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94 "But how am I to blame, Sir? You were present there, you brought the gentleman to the Hospital, how should I know that you did not witness the occurrence?"

"Well—all that you can do now is to go back to the Magistrate and tell him the real facts."

"Oh no Doctor Babu, how can that be?"—the Daroga burst out. "What? Blow hot and cold in the same breath? I am not the man to say one thing to-day and the opposite thing to-morrow. I am a man of my word—and I stick to my word through thick and thin,—come what may."

The Doctor smiled. He then said—"I will go and tell the Magistrate Sahib myself."

The Daroga held up his hand in solemn warning. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Doctor Babu." Then after a little pause, he said—"Do you know what the consequence will be?"

"What?"

"It is an official secret and perhaps I am betraying the Government in disclosing it to you. But I am your friend and I shall do it. Listen,"—and the Daroga said in slow and solemn words—"You are already in the bad books of the the Government, because it is known to the Sahibs that you have abandoned Manchester cloth in favour of country-made dhotis and are no longer eating