Dragon's blood

ummer, with too thick a coat. In sweat of body and heat

de the lamp gutter. Broad leaves outside shone in mockery of snow; and like snow the stifled river lay in the moonlight, where the wet muzzles of buffaloes glistened, floating like knots on su

g with hands thrust through his hair. "I

late. All alone. The collar of his tunic strangled him. He stuffed his fingers underneath, and wrenched; then as h

, staring. "It is the hea

ruffled boy, hurried away through stillness and moonlight to the detested club. On the

boating

y harves

ed another voice

with a whine of pulleys. Under a swinging lamp, in a pool of light and heat, four men sat playing cards,

od apart in shadow, swaying on his feet. "What would you

turned head toward punkah, and suddenly lay stil

Nesbit, his lean Cockney face pulled in savage lin

the singer, "'m goin' sl

inkle of ice, or the popping of soda bottles. Sharp cords and flaccid folds in Wutzler's neck, Chantel's brown cheeks, the point of Heywood's resolute chin, shone wet and poli

y, interrupting the game perversely, st

Rome?" he asked.

read. How dey climb der walls op, yes, but Rome is safed by a flook of geeze. Gracio

ped out a P

ied sourly, "or listen to

to the prev

ied," he answered slowly. "Geese live t

e defect; then, snatching up the cards, shuffled and d

Englishman, Rawf Ralli, he spreadt der fine clock for your Queen, and lern your Queen smoking, no?

. Next instant he whirled on Rudolph in

best," explained

orst I ever saw! Better

ooking out, in lonely, impotent rage. A long time passed, marked by alarming snores from the billiar

r. Chantel broke out as though

ys sit in, when they do not know. They rus

risen, and crossing the room, stood looking over Rudolph's shoulder in

he said wearily. "Don't m

eir quarrel between them, the two men stared out across the blanched roofs

r the rest of us, so easily! Do you know," his voice rose and quickened, "do you know

nder Heywood's grasp. Chantel, in the lampli

of a woman." He made a sudden startling gesture, like a man who has lost control. "For the s

ight scuffle

rtesy, "we are all unlike ourselves to-night. I am hardly th

ingers, and reverting to his native

he was sent spinning. Rudolph, his cheeks on fire, darted past and dealt, full force, a clumsy backhand sweep of the arm. Light

d an odd gleam of satisfaction. "You are right. We are not like ourselves, at present. I

stepped quickly to the stairs,

stling with Rudolph. "Easy o

se, but only to shake him violen

fter the bounder and kick him. But that sort of thing--you did enough. Who'd

ore. Wutzler came slinking back

whined, gulping nervo

known. If only I'd reached him first! By Jove, you must let me fight that beast. Duels? The id

freshed and comforted, but his lau

ol-bullets--they fly on the win

here's not a pair of matched pistols in the settlement. An

wall the wheel of the punkah-thong whined insistently,--rise and fall,

anity. Fencing,--oh, I hate the man, and the art's by-gon

back, but now wi

well," he de

great breath, a s

at his own game! Hoist with his own what-d'-ye-call-it! I'd give anything"--He thumped the table, and pitched the cards broadca

oung moustache upward with steady fingers, and sat very quiet,

s the Lord Mayor said of the hare. What sport! Wit

earching for air. Instead of moonlight,

ach old Gilly," he mused

, stiffly, "I don't know the prope

A club! Yes, where we drink out of jam-pots--dead cushions, dead balls--no verand

venting fragments of disgust. Then of a sudden he turned

nd dispersed in the growing light, as the new day, worse than the old, came sullenly without breath or respit

"That dingy little procession, do you know, it's quite the

e darkest of human courts, to answer for the death of the cormorant-fisher. The squad passed by. Rudolph saw again the lighted shop, the tumbled figure retching on th

utzler was away, as ke

don't care." He stretched his arms, with a weary howl. "That's the first y

he two friends sat for a long time

are so kind, and I was just a fool. That other day, I would not listen. You laughed. No

ager, waiting for the truth li

lly Forrester slaves here to send her junketing in Japan, Kashmir, Ceylon, Home. W

paused,

The natives lashing themselves into a state of mind, or being lashed.

ded quietly, "I do not know a

lowered, and twic

red, "that man--Preposterou

ng the haggard light of morning. A few weeks ago he might have wept;

tar' service. Ho ho! Luck, to pass into the Ersatz!--I do not care, now. I cannot