Here are the next set of quotations, for the period from September 2nd onwards. (They will need to serve until 24th September since I will be away from access to the Internet until then):

 

1. 'I went forward, but I cannot say whither I went, and there was no more food for myself or the sister. And upon a hot night, she weeping and calling for food, we came to a well, and I bade her sit upon the kerb, and thrust her in, for, in truth, she could not see; and it is better to die than to starve.'

2. 'Be quick', said Athira; and Suket Singh was quick; but Athira was quick no longer. Then he lit the pile at the four corners and climbed upon it, reloading the gun.
The little flames began to peer up between the big logs atop of the brushwood. 'The Government should teach us to pull the triggers with our toes,' said Suket Singh grimly to the moon. That was the last public observation of Sepoy Suket Singh.

3. …an instant later, by the tone of Spurstow's voice calling upon them to enter, the men knew what had happened. There was no need to wake him.
The punkah was still being pulled over the bed, but Hummil had departed this life at least three hours.
The body lay on its back, hands clinched by the side…In the staring eyes was written terror beyond the expression of any pen…'

The sources of last week's extracts (August 24th to 30th) are as follows:

 

1. ("... tell him from me that I expect to be through with my little trouble by the twenty-first of next month, an' I'm dyin' to see him as soon as possible after that date." ...')  This is from "A Madonna of the Trenches" in Debits and Credits.

 

2. ("...I'd growed a nasty little weepin' boil, like, on me shin, just above the boot-top, that wouldn't heal no shape...")  This is from "The Wish House" in Debits and Credits.

 

3.  (...In the middle of his singing he felt the cold touch of the Crab's claw on the apple of his throat...)  This is from "The Children of the Zodiac", in Many Inventions.

 

Good wishes to all until lateish September.

 

John R