The Hajji
said: 'I go to my own place,' and he loosed from his neck a
chained heart of ambergris set in soft gold and held it forth.
Our Sahib snatched it swiftly in the closed fist, down turned,
and said 'If thy name be written hereon, it is needless, for a
name is already engraved on my heart.' The Hajji said: 'And on
mine also is a name engraved; but there is no name on the
amulet.' The Hajji stooped to our Sahib's feet, but our Sahib
raised and embraced him, and the Hajji covered his mouth with his
shoulder-cloth, because it worked, and so he went away."
"And what order was in the Service letter?" Stalky murmured.
"Only an order for our Sahib to write a report on some new cattle
sickness. But all orders come in the same make of envelope. We
could not tell what order it might have been."
"When he opened the letter--my son--made he no sign? A cough? An
oath?" Strickland asked.
"None, Sahib. I watched his hands. They did not shake. Afterward
he wiped his face, but he was sweating before from the heat.
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