Nowandagain，despiteallmunicipalregulations，thefragmentofahalf-burnedbodybobbedbyonthefullcurrent。
　　`Butforthee，’saidtheKambohtoKim，drawingthechildintohishairybreast，`Imighttodayhavegonethither-withthisone。TheprieststellusthatBenaresisholywhichnonedoubt-anddesirabletodiein。ButIdonotknowtheirGods，andtheyaskformoney；andwhenonehasdoneoneworshipashaved-headvowsitisofnoneeffectexceptonedoanother。
　　Washhere！Washthere！Pour，drink，lave，andscatterflowers-butalwayspaythepriests。No，thePunjabforme，andthesoiloftheJullundur-doabforthebestsoilinit。’
　　`Ihavesaidmanytimes-intheTemple，Ithink-thatifneedbe，theRiverwillopenatourfeet。WewillthereforegoNorth，’saidthelama，rising。`Irememberapleasantplace，setaboutwithfruit-trees，whereonecanwalkinmeditation-andtheairiscoolerthere。ItcomesfromtheHillsandthesnowoftheHills。’
　　`Whatisthename？’saidKim。
　　`HowshouldIknow？Didstthounot-no，thatwasaftertheArmyroseoutoftheearthandtooktheeaway。Iabodethereinmeditationinaroomagainstthedovecot-exceptwhenshetalkedeternally。’
　　`Oho！thewomanfromKulu。ThatisbySaharunpore。’Kimlaughed。
　　`Howdoesthespiritmovethymaster？Doeshegoafoot，forthesakeofpastsins？’theJatdemandedcautiously。`ItisafarcrytoDelhi。’
　　`No，’saidKim。`Iwillbegatikkutforthete-rain。’OnedoesnotowntothepossessionofmoneyinIndia。
　　`Then，inthenameoftheGods，letustakethefire-carriage。Mysonisbestinhismother’sarms。TheGovernmenthasbroughtonusmanytaxes，butitgivesusonegoodthing-thete-rainthatjoinsfriendsandunitestheanxious。Awonderfulmatteristhete-rain。’
　　Theyallpiledintoitacoupleofhourslater，andsleptthroughtheheatoftheday。TheKambohpliedKimwithtenthousandquestionsastothelama’swalkandworkinlife，andreceivedsomecuriousanswers。Kimwascontenttobewherehewas，tolookoutupontheflatNorth-Westernlandscape，andto-talktothechangingmoboffellow-passengers。Eventoday，ticketsandticket-clippingaredarkoppressiontoIndianrustics。Theydonotunderstandwhy，whentheyhavepaidforamagicpieceofpaper，strangersshouldpunchgreatpiecesoutofthecharm。So，longandfuriousarethedebatesbetweentravellersandEurasianticket-collectors。Kimassistedattwoorthreewithgraveadvice，meanttodarkencounselandtoshowoffhiswisdombeforethelamaandtheadmiringKamboh。ButatSomnaRoadtheFatessenthimamattertothinkupon。Theretumbledintothecompartment，asthetrainwasmovingoff，amean，leanlittleperson-aMahratta，sofarasKimcouldjudgebythecockofthetightturban。
　　Hisfacewascut，hismuslinupper-garmentwasbadlytorn，andonelegwasbandaged。Hetoldthemthatacountry-carthadupsetandnearlyslainhim：hewasgoingtoDelhi，wherehissonlived。Kimwatchedhimclosely。
　　If；asheasserted，hehadbeenrolledoverandoverontheearth，thereshouldhavebeensignsofgravel-rashontheskin。Butallhisinjuriesseemedcleancuts，andamerefallfromacartcouldnotcastamanintosuchextremityofterror。As，withshakingfingers，heknottedupthetornclothabouthisneckhelaidbareanamuletofthekindcalledakeeper-upoftheheart。Now，amuletsarecommonenough，buttheyarenotgenerallystrungonsquare-plaitedcopperwire，andstillfeweramuletsbearblackenamelonsilver。TherewerenoneexcepttheKambohandthelamainthecompartment，which，luckily，wasofanoldtypewithsolidends。Kimmadeastoscratchinhisbosom，andtherebyliftedhisownamulet。TheMahratta’sfacechangedaltogetheratthesight，andhedisposedtheamuletfairlyonhisbreast。
　　`Yes，’hewentontotheKamboh，`Iwasinhaste，andthecart，drivenbyabastard，bounditswheelinawater-cut，andbesidestheharmdonetometherewaslostafulldishoftarkeean。IwasnotaSonoftheCharm[aluckyman]thatday。’
　　`Thatwasagreatloss，’saidtheKamboh，withdrawinginterest。HisexperienceofBenareshadmadehimsuspicious。
　　`Whocookedit？’saidKim。
　　`Awoman。’TheMahrattaraisedhiseyes。
　　`Butallwomencancooktarkeean，’saidtheKamboh。`Itisagoodcurry，asIknow。’
　　`Ohyes，itisagoodcurry，’saidtheMahratta。
　　`Andcheap，’saidKim。`Butwhataboutcaste？’
　　`Oh，thereisnocastewheremengoto-lookfortarkeean，’
　　theMahrattareplied，intheprescribedcadence。`Ofwhoseserviceartthou？’
　　`OftheserviceofthisHolyOne。’Kimpointedtothehappy，drowsylama，whowokewithajerkatthewell-lovedword。
