“Well, the head of them all is gone; he was, as you may have suspicioned yourself, that fellow Krauss. No one knows what’s become of him. Some say he’s in Calcutta; more think he’s dead—died aboard ship; but that may not be true. Them sort of ruffians generally live to a great age. Someone may have put him out, or rather done him in. There were two or three chaps what I’ve heard talkin’ terrible bitter agin him; and one fine young man, Ar Bo, who is back from the Andamans—where he got sent to for three year, on account of this cocaine business—told me that he met a lot of clever fellows from all parts of the world; up to every dodge they were, and one of them instructed him in the way of killing a man stone dead—and not leaving a spot on him! I believe it’s some little trick with the head, where it joins the spine. This chap confessed that he had tried it on several with success, and it wouldn’t surprise _me_ if he had made an experiment on Krauss!” “But what about the cocaine?” said Shafto. “How, are we to set about getting a haul?” “Ye’ll have to go aisy, or rather Mr. FitzGerald and the polis must work by stealth; he can take a good few disguised, as it were on a sort of pilgrimage, but well armed, and passing through this village as it were accidental; and with a couple of boats on the river I think they might scare the lot. I’d like to go with them meself, for a bit of sport—only for me yellow robe, it wouldn’t look well for me to be seen mixed up with cocaine, thaves and the polis.” “No, I suppose not,” agreed Shafto. “You have to think of your cloth. Well, if you will write me down a few details on this slip of paper in my notebook, I will give it to Mr. FitzGerald at once, and I can’t tell you how thankful he will be to get hold of it, or how grateful to you we are.” “Oh, I don’t want no thanks for what has been a real pleasure. Haven’t I seen with me own two eyes all the terrible harm this drug-takin’ leads to? And if I’ve been in a small way the means of puttin’ a stop to some of it, I’ll be a proud man.” He paused to clear his throat, and continued: “I suppose, you have not seen anything of Ma Chit lately?” “No.” “She keeps you from goin’ to the Salters, doesn’t she? She’s always sittin’ about there on the steps, heart-broken, because she can’t get a word wid ye! Of course, I’m not surprised she’s took a fancy to ye.” “Fancy! Rot!” burst out Shafto. “I can’t stand these cheeky Burmese girls. I only hope I may never set eyes on Ma Chit again.” “Well, then, as likely as not ye won’t,” remarked Mung Baw soothingly. “She has a rich relation up at Thayetmyo, and she’s swithering between love and money. Perhaps, after all, money will carry the day. Well, now, I must be goin’ to me duties—and me devotions, and I’ll bid ye good evening.” The conversation at “Heidelberg” interrupted by Lily had been resumed on a suitable occasion in the gardens of the “Barn,” and Sophy and Shafto were now provisionally engaged.