"
"That will do," said Thwaite, "though it's a stale job for him. Well,
good-bye and good luck to you. I expect there won't be much trouble,
but I wish you had told us in the morning."
Lewis turned to go and find George. "What a chance I had almost
missed," was the word in his heart. The errand might be futile, the
message a blind, but it was at least movement, action, a possibility.
CHAPTER XXVI
FRIEND TO FRIEND
He found George sitting down in the verandah after waltzing. His
partner was a sister of Logan's, a dark girl whose husband was Resident
somewhere in Lower Kashmir. The lady gave her hand to Lewis and he took
the vacant seat on the other side.
He apologized for carrying off her companion, escorted her back to the
ballroom, and then returned to satisfy the amazed George.
"I want to talk to you. Excuse my rudeness, but I have explained to
Mrs. Tracy. I have a good many things I want to say to you."
"Where on earth have you been all night, Lewis? I call it confoundedly
mean to go off and leave me to do all the heavy work. I've never been
so busy in my life. Lots of girls and far too few men. This is the
first breathing space I've had. What is it that you want?"
"I am going off this very moment up into the hills. That letter Marker
sent me this morning has been confirmed. Holm, who commands up at the
Forza fort, has just come down very sick, and he says that the
Bada-Mawidi are looking ugly, and that we should take Marker's word.
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