He was already sufficiently startled by a letter from the Temple of the Tirthankars at Benares, enclosing a native banker's note of hand for three hundred rupees, and an amazing prayer to 'Almighty God'.

The lama would have been more annoyed than the priest had he known how the bazar letter-writer had translated his phrase 'to acquire merit.' 'Powers of Darkness below!' Father Victor fumbled with the note.

'An' now he's off with another of his peep-o'-day friends.

I don't know whether it will be a greater relief to me to get him back or to have him lost.

He's beyond my comprehension.