“Sahib, I am no liar.  I saw the tiger, who is the king of the forest, this morning.”  Isaacs’ manner relaxed a little, and he sat down and lighted the eternal cigarette.  “Slave,” he said meditatively, “if it is as you say, I will kill the tiger, but if it is not as you say, I will kill you, and cause your body to be buried with the carcass of an ox, and your soul shall not live.”  The man did not seem much moved by the threat.  He moved nearer, and salaamed again.

“It is near to the dwelling of the sahib, who is my father,” said the man, speaking low.  “The day before yesterday he destroyed a man from the village.  He has eaten five men in the last moon.  I have seen him enter his lair, and he will surely return before the dawn; and the sahib shall strike him by his lightning; and the sahib will not refuse me the ears of the man-eater, that I may make a jaedu, a charm against sudden death?”

“Hound! if thou speakest the truth, and I kill the tiger, the monarch of game, I will make thee a rich man; but thou shalt not have his ears.  I desire the jaedu for myself.  I have spoken; wait thou here my pleasure.”  The ryot bent low to the earth, and then squatted by the tent-door to wait, in the patient way that a Hindoo can, for Isaacs to go and eat his dinner.  As the latter came out ten minutes later, he paused and addressed the man once more.  “Speak not to any man of thy tiger while I am gone, or I will cut off thine ears with a pork knife.”  And we passed on.

The sun was now set and hovering in the afterglow, the new moon was following lazily down.  I stopped a moment to look at her, and was surprised by Miss Westonhaugh’s voice close behind me.

“Are you wishing by the new moon, Mr. Griggs?” she asked.

“Yes,” said I, “I was.  And what were you wishing, Miss Westonhaugh, if I may ask?” Isaacs came up, and paused beside us.  The beautiful girl stood quite still, looking to westward, a red glow on the white-gold masses of her hair.

“Did you say you were wishing for something, Miss Westonhaugh?” he asked.  “Perhaps I can get it for you.  More flowers, perhaps?  They are very easily got.”

“No—­that is, not especially.  I was wishing—­well, that a tiger-hunt might last for ever; and I want a pair of tiger’s ears.  My old ayah says they keep off evil spirits and sickness; and all sorts of things.”

“I know; it is a curious idea.  I suppose both those beasts there have lost theirs already.  These fellows cut them off in no time.”

“Yes.  I have looked.  So I suppose I must wait till to-morrow.  But promise me, Mr. Isaacs, if you shoot one to-morrow, let me have the ears!”

“I will promise that readily enough.  I would promise anything you—­” The last part of the sentence was lost to me, as I moved away and left them.