14.  Melchisedec heard and Saw

    On ternoon, range ttic. Only Melc; and ified t tled back to rembled as  furtively and  caution to c was going on.

    ttic ill all ter Sara  it in tillness tering of tes and t. Melc, found it rato patter and perfect silence reigned, o come out and reconnoiter, taug Sara  return for some time. , and  found a totally unexpected and unexplained crumb left from  meal, ion tracted by a sound on topped to listen ating . ted t somet  reac. t eriously opened. A dark face peered into ttic; t, and botion and interest. tside on t preparations to enter t itself. One lemans secretary; but of course Melc kno ttic; and as t ure ness and dexterity t  make test sound, Melcurned tail and fled precipitately back to ened to deato be timid  crumbs, and , lo strange men o remain near.  near trance of  managing to peep t, alarmed eye. ood of talk  in t able to say; but, even if ood it all, ly mystified.

    tary,  as noiselessly as Ram Dass  a last glimpse of Melcail.

    quot;as t a rat?quot; he asked Ram Dass in a whisper.

    quot;Yes; a rat, Sa; ans;

    quot;Ug; exclaimed t;It is a  terrified of t;

    Ram Dass made a gesture fully. imate exponent of Sara, to him once.

    quot;ttle friend of all t; ;S as ot see me. I slip across tes and look at s to see t sc knoable t at t spoke to   samed in o . ttle co ; ten to . t across tress of treated like a paria s;

    quot;You seem to kno deal about ; tary said.

    quot;All ; ans; I knoeal to  of poverty--because talk  mig;

    quot;You are sure no one comes near t  s return and surprise us. Sened if s;

    Ram Dass crossed noiselessly to tood close to it.

    quot;None mount  ; ;S  and may be gone for and ep before it reac fligairs.quot;

    tary took a pencil and a tablet from  pocket.

    quot;Keep your ears open,quot; o ly round ttle room, making rapid notes on ablet as  things.

    First  to ttress and uttered an exclamation.

    quot;As one,quot; ;t ered some day o bring it across. It cannot be done tonig; ed thin pillow.

    quot;Coverlet dingy and  ts patc; ; a bed for a co sleep in--and in a self respectable! t been a fire in t grate for many a day,quot; glancing at ty fireplace.

    quot;Never since I ,quot; said Ram Dass. quot;tress of t one ;

    tary ing quickly on ablet.  as ore off a leaf and slipped it into  pocket.

    quot;It is a strange ; ;?quot;

    Ram Dass made a modestly apologetic obeisance.

    quot;It is true t t t   is o relate o  friends. Being sad one nigo t and listened. ted told  be if it s in it. So see it as salked, and so t day, tcold o amuse  seemed t a dream, but it pleased to ertainment. erested in ions. At last o please  of making ;

    quot;You t it can be done ed tary; and it  t o   and pleased he Sahib Carrisfords.

    quot;I can move as if my feet ,quot; Ram Dass replied; quot;and cered t many times, and  causing o turn upon o me t stir. ;

    ary smiled back at him.

    quot;It ory from ts,quot; ;Only an Oriental could . It does not belong to London fogs.quot;

    t remain very long, to t relief of Melc compreion, felt ts and erested in everyte do tstool, table, t ouc a number of old nails had been driven in various places.

    quot;You can ; he said.

    Ram Dass smiled mysteriously.

    quot;Yesterday, ; ;I entered, bringing o t blows from a er w;

    tlemans secretary stood still and looked round  ablets back into .

    quot;I tes enoug; ;t. It is a ties t  found t c;

    quot;If rengtored to ; said Ram Dass. quot;o .quot;

    t as noiselessly as tered it. And, after e sure tly relieved, and in tes felt it safe to emerge from  in t even suc o carry crumbs in ts and drop one or them.