　　`Ah，hewassentfromHeaventoaidme。HeiscalledtheFriendofalltheWorld。HeisalsocalledtheFriendoftheStars。Hewalksasaphysician-histimebeingripe。Greatishiswisdom。’
　　`AndaSonoftheCharm，’saidKimunderhisbreath，astheKambohmadehastetoprepareapipelesttheMahrattashouldbeg。
　　`Andwhoisthat？’theMahrattaasked，glancingsidewaysnervously。
　　`OnewhosechildI-wehavecured，wholiesundergreatdebttous-
　　Sitbythewindow，manfromJullundur。Hereisasickone。’
　　`Humph！Ihavenodesiretomixwithchance-metwastrels。Myearsarenotlong。Iamnotawomanwishingtooverhearsecrets。’
　　TheJatslidhimselfheavilyintoafarcorner。
　　`Artthouanythingofahealer？Iamtenleaguesdeepincalamity，’
　　criedtheMahratta，pickingupthecue。
　　`Thismaniscutandbruisedallover。Igoabouttocurehim，’Kimretorted。`Noneinterferedbetweenthybabeandme。’
　　`Iamrebuked，’saidtheKambohmeekly。`Iamthydebtorforthelifeofmyson。Thouartamiracle-worker-Iknowit。’
　　`Showmethecuts。’KimbentovertheMahratta’sneck，hisheartnearlychokinghim；forthiswastheGreatGamewithavengeance。`Now，tellthytaleswiftly，brother，whileIsayacharm。’
　　`IcomefromtheSouth，wheremyworklay。Oneofustheyslewbytheroadside。Hastthouheard？’Kimshookhishead。He，ofcourse，knewnothingofE23’spredecessor，slaindownSouthinthehabitofanArabtrader。
　　`HavingfoundacertainletterwhichIwassenttoseek，Icameaway。I
　　escapedfromthecityandrantoMhow。SosurewasIthatnoneknew，I
　　didnotchangemyface。AtMhowawomanbroughtchargeagainstmeoftheftofjewelleryinthatcitywhichIhadleft。ThenIsawthecrywasoutagainstme。IranfromMhowbynight，bribingthepolice，whohadbeenbribedtohandmeoverwithoutquestiontomyenemiesintheSouth。ThenIlayinoldChitorcityaweek，apenitentinatemple，butIcouldnotgetridoftheletterwhichwasmycharge。IburieditundertheQueen’sStone，atChitor，intheplaceknowntousall。’
　　Kimdidnotknow，butnotforworldswouldhehavebrokenthethread。
　　`AtChitor，lookyou，IwasallinKings’country；forKotahtotheeastisbeyondtheQueen’slaw，andeastagainlieJaipurandGwalior。
　　Neitherlovespies，andthereisnojustice。Iwashuntedlikeawetjackal；
　　butIbrokethroughatBandakui，whereIheardtherewasachargeagainstmeofmurderinthecityIhadleft-ofthemurderofaboy。Theyhaveboththecorpseandthewitnesseswaiting。’
　　`ButcannottheGovernmentprotect？’
　　`WeoftheGamearebeyondprotection。Ifwedie，wedie。Ournamesareblottedfromthebook。Thatisall。AtBandakui，wherelivesoneofUs，Ithoughttoslipthescentbychangingmyface，andsomademeaMahratta。
　　ThenIcametoAgra，andwouldhaveturnedbacktoChitortorecovertheletter。SosureIwasIhadslippedthem。ThereforeIdidnotsendatar[telegram]toanyonesayingwheretheletterlay。Iwishedthecreditofitall。’
　　Kimnodded。Heunderstoodthatfeelingwell。
　　`ButatAgra，walkinginthestreets，amancriedadebtagainstme，andapproachingwithmanywitnesses，wouldhalemetothecourtsthenandthere。Oh，theyarecleverintheSouth！Herecognizedmeashisagentforcotton。MayheburninHellforit！’
　　`Andwastthou？’
　　`Ofool！Iwasthemantheysoughtforthematteroftheletter！IranintotheFleshers’WardandcameoutbytheHouseoftheJew，whofearedariotandpushedmeforth。IcameafoottoSomnaRoad-IhadonlymoneyformytikkuttoDelhi-andthere，whileIlayinaditchwithafever，onesprangoutofthebushesandbeatmeandcutmeandsearchedmefromheadtofoot。Withinearshotofthete-rainitwas！’
　　`Whydidhenotslaytheeoutofhand？’
　　`Theyarenotsofoolish。IfIamtakeninDelhiattheinstanceoflawyers，uponaprovenchargeofmurder，mybodyishandedovertotheStatethatdesiresit。Igobackguarded，andthen-IdieslowlyforanexampletotherestofUs。TheSouthisnotmycountry。Irunincircles-likeagoatwithoneeye。Ihavenoteatenfortwodays。Iammarked’-
　　hetouchedthefilthybandageonhisleg-`sothattheywillknowmeatDelhi。’
　　`Thouartsafeinthete-rain，atleast。’
　　`LiveayearattheGreatGameandtellmethatagain！ThewireswillbeoutagainstmeatDelhi，describingeverytearandraguponme。Twenty-ahundred，ifneedbe-willhaveseenmeslaythatboy。Andthouartuseless！’
　　Kimknewenoughofnativemethodsofattacknottodoubtthatthecasewouldbedeadlycomplete-eventothecorpse。TheMahrattatwitchedhisfingerswithpainfromtimetotime。TheKambohinhiscornerglaredsullenly；