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Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936

"From Mine Own People"

"
"Madame has you well in hand. Would you stick a knife into me if you had the
chance?"
"I have no chance," said the Greek. "She is there with that woman."
"I see. It's a bad thing to be divided between love of woman and the chance of
loot. I sympathise with you, George."
They went to the telegraph-office unquestioned, for all the world was
desperately busy and had scarcely time to turn its head, and Suakin was the
last place under sky that would be chosen for holiday-ground. On their return
the voice of an English subaltern asked Dick what he was doing. The blue
goggles were over his eyes and he walked with his hand on George's elbow as he
replied--"Egyptian Government--mules. My orders are to give them over to the A.
C. G. at Tanai-el-Hassan. Any occasion to show my papers?"
"Oh, certainly not. I beg your pardon. I'd no right to ask, but not seeing your
face before I----"
"I go out in the train tonight, I suppose," said Dick, boldly. "There will be
no difficulty in loading up the mules, will there?"
"You can see the horse-platforms from here. You must have them loaded up
early." The young man went away wondering what sort of broken-down waif this
might be who talked like a gentleman and consorted with Greek muleteers.


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