meaning to turn us into cattle by the cutting off of
our arms. We were greatly afraid, but we did not kill the man. He is
here, bound--a black man; and we think he comes from the west. He said
it was an order to cut us all with knives--especially the women and the
children. We did not hear that it was an order, so we were afraid, and
kept to our hills. Some of our men have taken ponies and bullocks from
the plains, and others pots and cloths and ear-rings."

"Are any slain?"

"By our men? Not yet. But the young men are blown to and fro by many
rumours like flames upon a hill. I sent runners asking for Jan Chinn
lest worse should come to us. It was this fear that he foretold by the
sign of the Clouded Tiger."

"He says it is otherwise," said Bukta; and he repeated, with
amplifications, all that young Chinn had told him at the conference of
the wicker chair.

"Think you," said the questioner, at last, "that the Government will lay
hands on us?"

"Not I," Bukta rejoined. "Jan Chinn will give an order, and ye will
obey. The rest is between the Government and Jan Chinn. I myself know
something of the ghost-knives and the scratching. It is a charm against
the Smallpox. But how it is done I cannot tell. Nor need that concern
you."

"If he stands by us and before the anger of the Government we will most
strictly obey Jan Chinn, except--except we do not go down to that place
to-night."

They could hear young Chinn below them shouting for Bukta; but they
cowered and sat still, expecting the Clouded Tiger. The tomb had been
holy ground for nearly half a century. If Jan Chinn chose to sleep
there, who had better right? But they would not come within eyeshot of
the place till broad day.

At first Chinn was exceedingly angry, till it occurred to him that Bukta
most probably had a reason (which, indeed, he had), and his own dignity
might suffer if he yelled without answer. He propped himself against the
foot of the grave, and, alternately dozing and smoking, came through the
warm night proud that he was a lawful, legitimate, fever-proof Chinn.

He prepared his plan of action much as his grandfather would have done;
and when Bukta appeared in the morning with a most liberal supply of
food, said nothing of the overnight desertion. Bukta would have been
relieved by an outburst of human anger; but Chinn finished his victual
leisurely, and a cheroot, ere he made any sign.

"They are very much afraid," said Bukta, who was not t