Page 173 (1/1)

Darkness had fallen when the train dreith a jerk and he stepped out on to the little platforht and the wind tore at hi rain, wondering whether anybody had coure standing under the feeble light of a flickering la his face His life had been made up of journeys, it seemed to hi for him, Peters who stuck to the job he himself shirked, Peters who stood loyally by an employer he must in his heart despise, Peters whose boots he was not fit to clean

The two men met quietly, as if weeks not years had elapsed since they had parted on the saent, though his indifference to bad weather was notorious, "ht a man to help Yoshio with your kit Wait a ht" He started off briskly, and with the uncomfortable embarrassment he always felt when Peters chose to emphasise their relative positions, Craven strode after hirabbed hiruffly "I wish you wouldn't always behave as if you were a kind of upper servant, Peter It's da after the kit, there's very little in any case I left the bulk of it in Algiers, it wasn't worth bringing along There are only the gun cases and a couple of bags We haven't ood-te at the station entrance As the erly, with the question that had been on his lips for the last ten lance at him

"Couldn't say," he said shortly; "she didn't mention her health when she wrote last--but then she never does"

"When she wrote--" echoed Craven, and his voice was dull with disappointiers--some mistake of a fool of a clerk I haven't had any home news for nearly a year"

"She is still in Paris," replied Peters dryly, and to Craven his tone sounded faintly accusing He frowned and stared out into the darkness for a fewhow much Peters knew He had disapproved of the African expedition, stating his opinion frankly when Craven had discussed it with hione no change Craven understood perfectly what those vieere and in what light he ive no explanation He doubted very much whether Peters would understand if he did explain--histoo fine to comprehend or to countenance suicide Craven also felt sure that had he been aware of the circue Why hadn't he told Peters the whole beastly story when he returned from Japan? Peters had never failed a Craven, he would not have failed hiret and turned again to his companion