` Sleep , and be strong . That is wisest . ' ' I meditate . There is a need greater than thou knowest . ' Till the dawn , hour after hour , as the moonlight paled on the high peaks , and that which had been belted blackness on the sides of the far hills showed as tender green forest , the lama stared fixedly at the wall . From time to time he groaned . Outside the barred door , where discomfited kine came to ask for their old stable , Shamlegh and the coolies gave itself up to plunder and riotous living . The Ao-chung man was their leader , and once they had opened the Sahibs ' tinned foods and found that they were very good they dared not turn back . Shamlegh kitchen-midden took the dunnage . When Kim , after a night of bad dreams , stole forth to brush his teeth in the morning chill , a fair-coloured woman with turquoise-studded headgear drew him aside . ` The others have gone . They left thee this kilta as the promise was . I do not love Sahibs , but thou wilt make us a charm in return for it . We do not wish little Shamlegh to get a bad name on account of the -- accident . I am the Woman of Shamlegh . ' She looked him over with bold , bright eyes , unlike the usual furtive glance of hillwomen . ` Assuredly . But it must be done in secret . ' She raised the heavy kilta like a toy and slung it into her own hut . ` Out and bar the door !
Let none come near till it is finished , ' said XXXXX .
Ao-chung Kim Sahibs Shamlegh accident headgear hillwomen kilta lama morning