It was, of course, after dark, so for the third time he wai
handed over for safe (?) keeping to the police.
For the third time I ride down to the thana, and for
the third time hear that the guardians of the law have
again been outwitted, for the prisoner escaped in the
night.
I told the officer that I never forgive a third oflSeno^
also that I knew something of the customs of Kashmir is
general and of his lot in particular. It was now ten

290




A Kashmir Mission School

o'clock, and I gave him two hours only in which to re-
capture the escaped prisoner, saying that I would be back
at twelve o'clock punctually, and the prisoner must be in
the thana, and if not I would ride him off at once to the
British Resident. This was my last card, which I was
loath to play, as one hates to bother hard-worked and
often harassed British officials. Of course the officer said
that I was demanding an impossibility, etc., etc. But I rode
off saying that at twelve o'clock exactly I would be back.
At twelve o'clock to the tick I was at the thana'; the
officer met me, and informed me that he had been success-
ful and that the prisoner was in the thana. I asked him
on what charge he had apprehended him, and he told me
that his men had caught him stealing a tablecloth, which
amused me not a little. However, the charge did not
matter so long as he was in the lock-up on a police-
recognised charge, for it would give us time to fix him up
in the criminal court to stand his trial.
