`Why，it’saboy！’hesaid，ashedrewhisprizeunderthelightofthetent-polelantern，thenshakinghimseverelycried：`Whatwereyoudoing？You’reathief。Choor？Mallum？’HisHindustaniwasverylimited，andtheruffledanddisgustedKimintendedtokeeptothecharacterlaiddownforhim。Asherecoveredhisbreathhewasinventingabeautifullyplausibletaleofhisrelationstosomescullion，andatthesametimekeepingakeeneyeonandalittleundertheChaplain’sleftarm-pit。Thechancecame；heduckedforthedoorway，butalongarmshotoutandclutchedathisneck，snappingtheamulet-stringandclosingontheamulet。
　　`Giveitme。O，giveitme。Isitlost？Givemethepapers。’
　　ThewordswereinEnglish-thetinny，saw-cutEnglishofthenative-bred，andtheChaplainjumped。
　　`Ascapular，’saidhe，openinghishand。`No，somesortofheathencharm。
　　Why-why，doyouspeakEnglish？Littleboyswhostealarebeaten。Youknowthat？’
　　`Idonot-Ididnotsteal。’Kimdancedinagonylikeaterrierataliftedstick。`Oh，giveitme。Itismycharm。Donotthieveitfromme。’
　　TheChaplaintooknoheed，but，goingtothetentdoor，calledaloud。
　　Afattish，clean-shavenmanappeared。
　　`Iwantyouradvice，FatherVictor，’saidBennett。`IfoundthisboyinthedarkoutsidetheMess-tent。Ordinarily，Ishouldhavechastisedhimandlethimgo，becauseIbelievehimtobeathief。ButitseemshetalksEnglish，andheattachessomesortofvaluetoacharmroundhisneck。Ithoughtperhapsyoumighthelpme。’
　　BetweenhimselfandtheRomanCatholicChaplainoftheIrishcontingentlay，asBennettbelieved，anunbridgeablegulf，butitwasnoticeablethatwhenevertheChurchofEnglanddealtwithahumanproblemshewasverylikelytocallintheChurchofRome。Bennett’sofficialabhorrenceoftheScarletWomanandallherwayswasonlyequalledbyhisprivaterespectforFatherVictor。
　　`AthieftalkingEnglish，isit？Let’slookathischarm。No，it’snotascapular，Bennett。’Heheldouthishand。
　　`Buthaveweanyrighttoopenit？Asoundwhipping-’
　　`Ididnotthieve，’protestedKim。`Youhavehitmekicksallovermybody。NowgivememycharmandIwillgoaway。’
　　`Notquitesofast。We’lllookfirst，’saidFatherVictor，leisurelyrollingoutpoorKimballO’Hara’snevarieturparchment，hisclearance-certificate，andKim’sbaptismalcertificate。OnthislastO’Hara-withsomeconfusedideathathewasdoingwondersforhisson-hadscrawledscoresoftimes：
　　`Lookaftertheboy。Pleaselookaftertheboy’-signinghisnameandregimentalnumberinfull。
　　`PowersofDarknessbelow！’saidFatherVictor，passingallovertoMrBennett。`Doyouknowwhatthesethingsare？’
　　`Yes，’saidKim。`Theyaremine，andIwanttogoaway。’
　　`Idonotquiteunderstand，’saidMrBennett。`Heprobablybroughtthemonpurpose。Itmaybeabeggingtrickofsomekind。’
　　`Ineversawabeggarlessanxioustostaywithhiscompany，then。There’sthemakingsofagaymysteryhere。YebelieveinProvidence，Bennett？’
　　`Ihopeso。’
　　`Well，Ibelieveinmiracles，soitcomestothesamething。PowersofDarkness！KimballO’Hara！Andhisson！Butthenhe’sanative，andI
　　sawKimballmarriedmyselftoAnnieShott。Howlonghaveyouhadthesethings，boy？’
　　`EversinceIwasalittlebaby。’
　　FatherVictorsteppedforwardquicklyandopenedthefrontofKim’suppergarment。`Yousee，Bennett，he’snotveryblack。What’syourname？’
　　`Kim。’
　　`OrKimball？’
　　`Perhaps。Willyouletmegoaway？’
　　`Whatelse？’
　　`TheycallmeKimRishtike。ThatisKimoftheRishti。’
　　`Whatisthat-`Rishti’？’
　　`Eye-rishti-thatwastheRegiment-myfather’s。’
　　`Irish-oh，Isee。’
　　`Yess。Thatwashowmyfathertoldme。Myfather，hehaslived。’
　　`Haslivedwhere？’
　　`Haslived。Ofcourseheisdead-gone-out。’
　　`Oh！That’syourabruptwayofputtingit，isit？’
　　Bennettinterrupted。`ItispossibleIhavedonetheboyaninjustice。
　　Heiscertainlywhite，thoughevidentlyneglected。IamsureImusthavebruisedhim。Idonotthinkspirits-’
　　`Gethimaglassofsherry，then，andlethimsquatonthecot。Now，Kim，’continuedFatherVictor，`nooneisgoingtohurtyou。Drinkthatdownandtellusaboutyourself。Thetruth，ifyou’venoobjection。’
　　Kimcoughedalittleasheputdowntheemptyglass，andconsidered。
　　Thisseemedatimeforcautionandfancy。Smallboyswhoprowlaboutcampsaregenerallyturnedoutafterawhipping。Buthehadreceivednostripes；
