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Updated: May 31, 2025
With a searching regard he looked into Skag's face one long moment, then a glow came up in his eyes and he swung about and stretched himself alongside Skag's chair, reached his arms out before him and laid his chin on them, almost touching the man's foot. Skag leaned over and stroked the big head. It felt like sealskin, but it was soft clean grey colour. "Nels has adopted you, Wonder Man!"
He was not forgotten, even though months sped by; for in Miss Annesley's heart was a pang over the big man who had been horribly hurt. . . . Meanwhile for Carlin all life was changed as the magic of swift afterglow changes every twig and leaf and stem. Then came her hard days, watching for Skag's return the weeks passing while he waited in Poona.
The master-mahout smiled a mystic-musical smile, like his voice. "I have come from my place for a moment," he said, looking intently into Skag's eyes, "for a purpose. We have heard of you, Son-of-Power. The wisdom of the ages is to know the instant when to act; not too late, not too soon.
Carlin talked to him low tones no words which she or Skag should know again. . . . The lakri was of iron-wood from the North, thick as the man's wrist at the top. It pulled Skag's eye a second time. It meant the surrender of his faith in his own free-handed powers to reach for the lakri; it meant the fight to death.
Certainly Cadman would never forget the length of time he had seen the looming head less than two feet from Skag's face the incredible power that flamed up out of the young man's eyes. Certainly Skag was full of content as to the safety of the people. But all realisations were lost in a gnawing depression about Dhoop Ki Dhil.
They walked long in silence and deeper into the jungle before halting again. Nels brushed the man's thigh and stood close. Skag's hand dropped and he felt the rising hackles, before his eyes left Carlin's. They heard the Dane's rumble and the world came back to them the shouting nearer. For a moment they stood, a sense of languor stealing between them.
Only the heavy masses of her dark hair, spread on the pillows and across one shoulder, showed any colour shadowed gold, shadowed red. . . . She will not speak again! Seven tall men filed into the room before Skag's eyes, and ranged on either side of her. These were her own brothers. Skag felt the vague pang again, of being alien to them.
He knew her kind of woman loves self-conquest the man who can powerfully wait and not be victimised by his own emotions. . . . So it was that Skag fled from himself, when there was still a half hour before noon. He could not meet her, longing like this. There was sweat on Skag's forehead as his limbs quickened away from the place of meeting yesterday.
After tea they walked along the great Highway-of-all-India, by the edge of the native town and over the low stone bridge. Beyond the river, they passed acres of tenting. A glamour of dust lay in the slanting sun-rays. An intense earth-smell penetrated Skag's senses. A feel of excitement was in the air. "Where are the elephants?" Skag asked. "How do you know it's elephants?" the boy countered.
There was a quick turn of his eye for a weapon, even as he heard a deep tone from Carlin something immortal in the resonance: ". . . You might save me . . . but, don't you see I want you more!" A lakri of Bhanah's leaned against the playhouse at the side towards the road. The cobra had lifted himself erect upon his tail almost to the level of Skag's eyes, hood spread.
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