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Show I Q Smoothing Things Over Q I I ronne; ?at drum- raRHHRml ming a devil's tat-Uff tat-Uff llllillWl (O0 0D he orderly W Aft fltki room table and N iW fJflH Pazr-d abstractedly NLMi ifUn through the door-lllH door-lllH vfifk wa al the 8Un" FJJ fmiwi baked Indian land-Wmmi land-Wmmi Iff scape. Beside him NRwfJ3ijJ stood his adjutant. m m very stiff and for-betrayed for-betrayed an irritable impatience. mal In his bearing, though his eyes At laet the drumming ceased and the colonel spoke. "I don't like the Idea that one of my officers would do such a thing." "Of course not, sir. Most unpleasant unpleas-ant But I thought It my duty to mention men-tion my susplclonB." "You were quite right, Maodonald. but it is a nasty business and I don't know what to do." Macdonald was one of those fortunate for-tunate men who see only one path before be-fore them and see that clearly. Doubt and hesitation were quite Incomprehensible Incompre-hensible to him. "A surprise inspection of the cash chest, sir as I suggested. I don't see what better action you can take." "I don't like it. I don't like even to appear to Buspect him. After all, there is no proof." "Everybody knows that Mr. Blane lost heavily at the last two race meetings. meet-ings. Yet his stables are full." "Has he any private means?" "None, sir. Not a penny." "That is what every body is asking. I expect the money lenders In the bazar ba-zar could tell something If they chose, and perhaps the contents of the cast chest may throw some light on the subject" The position of the new commanding command-ing officer is always a little difficult, especially if he has been promoted from another regiment In a way, he is on trial. This Merryweather had anticipated, and he was prepared to meet it It was Macdonald's attitude that caused his disappointment his own selection for the adjutantcy, chosen for his zeal and energy, not a brilliant man, but thoroughly reliable. Merryweather knew the type and was satisfied with him He sighed and turned his thoughts back to Blanc's delinquencies. "Anything else for me this morning?" morn-ing?" "Nothing at present, sir," replied Macdonald, rising wearily. "Then I shall bo off to breakfast," and he adjusted the straps of his Sam Brown belt "O, by the way, I will inspect in-spect the cash chest at 7 tomorrow morning." The victory was won! It had been a long struggle, but Macdonald had got his own way at last. "Seven o'clock Very good, sir." "Yes Put it In orders, will you'" The words were spoken quite casually, casual-ly, but they startled Macdonald out of all decorum. "What?" he exclaimed. "Put it in orders was what I said." and Merryweather strode away down the veranda, Macdonald pursued him. "Colonel, Colonel!" "Well, what is it?" Merry weather-er's weather-er's foot was In the stirrup. "Don't jou see, sir. that if I put it In orders it won't be a surprise Inspection?"' In-spection?"' "Yes, I sec that," and the ghost of a smile flickered for an instant on the colonel's lips. "Well, sir, do you still want it put in orders?" "Yes, please." And the colonel cantered can-tered away, leaving his adjutant gazing gaz-ing after him. Macdonald returned to the office. "It's no good trying to help him," he muttered Lieut. Blane's quarters gave no evidence evi-dence of the critical slate of his finances Like his colonel, Blane was confronted with a problem that offered many diffeient solutions, and he frowned thoughtfully at a row of boots extending the whole length of his bedroom. bed-room. Which of those boots should he wear today? The question of boots was still unsettled un-settled when a servant entered with the regimental order book and stood holding it open while Blanc glanced at the contents. "No parade tomorrow Good! Nothing Noth-ing else, I hope " He ran his eyes down the page. "Treasure chest! What's this?" and seizing the book he read the order at a glance "That's Macdonald.' he shouted, and thrusting the book into the servant's serv-ant's hands be began striding about the room. For five years he had been devising schemes to raise money and meeting crisis after crisis. Now his training stood him in good stead. "Take the dog-cart, drive to the bazar ba-zar and tell Ramsawmy Chetty I want to see him at once. Biing him back in the trap. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir." "Then what are you waiting for?" "If he says so, sir. 