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"I know," said Lewis dismally

"You see it is the Ne blood of you Haystouns iven room or it sours into moodiness It is either a spoon or a spoiled horn with you You are capable of the big virtues, and just because of it you are extraordinarily apt to go to the devil Not the ordinary devil, of course, but to a very effective substitute You want to be braced and pulled together A war ious enthusiasm would do it, if that were possible for you As it is, I have so else, which I came up to propose to you"

Lewis faced round in an attitude of polite attention But his eyes had no interest in them

"You know Bardur and the country about there pretty well?"

Lewis nodded

"Also I once talked to you about a man called Marka Do you remember?"

"Yes, of course I do The man ent north from Bardur the week before I turned up there?"

"Well, there's trouble brewing thereabouts You know the Taghati country up beyond the Russian line Things are in a ferreat military preparations and all the rest of it, and the reason, they say, is that the hill-tribes in the intervening No-ly abroad just now, and we can't afford to neglect anything when a crisis o out there and find out the truth"

Lewis had straightened himself and was on his feet before Wratislaw had done "Upon my word," he cried, "if it isn't what I expected! We have been far too sure of the safety of that Kashmir frontier You mean, of course, that there s look ugly enough in Europe just now, and Asia would naturally be the starting-point"

Lewis made some rapid calculations in his head which he jotted on the wood of the fireplace "It would take a week to get fro, but of course the place is unknown and it ive you the bare facts If you decide to go, Beauregard will give you particulars in town"

"When would he want to know?"