im. Let it stand him in good stead now!"

"It will take me some time to forget it," the Colonel said. "I can
forgive almost anything except deception. And that I loathe."

"It isn't pleasant to be cheated, certainly," Sir Reginald agreed. "When
did this happen? Was he married at the time?"

"No." The Colonel meditated for a few seconds "He only married last
spring. This was considerably more than a year ago. It must have been
the spring of the preceding year. Yes, by Jove, it was! It was just at
the time of poor Dacre's marriage. Dacre, you know, married young
Denvers' sister--the girl who is now Monck's wife. Dacre was killed on
his honeymoon only a fortnight after the wedding. You remember that,
Burton?" He turned abruptly to the Major who had entered while he was
speaking.

Burton came to a stand at the table. His eyes were set very close
together, and they glittered meanly as he made reply. "I remember it
very well indeed. His death coincided with this mysterious leave of
Monck's, and also with the unexpected absence of our man Rustam Karin
just at a moment when Barnes particularly needed him."

"Who is Rustam Karin?" asked Sir Reginald.

"A police agent. A clever man. I may say, an invaluable man." Colonel
Mansfield was looking hard at the Major's ferret-like face as he made
reply. "No one likes the fellow. He is suspected of being a leper. But
he is clever. He is undoubtedly clever. I remember his absence. It was
at the time of that mission to Khanmulla, the mission I wanted Monck to
take in hand."

"Exactly." Major Burton rapped out the word with a sound like the
cracking of a nut. "We--or rather Barnes--tried to pump Hafiz about it,
but he was a mass of ignorance and lies. I believe the old brute turned
up again before Monck's return, but he wasn't visible till afterwards.
He and Monck have always been thick as thieves--thick as thieves." He
paused, looking at Sir Reginald. "A very fishy transaction, sir," he
observed.

Sir Reginald's eyes met his. "Are you," he said calmly, "trying to
establish any connection between the death of Dacre and the absence from
Kurrumpore of this man Rustam Karin?"

"Not only Rustam Karin, sir," responded the Major sharply.

"Ah! Quite so. How did Dacre die?" Sir Reginald still spoke quietly,
judicially. There was nothing encouraging in his aspect.

Burton hesitated momentarily, as if some inner warning prompted him to
go warily.

"That was what no one knew for certai