No sooner, however, had the first sentry gone through the door to the
left section, than he sent the second one on a similar message to the
right, where the hospital lay. Then, the coast being clear, he rapidly
unlocked the private safe in the office which held his set of keys in
case of accidents, and locked both the right and left doors. Secure for
a moment, therefore, from interruption, he ran outside, saw that the
tool rooms, etc., were closed, gave the signal to Eugene Smith, hurried
the refugees up the stairs; and then, after unlocking the two doors
again on his way back to the office, sat down in his usual chair and
began to look over a register.
He was engaged in this calm occupation when, a minute or two after, the
native superintendent--a big, dignified person, in a blatant undress
due largely to his bulk--arrived breathless.
"_Darogah-jee!_" began Dr. Dillon, instantly, and the mere tone of the
title made the man quiver, "I've had constantly to complain of the
tobacco and opium smuggling that is going on among the warders, and I
mean to stop it. I've had information to-night which will clinch
the business. So take the night guard, rouse every warder, bring
everyone here, even those on guard in the sections--the hospital
orderlies--everyone, in fact, who is free to go out of the gaol. They
are to come at once. No time allowed for arrangements. If they are not
all here in five minutes I shall think you are in league with the
smugglers."
The _darogah's_ fat flesh shook, yet he winked as he went off. If the
doctor-_sahib_ expected to find anything in this fashion except, maybe,
a smell of the forbidden drugs, he was mistaken. On such a night, too,
when the dust was in everyone's eyes. Well! it might have been worse;
for, though he knew nothing definitely of any plot, he could not fail
to know that there was more to excite men in the gaol, that night, than
tobacco or opium! So he went about his summons with a sigh of relief,
and before the five minutes were over had his posse of minor officials
together, including a file of unfettered prisoners, with good conduct
badges, who were used as gang leaders. He himself finally coming down
the alley, with a stupendous bunch of keys, followed by the little
group of night warders he had collected from the other sections.
"All here?" asked Dr. Dillon, lighting a cigar. "The register, please,
_darogah_. They will answer to their names, pass out through the wicket
into the porch, and stay there until I've tallied the lot. I'm going to
have it _pakka_[11] this time."
Some of the men grinned, some looked uneasy, and some few frowned; but
all obeyed, though they cuddled themselves into their blankets as they
slipped through the wicket, and faced the whirling, swirling storm in
the open porch, the doors of which were barred, not solid.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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