to the floor it was shadowy and dim. But Thresk's
eyes were keen. The space between the despatch-box and the wall was
empty. Nothing crawled there, nothing was coiled.

Thresk looked at Ballantyne with amazement; and as he looked Ballantyne
sprang from his chair with a scream of terror--the scream of a
panic-stricken child. He sprang with an agility which Thresk would never
have believed possible in a man of so gross a build. He leapt into the
air and with his crop he struck savagely once, twice and thrice at the
floor between the wall and the box. Then he turned to Thresk with every
muscle working in his face.

"Did you see?" he cried. "Did you see?"

"What? There was nothing to see!"

"Nothing!" screamed Ballantyne. He picked up the box and placed it on the
table, thrusting it under Thresk's hand. "Hold that! Don't let go! Stay
here and don't let go," he said, and running up the tent raised his voice
to a shout.

"Baram Singh!" and lifting the tent-door he called to others of his
servants by name. Without waiting for them he ran out himself and in a
second Thresk heard him cursing thickly and calling in panic-stricken
tones just close to that point of the wall against which the bureau
stood. The camp woke to clamour.

Thresk stood by the table gripping the handle of the despatch-box as he
had been bidden to do. The tent-door was left open. He could see lights
flashing, he heard Ballantyne shouting orders, and his voice dwindled and
grew loud as he moved from spot to spot in the encampment. And in the
midst of the noise the white frightened face of Stella Ballantyne
appeared at the opening of her corridor.

"What has happened?" she asked in a whisper. "Oh, I was afraid that
you and he had quarrelled," and she stood with her hand pressed over
her heart.

"No, no indeed," Thresk replied, and Captain Ballantyne stumbled back
into the tent. His face was livid, and yet the sweat stood upon his
forehead. Stella Ballantyne drew back, but Ballantyne saw her as she
moved and drove her to her own quarters.

"I have a private message for Mr. Thresk's ears," he said, and when she
had gone he took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead.

"Now you must help me," he said in a low voice. But his voice shook and
his eyes strayed again to the ground by the wall of the tent.

"It was just there the arm came through," he said. "Yes, just there," and
he pointed a trembling finger.

"Arm?" cried Thresk. "What are you ta