part0023

As Ruth got the feel of the jeep, her foot came down harder on the accelerator and within seventy five minutes of leaving John she had reached the outskirts of Nilambur and was at the D.S.P's office.

"Hello Ruth. I'm glad to see you", Ted Baker greeted amiably. "Do sit down".

Excitedly she said, "The coolies have attacked our bungalow. John just had time to send me to tell you. I don't know if they have killed him by now".

Ted wasted no time in words. Advancing to the end of the verandah, he called the Inspector.

"Detail a dozen of the Armed Reserve to follow me in the Black Maria. Mr. Greystone's coolies have attacked him. You come along with us in the jeep. Hurry!" he urged.

Then he returned to his office to don his belt, revolver and helmet. A few minutes later Ted led the way in the jeep with the Black Maria close behind. Having used one of these vehicles during the war he was familiar with them and drove fast. Within the hour they reached the last stretch of roadway that led to the portico of John's bungalow. Everything appeared peaceful. Not a soul was to be seen.

Were they too late? Ted groaned inwardly at the thought. Abruptly, he came to a halt, the Black Maria squealing loudly as its driver braked a few yards behind.

Two people came out of the inner room, crossed the verandah, and walked down the steps to meet them. They were John Greystone and an Anglo-Indian girl dressed in khaki riding-habit, swinging a broad-brimmed hat by its chin-strap.

The D.S.P. vaulted out and approached John quickly.

"Thank God you're safe", he greeted. "What happened?"

John smiled wryly as he looked at the police officer and then at the Black Maria. "It was good of you to have come so promptly. Thanks ever so much. The coolies, turned out with the intention of killing Ruth and me, but I managed to talk them over and we parted on a very good understanding".

"A very good understanding! Whatever do you mean, John?" Ruth asked the question incredulously.

Her husband smiled more broadly. Then he suddenly remembered he had not introduced June to the Superintendent. "My apologies", he exclaimed, "meet Miss Gardner. She's the daughter of the new Forest Range Officer". Turning to June, he explained, "This is Mr. Edward Baker, the D.S.P. He's also a newcomer to the district".

Ted bent forward with hand outstretched and June grasped it. Then John related the adventure she had been through just as she had told it to him.

"The very men we're searching for!" exclaimed the police officer.

He called the Inspector and both of them listened to June's description of Chacko and Papachen, and her directions as to how to reach their encampment.

"Go after them quickly, Ramchandra Rao", he ordered, "I'll stay here till you return". The Inspector hurried back to the Black Maria and the armed party drove hastily away.

To get back to what they had been talking about, Baker asked, "I'm decidedly curious to know what kind of understanding you arrived at with the coolies".

"They're good fellows", explained John, "but were misled and brought to a fever-pitch of excitement by that strange man I told you about the other day". Continuing, he explained what had transpired, concluding with the bargain he had made with his workers.

"Good gracious! Do you seriously believe they'll keep their promise?"

"Not only am I certain they will", said John without hesitation, "but when the tiger is located, they'll make the stranger join me in shooting it".

"Where's this agitator now?" Ted asked.

"He's at the coolie-lines".

"Then I'm going there to arrest him", Ted asserted, turning towards the jeep.

"Oh no, you're not!" cut in John, "I will not testify against him".

Ted and Ruth stared in amazement.

"What do you mean?" the D.S.P. queried.

John explained. "Listen Ted. Look at it this way. It's a matter of my word of honour to the coolies. If you arrest him at this juncture, they'll think I was insincere and that it was all part of a plan and will never trust me again. Understand?"

Ruth snapped sharply, "What do we care what they think".

"But I care; and a mighty lot. I believe in keeping my promises", John reminded her.

"And how are you going to find the man-eater?" Ted asked.

For answer, Greystone turned about and called loudly, "Chicka!"

Soon the little man stood before him. He continued. "This man is a Karumba—an aborigine. I took him into my service to help to track the tiger. These chaps are experts in jungle lore".

Ted did not answer but gazed at Chicka moodily.

Then he said, "I don't think you're being wise. Suppose that trouble-maker incites the coolies afresh and they come back and murder you and Ruth? I think I'd better leave some policemen here for a few days to protect you".

"Thanks ever so much", John responded, "I'm most grateful but it won't be necessary or advisable".

"Why not?" asked the D.S.P. irritably. It was clear he was annoyed.

"The coolies will think I don't trust them", explained John.

"You're being perfectly stupid", Ruth interjected, "I agree with Ted. That leader should be taught a lesson. What about the danger I run by staying here with you?"

"I feel Mr. Greystone is right", broke in June. "Remember, he was entirely at their mercy. They could have killed him. But they didn't. Instead, they fell in with his terms and naturally Mr. Greystone wants to keep his bargain".

"What a ridiculous idea!" commented Ruth, rudely.

The sun had gone down and the short tropical twilight was already setting in. There was a strained silence after that, but Ruth and the Superintendent did not argue the matter any further.

Catching Ted’s eye, Greystone asked, "Would you mind staying with Ruth for an hour, led, till I drive Miss Gardner home?"

And turning to June, he added, "Leave Tony here for the night. I'll have him brought to your quarters tomorrow. Your father must be mighty anxious about your whereabouts. You left home sometime this morning, didn't you?"

June agreed. "Yes; Dad will be worried to death. He'll think I've been killed by the tiger". In the excitement of all that had happened, she had quite forgotten about her father.

John started the jeep and June got in next to him.

She called, "Goodnight, Mrs. Greystone! Goodnight, Mr. Baker!”

