buttheireyeswerealight，andyoucouldseethattheyhadalreadyconvictedandsentencedtheSeniorSubalternTheColonelseemedfiveyearsolderOneMajorwasshadinghiseyeswithhishandandwatchingthewomanfromunderneathitAnotherwaschewinghismoustacheandsmilingquietlyasifhewerewitnessingaplay。
Fullintheopenspaceinthecentre，bythewhist-tables，theSeniorSubaltern’sterrierwashuntingforfleasIrememberallthisasclearlyasthoughaphotographwereinmyhandIrememberthelookofhorrorontheSeniorSubaltern’sfaceItwasratherlikeseeingamanhanged；butmuchmoreinterestingFinally，thewomanwoundupbysayingthattheSeniorSubalterncarriedadoubleFMintattooonhisleftshoulderWeallknewthat，andtoourinnocentmindsitseemedtoclinchthematterButoneoftheBachelorMajorssaidverypolitely：——“Ipresumethatyourmarriagecertificatewouldbemoretothepurpose？”
ThatrousedthewomanShestoodupandsneeredattheSeniorSubalternforacur，andabusedtheMajorandtheColonelandalltherestThenshewept，andthenshepulledapaperfromherbreast，sayingimperially：——“Takethat！Andletmyhusband——mylawfullyweddedhusband——readitaloud——ifhedare！”
Therewasahush，andthemenlookedintoeachother’seyesastheSeniorSubalterncameforwardinadazedanddizzyway，andtookthepaperWewerewonderingaswestared，whethertherewasanythingagainstanyoneofusthatmightturnuplateronTheSeniorSubaltern’sthroatwasdry；but，asheranhiseyeoverthepaper，hebrokeoutintoahoarsecackleofrelief，andsaidtothewoman：——
“Youyoungblackguard！”
Butthewomanhadfledthroughadoor，andonthepaperwaswritten：——“ThisistocertifythatI，TheWorm，havepaidinfullmydebtstotheSeniorSubaltern，and，further，thattheSeniorSubalternismydebtor，byagreementonthe23dofFebruary，asbytheMessattested，totheextentofonemonth’sCaptain’spay，inthelawfulcurrencyoftheIndiaEmpire。”
ThenadeputationsetoffforTheWorm’squartersandfoundhim，betwixtandbetween，unlacinghisstays，withthehat，wig，sergedress，etc。，onthebedHecameoverashewas，andthe“Shikarris“shoutedtilltheGunners’MesssentovertoknowiftheymighthaveashareofthefunIthinkwewereall，excepttheColonelandtheSeniorSubaltern，alittledisappointedthatthescandalhadcometonothingButthatishumannatureTherecouldbenotwowordsaboutTheWorm’sactingItleanedasneartoanastytragedyasanythingthissideofajokecanWhenmostoftheSubalternssatuponhimwithsofa-cushionstofindoutwhyhehadnotsaidthatactingwashisstrongpoint，heansweredveryquietly：——“Idon’tthinkyoueveraskedmeIusedtoactatHomewithmysisters。”ButnoactingwithgirlscouldaccountforTheWorm’sdisplaythatnightPersonally，Ithinkitwasinbadtaste。
BesidesbeingdangerousThereisnosortofuseinplayingwithfire，evenforfun。
The“Shikarris“madehimPresidentoftheRegimentalDramaticClub；
and，whentheSeniorSubalternpaiduphisdebt，whichhedidatonce，TheWormsankthemoneyinsceneryanddressesHewasagoodWorm；andthe“Shikarris“areproudofhimTheonlydrawbackisthathehasbeenchristened“MrsSeniorSubaltern；“andastherearenowtwoMrsSeniorSubalternsintheStation，thisissometimesconfusingtostrangers。
Lateron，Iwilltellyouofacasesomethinglike，this，butwithallthejestleftoutandnothinginitbutrealtrouble。
THEBROKENLINKHANDICAPPED。
Whilethesnaffleholds，orthe“long-neck“stings，Whilethebigbeamtilts，orthelastbellrings，Whilehorsesarehorsestotrainandtorace，ThenwomenandwinetakeasecondplaceForme——forme——
Whileashort“ten-three“
Hasafieldtosquanderorfencetoface！
SongoftheGR。
TherearemorewaysofrunningahorsetosuityourbookthanpullinghisheadoffinthestraightSomemenforgetthis。
Understandclearlythatallracingisrotten——aseverythingconnectedwithlosingmoneymustbeOuthere，inadditiontoitsinherentrottenness，ithasthemeritofbeingtwo-thirdssham；
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