　　theamuletwasevidentlyworkinginhisfavour，anditlookedasthoughtheUmballahoroscopeandthefewwordsthathecouldrememberofhisfather’smaunderingsfittedinmostmiraculously。Elsewhydidthefatpadreseemsoimpressed，andwhytheglassofhotyellowdrinkfromtheleanone？
　　`Myfather，heisdeadinLahorecitysinceIwasverylittle。Thewoman，shekeptkabarrishopnearwherethehirecarriagesare。’Kimbeganwithaplunge，notquitesurehowfarthetruthwouldservehim。
　　`Yourmother？’
　　`No！’-withagestureofdisgust。`ShewentoutwhenIwasborn。
　　Myfather，hegotthesepapersfromtheJadoo-Gher-whatdoyoucallthat？’
　　Bennettnodded`becausehewasin-good-standing。Whatdoyoucallthat？’
　　againBennettnodded。`Myfathertoldmethat。Hesaid，too，andalsotheBrahminwhomadethedrawinginthedustatUmballatwodaysago，hesaid，thatIshallfindaRedBullonagreenfieldandthattheBullshallhelpme。’
　　`Aphenomenallittleliar，’mutteredBennett。
　　`PowersofDarknessbelow，whatacountry！’murmuredFatherVictor。
　　`Goon，Kim。’
　　`Ididnotthieve。Besides，Iamjustnowdiscipleofaveryholyman。Heissittingoutside。Wesawtwomencomewithflags，makingtheplaceready。Thatisalwayssoinadream，oronaccountofa-a-prophecy。SoIknewitwascometrue。IsawtheRedBullonthegreenfield，andmyfatherhesaid：`NinehundredpukkadevilsandtheColonelridingonahorsewilllookafteryouwhenyoufindtheRedBull！’IdidnotknowwhattodowhenIsawtheBull，butIwentawayandIcameagainwhenitwasdark。IwantedtoseetheBullagain，andIsawtheBullagainwiththe-theSahibsprayingtoit。IthinktheBullshallhelpme。Theholymansaidsotoo。Heissittingoutside。Willyouhurthim，ifIcallhimashoutnow？Heisveryholy。HecanwitnesstoallthethingsIsay，andheknowsIamnotathief。’
　　``Sahibsprayingtoabull！’Whatintheworlddoyoumakeofthat？’
　　saidBennett。``Discipleofaholyman！’Istheboymad？’
　　`It’sO’Hara’sboy，sureenough。O’Hara’sboyleaguedwithallthePowersofDarkness。It’sverymuchwhathisfatherwouldhavedone-ifhewasdrunk。We’dbetterinvitetheholyman。Hemayknowsomething。’
　　`Hedoesnotknowanything，’saidKim。`Iwillshowyouhimifyoucome。
　　Heismymaster。Thenafterwardswecango。’
　　`PowersofDarkness！’wasallthatFatherVictorcouldsay，asBennettmarchedoff，withafirmhandonKim’sshoulder。
　　Theyfoundthelamawherehehaddropped。
　　`TheSearchisatanendforme，’shoutedKiminthevernacular。`I
　　havefoundtheBull，butGodknowswhatcomesnext。Theywillnothurtyou。Cometothefatpriest’stentwiththisthinmanandseetheend。
　　Itisallnew，andtheycannottalkHindi。Theyareonlyuncurrieddonkeys。’
　　`Thenitisnotwelltomakeajestoftheirignorance，’thelamareturned。
　　`Iamgladifthouartrejoiced，chela。’
　　Dignifiedandunsuspicious，hestrodeintothelittletent，salutedtheChurchesasaChurchman，andsatdownbytheopencharcoalbrazier。
　　Theyellowliningofthetentreflectedinthelamplightmadehisfacered-gold。
　　Bennettlookedathimwiththetriple-ringeduninterestofthecreedthatlumpsnine-tenthsoftheworldunderthetitleofheathen。
　　`AndwhatwastheendoftheSearch？WhatgifthastheRedBullbrought？’
　　ThelamaaddressedhimselftoKim。
　　`Hesays，`Whatareyougoingtodo？’’BennettwasstaringuneasilyatFatherVictor，andKim，forhisownends，tookuponhimselftheofficeofinterpreter。
　　`Idonotseewhatconcernthisfakirhaswiththeboy，whoisprobablyhisdupeorhisconfederate，’Bennettbegan。`WecannotallowanEnglishboy-AssumingthatheisthesonofaMason，thesoonerhegoestotheMasonicOrphanagethebetter。’
　　`Ah！That’syouropinionasSecretarytotheRegimentalLodge，’saidFatherVictor；`butwemightaswelltelltheoldmanwhatwearegoingtodo。Hedoesn’tlooklikeavillain。’
　　`MyexperienceisthatonecanneverfathomtheOrientalmind。Now，Kimball，IwishyoutotellthismanwhatIsay-wordforword。’
　　Kimgatheredtheimportofthenextfewsentencesandbeganthus：
　　`HolyOne，thethinfoolwholookslikeacamelsaysthatIamthesonofaSahib。’
　　`Buthow？’
　　`Oh，itistrue。Iknewitsincemybirth，buthecouldonlyfinditoutbyrendingtheamuletfrommyneckandreadingallthepapers。
　　HethinksthatonceaSahibisalwaysaSahib，andbetweenthetwoofthemtheypurposetokeepmeinthisRegimentortosendmetoamadrissah[aschool]。Ithashappenedbefore。Ihavealwaysavoidedit。Thefatfoolisofonemindandthecamel-likeoneofanother。Butthatisnoodds。