| caption: |
war work: running a canteen at Lumding junction |
| caption: |
Chapter twenty-two. The Coming of War |
| text: |
When it became generally known that we were going, there occurred an unexpected incident. |
| text: |
A deputation of headman suddenly appeared to protest against the Governor's orders to me to go. This was no time, they said, with invasion imminent, and the country in a disturbed state, for a young woman to be about alone. If whatever Europeans were responsible for my safety (and they supposed that the British, like the Zemi, took care of their own people) were not prepared or willing to look after me, then, they said, the Zemi would. They as a tribe would take full responsibility. And, as a first step, they forbade me to leave the shelter of the hills. |
| text: |
I said that whatever happened, orders were orders. They stopped my porters, left the camp in a swirl of red blankets, and went off to Haflong and Perry. He only got me away at all by promising them that he personally would see me back, come hell or high water. And then we left Laisong at last for Lumding. |