'I won't come'?" "Tell him I have just got a check from England for lei me see for 400." "Four hundred pounds"" "Yes. That's about 6,fi0f rupees Tcdl him I wranl 3,000 and he can have the rest. Say that if ho is not here In half an hour I will send for another an-other money lender." Well, within the appointed time Ramsawmy Chetty stood salaaming In the doorway, a fat, obsequious, greasy little man. with watchful eyes that never smiled. He was not surprised to learn from Blane that no check had arrived. All demands for money he met with a firm refusal, none too polite; for, like his kind, his best manners were reserved for his richer clients. However, Blanc still held his trump card and his glance rested for a moment mo-ment on the little pile of telegrams before ho asked: "How much do I owe you?" The Chetty named the sum. It was far greater than Blane expected, but he let that pass, for he had no intention inten-tion of paying it. "There is no money In the regimental regi-mental cash chest," Blane continued. The Chetty's face expressed astonishment, aston-ishment, though he felt none It would have surprised him more if there had been any. "When the colonel discovers this tomorrow to-morrow morning I shall be placed under un-der arrest, tried by court-martial and kicked out of the service. Then there won't be any pay for you to attach." From beneath a paperweight betook the little pile of telegrams and passed them to the Chetty. They were addressed ad-dressed to various banks and money lenders and stated briefly that he was being prosecuted for debt, and if they wanted a share of the spoil they must look sharp. "When all these sharks come down on mc at once I wonder what your share will be?" The moneylender began to whine. "Sir. I am a poor man How- can I lose so much money?" But Blane cut him short. "Three thousand down at once." The Chetty was groveling on the floor Half an hour later Blane returned to his bungalow and threw himself Into an easy chair These financial crises always took it out of him; yet in a way. he enjoyed the excitement. Col Merryweather, his adjutant and a clerk waited in the shade of the guard-room veranda. The colonel looked at the safe, a heavy iron chest, chained to the wall. "How many keys are there?" he asked. "Two, sir." "And Blane keeps both?" "Yes." Blanc, mounted on an Arab polo pony, drew up, dismounted and walked walk-ed quickly to the veranda. "Sorry I'm late, sir." he said, saluting. salut-ing. Then ho turned to the cash chest Macdonald watched the proceedings without interest He could see from Blane's manner that the money was all right, but he was convinced that it had not been there yesterday. It was all so obvious yet somehow the colonel could not see it. Blane threw the door wide open and Macdonald was startled out of his indifference in-difference "With the exception of an envelope and a small pile of rupees the safe was empty He turned to the colonel "There ought to be over 3,000 rupees, sir." Blane smiled maliciously. "You're quite right." he remarked. "There certainly ought to be." Then contemptuously ignoring the adjutant, he drew from the envelope some notes and showed them to the colonel "Three notes of a thousand each, sir; and there ought to be about 50 rupees in cash " Macdonald turned away angrily It was too bad that this young blackguard black-guard should get off scot free owing to a piece of stupid bungling. The colonel withdrew the key and examined it "How many are there?" "Two. sir," Blane replied. "And who keeps the other?" The adjutant repressed an impatient exclamation. He had answered these very questions only a few minutes ago. "I do." said Blane, producing the other. The colonel examined them side by side. "Clumsy great things, aren't thev?" he remarked, and slipped them quietly into his pocket. "That is all, I think gentlemen." and everybody saluted as H Hi. IHBi he turned to mount his horse Blane followed him, a little surprised. "The keys, sir?" "The keys? Didn't you put it in orders?" or-ders?" "What's that, sir?" asked Macdonald, Macdon-ald, to whom the question was addressed. ad-dressed. "That Jennigs will take over charge of the cash chest" "Orders? No, sir I do't remember" remem-ber" the adjutant stammered. For the moment ho did not see the drift of things "How stupid of me. I thought I'd told you." Then to Blane: "You've 1 had a long spell and it's some one else's turn to do the work." "It's no trouble, sir. I'm quite ready to carry on." Blane spoke anxiously, anx-iously, insistency. Matters were tak-iga tak-iga turn he had not anticipated. "Turn and turn about. A fair share of work pleasantly, as he rodo away at a walk. Blane felt, a mad impulse to run after aft-er him. But what was the use? Macdonald watched him turn brokenly brok-enly away. He also was busy with his thoughts. Tho money was in the safe so there was no loss; and there would be no scandal to soil the honor of the regiment. But Blane's punishment" Blane's punishment might safely ba left to Ramsawmy Chetty "The colonel is a genius," Macdonald Macdon-ald exclaimed "I'had an idea you didn't eef nn wuh him." remarked a subaltern wn" had just come up. ."r,mubeginning to tbiuk I shall " re-Plied re-Plied the adjutant. |