Ted replied, "Goodnight, Miss Gardner!" Ruth did not answer.

The jeep turned to the right off the main road a little later, along the track through the coffee bushes and past the stream where the tiger had killed the sambar.

"I must thank you again, Miss Gardner, for risking your life to warn me".

To this remark, June gave no response, but after some minutes asked John a surprising question.

"Why does your wife not like me, Mr. Greystone?"

The planter attempted an explanation.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that", he countered, "Ruth is just upset about all these things happening one after the other. Besides, this solitude is beginning to get her down. She's accustomed to city life in England".

"Or is it because I am dark?" went on June, inexorably.

Greystone heard the tremor in her voice and recognised he was on a delicate subject. He attempted to pass it off lightly.

"Nonsense, whatever made you think of such a silly thing!"

But June was in the mood to thrash the subject out.

"It's not nonsense, Mr. Greystone", she replied softly but distinctly, "She practically said so the first time we met, remember?"

John observed she was suffering from a sense of hurt.

"I assure you that you're mistaken", he asserted. Then, "Come, let's talk of something else. Tell me more about yourself and your father. Do you really not feel lonely at times?"

"I love the jungle", June replied, "and would hate to live in a city.”

Now it was Greystone's turn to be silent. He wished his wife felt the same way.

Slowly, he heard himself talking. "Miss Gardner, my father founded this estate. He carved it out of the forest. Dad lies buried beneath a large banyan tree a furlong from the bungalow. He loved that tree and used to spend the few leisure hours he could afford in the evening sitting under it in his old arm-chair, smoking or just dreaming. He made me promise to bury him there and I kept that promise. There were no restrictions in those days enforcing the dead to be buried in recognised cemeteries. Once a week I visit that big tree and his grave and think of old dad. He loved this estate; every inch of it.

"I was born here and have lived all my life on the plantation except for three visits that I made to England to see my mother who went back to her people. On the last occasion, I met Ruth and married her at Cowes. She said she would very much like to come out to India and I brought her. But now that she's here, she seems to hate it".

John lapsed into thought and the only sound to be heard was the hum of the engine and the whir of the wheels as the jeep lurched along the jungle track. Then he went on, "I don't understand why I'm telling you these things, Miss Gardner. I know I shouldn't bother you with my affairs. Please forgive me. But perhaps it's because you love the wilds, just as I do. It's nice to be able to speak to someone who can understand".

June said nothing. As she listened to his story a great joy came into her mind and a warmth filled her heart. Here was a white man who was not ashamed to claim this country as his own.

It was dark inside the jeep as they travelled through the forest. The glare of the headlights served to accentuate the blackness within. John bent towards her as if to seek the consolation of her face.

June noticed him looking and turned her head aside.

Involuntarily he took his right hand off the steering wheel and found June's tiny left hand in the darkness. His large palm and fingers closed over her small one, and rested there. She did not attempt to disengage herself. June seemed to find difficulty in saying the words.

They came at last, "She is your wife. You must be loyal to her, Mr. Greystone. You must".

The jeep negotiated the next turn in the track and a twinkle of lights beckoned from afar. Among them was a brighter one that threw its beam in a wide arc into the gloom. She knew it was the petromax lantern hanging from the verandah-roof of her father's quarters.

Soon John brought the vehicle to a halt at their destination. Some four men, all dressed in khaki, were talking in the compound. One of them carried a double-barreled gun. He strode up to the jeep as June alighted and the rays of the petromax showed it was her father.

The Forest Ranger exclaimed, "Junie! Thank God you're back! Where have you been? I've been worried about you all day. We combed the jungle in search of you and noticed Tony's tracks leading away from here and then back again at the gallop. But as there were no signs of a tiger's pugmarks in pursuit, I didn't know what to make of it".

June laid her hand quickly on her father's forearm and said, "Come inside, Daddy; I'll tell you all about it".

Turning to John Greystone, she added, "Please come too, Mr. Greystone. I want you to talk to dad". When they entered the living-room, June continued,

"Dad, this is Mr. Greystone, the owner of the neighboring coffee-estate".

Then she closed the front door and beckoned John to a chair and her father to another. She dragged a third for herself and placed it so that she could sit between them.

The old Range Officer had been watching her movements with some surprise. Particularly had he noticed her close the door. He could contain his curiosity no longer and asked, "Why all this mystery? What's happened?"

"Listen", she began. Starting with the mysterious, visit made by the two conspirators the night before. June told the whole story. "The point is", she concluded, "We must be prepared for an attack at any time".

"They will only succeed over my dead body" asserted the Ranger resolutely. "As long as my Paradox can speak, God help the man who tries".

John had not spoken while June was relating her adventures. Now he said, "The D.S.P. is at my bungalow, Mr. Gardner. If you like, when I get back I can ask him to help you".

Gardner looked grim. He closed his right fist and pounded it against his thigh. "Thank you, but please don't trouble him. As long as I am alive, let it not be said that Neville Gardner was incapable of protecting the Government's property".

John looked up into the old man's swarthy face. He felt very proud of June and her father. Both of them had shown of what sterling stuff they were made.

Shortly afterwards Greystone rose to his feet, wished them good night, and climbed into his jeep to return home.

Old Gardner's last words were, "Thank you so much for bringing my Junie back safely to me".

June smiled sweetly.

On his way, two faces kept appearing before John.

One was that of a dark girl; and the other the face of a white woman—his wife.

Soon after he got back, the Black Maria with the Inspector and armed policemen returned empty-handed. The conspirators had already fled.