discreetly earthward.

'True - oh, true. But perhaps that will come. Certainly those down-
country Brahmins are utterly useless. I sent gifts and monies and
gifts again to them, and they prophesied.'

'Ah,' drawled Kim, with infinite contempt, 'they prophesied!' A
professional could have done no better.

'And it was not till I remembered my own Gods that my prayers were
heard. I chose an auspicious hour, and - perhaps thy Holy One has
heard of the Abbot of the Lung-Cho lamassery. It was to him I put
the matter, and behold in the due time all came about as I desired.
The Brahmin in the house of the father of my daughter's son has
since said that it was through his prayers - which is a little
error that I will explain to him when we reach our journey's end.
And so afterwards I go to Buddh Gaya, to make shraddha for the
father of my children.'

'Thither go we.'

'Doubly auspicious,' chirruped the old lady. 'A second son at
least!'

'O Friend of all the World!' The lama had waked, and, simply as a
child bewildered in a strange bed, called for Kim.

'I come! I come, Holy One!' He dashed to the fire, where he found
the lama already surrounded by dishes of food, the hillmen visibly
adoring him and the Southerners looking sourly.