Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/86

 passing Chinaman carried in his pouch, and upon whether that number were odd or even. Thereafter, when the bets had been made, they would kill the Chinaman and count the coins."

"They might have done that without killing the Chinaman," I said.

"That is true," rejoined Râja Haji. "But it was a more certain way, and morcover it increased their pleasure. But, Tûan, the night is very far advanced and we are weary. Let us sleep."

Verily life in an independent Malay state thirty years ago, like adversity, made one acquainted with some strange bedfellows.