"What of them?"

"Lost!"

"Where? How?"

"While standing here, observing movements of him whom I suspected to
be murderer, a person unknown--possibly a Sikh--perhaps not--removed
money surreptitiously from my person."

"How much money?"

"Rupees twenty-five, annas eight," said the babu unwinking. He
neither blushed nor hesitated.

"I will take compassion on your loss and replace five rupees of it,"
said Ranjoor Singh, "when you have told me which way the murderer
went."

"My eyes are too dim, and my heart too full with grief," said the
babu. "No man's memory works under such conditions. Now, that money--"

"I will give you ten rupees," said Ranjoor Singh.

This was too easy! The babu was prepared to bargain for an hour,
fighting for rupee after rupee until his wit assured him he had
reached the limit. Now he began to believe he had set the limit far
too low.