oint of civilization. They are camping in the wilderness, but
they will have to move before long. Dacre's leave will be up, and they
must allow time to get back. Stella talks as if they are fixed there for
ever and ever."

"She is enjoying it then?" Monck's voice still sounded as if he were
thinking of something else.

Tommy made grudging reply. "I suppose she is, after a fashion. I'm
pretty sure of one thing." He spoke with abrupt force. "She'd enjoy it a
deal more if I were with her instead of Dacre."

Monck laughed, a curt, dry laugh. "Jealous, eh?"

"No, I'm not such a fool." The boy spoke recklessly. "But I know--I
can't help knowing--that she doesn't care twopence about the man. What
woman with any brains could?"

"There's no accounting for women's tastes or actions at any time," said
Monck. "She liked him well enough to marry him."

Tommy made an indignant sound. "She was in a mood to marry any one.
She'd probably have married you if you'd asked her."

Monck made an abrupt movement as if he had lost his balance, but he
returned to his former position immediately. "Think so?" he said in a
voice that sounded very ironical. "Then possibly she has had a lucky
escape. I might have been moved to ask her if she had remained free much
longer."

"I wish to Heaven you had!" said Tommy bluntly.

And again Monck uttered his short, sardonic laugh. "Thank you, Tommy,"
he said.

There fell a silence between them, and a hot draught eddied up through
the parched compound and rattled the scorched twigs of the creeping rose
on the verandah with a desolate sound, as if skeleton hands were feeling
along the trellis-work. Tommy suppressed a shudder and got to his feet.

In the same moment Monck spoke again, deliberately, emotionlessly, with
a hint of grimness. "By the way, Tommy, I've a piece of news for you.
That letter I had from my brother this, evening contained news of an
urgent business matter which only I can deal with. It has come at a
rather unfortunate moment as Barnes, the policeman, brought some
disturbing information this evening from Khanmulla and the Chief wanted
to make use of me in that quarter. They are sending a Mission to make
investigations and they wanted me to go in charge of it."

"Oh, man!" Tommy's eyes suddenly shone with enthusiasm. "What a
chance!"

"A chance I'm not going to take," rejoined Monck dryly. "I applied for
leave instead. In any case it is due to me, but Dacre had his turn
first