But the young men are blown to and fro by
many rumours like flames upon a hill. I sent runners asking for
Jan Chinn lest worse should come to us. It was this fear that he
foretold by the sign of the Clouded Tiger.
He says it is otherwise," said Bukta; and he repeated, with
amplifications, all that young Chinn had told him at the conference
of the wicker chair.
"Think you," said the questioner, at last, "that the Government
will lay hands on us?"
"Not I," Bukta rejoined. "Jan Chinn will give an order, and ye
will obey. The rest is between the Government and Jan Chinn. I
myself know something of the ghost-knives and the scratching. It
is a charm against the Smallpox. But how it is done I cannot tell.
Nor need that concern you."
"If he stands by us and before the anger of the Government we will
most strictly obey Jan Chinn, except - except we do not go down to
that place to-night."
They could hear young Chinn below them shouting for Bukta; but they
cowered and sat still, expecting the Clouded Tiger. The tomb had
been holy ground for nearly half a century. If Jan Chinn chose to
sleep there, who had better right? But they would not come within
eyeshot of the place till broad day.
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