a letter which simply said that the bearer, Gulab Lal
Singh, would look after me and my belongings. So I paid attention to the
man. He was a strapping fellow, handsome as the deuce, with a Roman
nose, and the eye of a gentleman unafraid.

He said that Major King was in Bombay, but detained by urgent business.
However, he invited me to Major King's quarters for breakfast, so
instead of waiting for the regular launch I got into the native sailboat
with him. And he seemed to have some sort of talisman for charming
officials, for on the quay an officer motioned us through without even
examining my passport.

We drew up finally in front of a neat little bungalow in a long street
of similar buildings intended for British officials. Gulab Lal Singh
took me straight into the dining room and carried in breakfast with his
own hands, standing behind my chair in silence while I ate.

Without much effort I could see his face in the mirror to my right, and
when I thought he wasn't noticing I studied him carefully.

"Is there anything further that the _sahib_ would care for?" he asked
when the meal was finished.

"Yes," I said, pulling out an envelope. "Here's your contract, Major
King. If you're agreeable we may as well get that signed and mailed to
New York."

I expected to see him look surprised, but he simply sat down at the
table, read the contract over, and signed it.

Then we went out on to a veranda that was shut off from the street by
brown _kaskas tatties_.

"How long does it take you to grow a beard?" was his first, rather
surprising question.

It was not long before I learned how differently he could treat
different individuals. He had simply chosen his extraordinary way of
receiving me as the best means of getting a real line on me without much
loss of time. He did not compliment me on having seen through his
disguise, or apologize for his own failure to keep up the deception. He
sat opposite and studied me as he might the morning newspaper, and I
returned the compliment.

"You see," he said suddenly, a