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ethnologists。 He was simply Dana Da； and declined to give further
information。 For the sake of brevity； and as roughly indicating
his origin； he was called 〃The Native。〃 He might have been the
original Old Man of the Mountains； who is said to be the only
authorized head of the Teacup Creed。 Some； people said that he
was； but Dana Da used to smile and deny any connection with the
cult； explaining that he was an 〃independent experimenter。〃
As I have said； he came from nowhere； with his hands behind his
back； and studied the creed for three weeks； sitting at the feet of
those best competent to explain its mysteries。 Then he laughed
aloud and went away； but the laugh might have been either of
devotion or derision。
When he returned he was without money； but his pride was unabated。
He declared that he knew more about the things in heaven and earth
than those who taught him； and for this contumacy was abandoned
altogether。
His next appearance in public life was at a big cantonment in Upper
India； and he was then telling fortunes with the help of three
leaden dice； a very dirty old cloth； and a little tin box of opium
pills。 He told better fortunes when he was allowed half a bottle
of whisky； but the things which he invented on the opium were quite
worth the money。 He was in reduced circumstances。 Among other
people's he told the fortune of an Englishman who had once been
interested in the Simla creed； but who； later on； had married and
forgotten all his old knowledge in the study of babies and
Exchange。 The Englishman allowed Dana Da to tell a fortune for
charity's sake； and gave him five rupees； a dinner； and some old
clothes。 When he had eaten； Dana Da professed gratitude； and asked
if there were anything he could do for his hostin the esoteric
line。
〃Is there anyone that you love？〃 said Dana Da。 The Englishman
loved his wife； but had no desire to drag her name into the
conversation。 He therefore shook his head。
〃Is there anyone that you hate？〃 said Dana Da。 The Englishman said
that there were several men whom he hated deeply。
〃Very good；〃 said Dana Da； upon whom the whisky and the opium were
beginning to tell。 〃Only give me their names； and I will dispatch
a Sending to them and kill them。〃
Now a Sending is a horrible arrangement； first invented； they say；
in Iceland。 It is a thing sent by a wizard； and may take any form；
but most generally wanders about the land in the shape of a little
purple cloud till it finds the sendee； and him it kills by changing
into the form of a horse； or a cat； or a man without a face。 It is
not strictly a native patent； though chamars can； if irritated；
dispatch a Sending which sits on the breast of their enemy by night
and nearly kills him。 Very few natives care to irritate chamars
for this reason。
〃Let me dispatch a Sending；〃 said Dana Da； 〃I am nearly dead now
with want； and drink； and opium； but I should like to kill a man
before I die。 I can send a Sending anywhere you choose； and in any
form except in the shape of a man。〃
The Englishman had no friends that he wished to kill； but partly to
soothe Dana Da； whose eyes were rolling； and partly to see what
would be done； he asked whether a modified Sending could not be
arranged forsuch a Sending as should make a man's life a burden
to him； and yet do him no harm。 If this were possible； he notified
his willingness to give Dana Da ten rupees for the job。
〃I am not what I was once；〃 said Dana Da； 〃and I must take the
money because I am poor。 To what Englishman shall I send it？〃
〃Send a Sending to Lone Sahib；〃 said the Englishman； naming a man
who had been most bitter in rebuking him for his apostasy from the
Teacup Creed。 Dana Da laughed and nodded。
〃I could have chosen no better man myself；〃 said he。 〃I will see
that he finds the Sending about his path and about his bed。〃
He lay down on the hearthrug； turned up the whites of his eyes；
shivered all over； and began to snort。 This was magic； or opium；
or the Sending； or all three。 When he opened his eyes he vowed
that the Sending had started upon the warpath； and was at that
moment flying up to the town where Lone Sahib lives。
〃Give me my ten rupees；〃 said Dana Da； wearily； 〃and write a letter
to Lone Sahib； telling him； and all who believe with him； that you
and a friend are using a power greater than theirs。 They will see
that you are speaking the truth。〃
He departed unsteadily； with the promise of some more rupees if
anything came of the Sending。
The Englishman sent a letter to Lone Sahib； couched in what he
remembered of the terminology of the creed。 He wrote： 〃I also； in
the days of what you held to be my backsliding； have obtained
enlightenment； and with enlightenment has come power。〃 Then he
grew so deeply mysterious that the recipient of the letter could
make neither head nor tail of it； and was proportionately
impressed； for he fancied that his friend had become a 〃fifth
rounder。〃 When a man is a 〃fifth rounder〃 he can do more than
Slade and Houdin combined。
Lone Sahib read the letter in five different fashions； and was
beginning a sixth interpretation； when his bearer dashed in with
the news that there was a cat on the bed。 Now； if there was one
thing that Lone Sahib hated more than another it was a cat。 He
rated the bearer for not turning it out of the house。 The bearer
said that he was afraid。 All the doors of the bedroom had been
shut throughout the morning； and no real cat could possibly have
entered the room。 He would prefer not to meddle with the creature。
Lone Sahib entered the room gingerly； and there； on the pillow of
his bed； sprawled and whimpered a wee white kitten； not a jumpsome；
frisky little beast； but a sluglike crawler with its eyes barely
opened and its paws lacking strength or directiona kitten that
ought to have been in a basket with its mamma。 Lone Sahib caught
it by the scruff of its neck； handed it over to the sweeper to be
drowned； and fined the bearer four annas。
That evening； as he was reading in his room； he fancied that he saw
something moving about on the hearthrug； outside the circle of
light from his reading lamp。 When the thing began to myowl； he
realized that it was a kittena wee white kitten； nearly blind and
very miserable。 He was seriously angry； and spoke bitterly to his
bearer； who said that there was no kitten in the room when he
brought in the lamp； and real kittens of tender age generally had
mother cats in attendance。
〃If the Presence will go out into the veranda and listen；〃 said the
bearer； 〃he will hear no cats。 How； therefore； can the kitten on
the bed and the kitten on the hearthrug be real kittens？〃
Lone Sahib went out to listen； and the bearer followed him； but
there was no sound of Rachel mewing for her children。 He returned
to his room； having hurled the kitten down the hillside； and wrote
out t