ungalow,
Barwana Section.

"From
the District Superintendent of Police,
Bengal Civil Police.

"To
the Assistant Political Officer,
Ranga Duar.

"Sir,

"Three days ago a party of Chinamen attacked and severely injured the
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mr. Benson, in this bungalow, and
abducted his daughter. They were ten or twelve in number and well
armed, and over-awed the servants and forest employees. They have
been tracked towards the Bhutan Frontier and, I fear, have crossed
it by this. There was, unfortunately, much delay in the information
reaching me while I was touring the district south of the forest;
and I have only just arrived here. I hasten to acquaint you with the
occurrence as I am powerless if the ruffians have crossed into
Bhutan. Please request the Officer Commanding Military Police
Detachment to send out parties to try to cut off the raiders from
the passes through the mountains, although I fear it is too late.
Can you meet me here and confer with me? Please bring the Medical
Officer of the detachment with you, as Mr. Benson is in a bad state
and no civil surgeon is available for a great distance from here.

"Your obedient servant,
Edward Lawrence.
D.S.P."

Horror-stricken, Wargrave questioned the forest guard. The man had not
been at the bungalow at the time of the outrage and could not greatly
supplement the information contained in the letter. The story that he
had learned from the servants was to the effect that a party of Chinamen
had arrived at Mr. Benson's bungalow and asked for employment as
carpenters. There was nothing unusual in this, as Chinese from the
Southern Provinces frequently make their way on foot through Tibet and
Bhutan over the mountains in search of work on the tea-gardens or in
Calcutta. Apparently they had suddenly struck the old man down and
surprised Miss Benson before she could offer any resistance. Producing
fire-arms they had terrified the servants. They had a mule hidden in the
jungle and on this the girl was placed and led off. Long after they had
disappeared some of the forest guards had timidly followed their track
for some distance and found that it led towards the Bhutan Frontier.

When Wargrave had extracted from the man all the information that he
could he rushed into the Mess and acquainted the two officers in it with
the terrible news. Like him