long after one's bones have crumbled to dust. Well—well——" "They must have dreamed wonderfully in those old days," he said, wistfully. "To have built that—think of it, Ayeshi! To have given one's soul an abiding expression to wake the souls of other men thousands of years hence—to bring a lump into the throat of some human being long after one's bones have crumbled to dust. Well—well——" He broke off with a sigh. "And you believe that tonight the Snake God will drink your milk, Ayeshi?" He broke off with a sigh. "And you believe that tonight the Snake God will drink your milk, Ayeshi?" "He or his many brethren, Sahib. He lies coiled about the branches of the highest tree in the jungle and on every branch of the forest another such as he keeps guard over his rest." "He or his many brethren, Sahib. He lies coiled about the branches of the highest tree in the jungle and on every branch of the forest another such as he keeps guard over his rest." "No man has ever seen him, Ayeshi?" "No man has ever seen him, Ayeshi?" "No man dares set foot within the jungle, Sahib, save Vahana, and he is a Sadhu, a holy man. He has sat before the temple for a hundred years, and none have seen him eat or heard him speak." "No man dares set foot within the jungle, Sahib, save Vahana, and he is a Sadhu, a holy man. He has sat before the temple for a hundred years, and none have seen him eat or heard him speak." "You believe that, Ayeshi?" "You believe that, Ayeshi?" The boy hesitated a moment, then answered gravely: The boy hesitated a moment, then answered gravely: "Yes, Sahib. My people have believed it." "Yes, Sahib. My people have believed it." "Your people? Well—that's a good reason—one of our pet reasons for our pet beliefs, if you did but know it, Ayeshi. There's not such a gulf between East and West, after all." He rode on in silence, and then turned his head a little as though trying to distinguish his companion's features through the darkness. "Who are your people, Ayeshi—your father, your mother, your brothers? You have never spoken of them.
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