down at her, "is what I've heard about their passion for revenge. Every
one has the same story. If you disappoint them, gee whiz, look out!
Poisoning your wife's a sample of what they'll do. It's crossed my mind
a score of times, little girl, that you ought to go back to the States and
wait there till I'm through--"

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

"Isn't that just like a man!"

"All the same--"

"Go in, Dick, and get dressed, or the sun will be too high before you
get the gang started."

She took his arm and they went into the house together. Twenty minutes
later he rode away on his pony, looking if possible even more of an
athlete than in his pajamas, for there was an added suggestion of
accomplishment in the rolled-up sleeves and scarred boots laced to
the knee. Their leave-taking was a purely American episode, mixed
of comradeship, affection and just plain foolishness, witnessed by more
wondering, patient Indian eyes than they suspected. Every move that
either of them made was always watched.

As a matter of fact Chamu's attention was almost entirely taken up just
then by the crows, iniquitous black humorists that took advantage of
turned backs (for Tess walked beside the pony to the gate) to rifle the
remains of chota hazri, one of them flying off with a spoon since the
rest had all the edibles. Chamu threw a cushion at the spoon-thief and
called him "Balibuk," which means eater of the temple offerings, and