CHAPTER XVI
Major Rochfort's eyes blazed, his good-looking countenance had become dark, and congested; at last he found speech, and in a voice choking with ferocity demanded:
"What are you doing here, sir? Detective business, eh? You shall explain this, Mallender," suddenly seizing him by the arm, "come inside!" As he spoke, he kicked a glass door open with such force, that one of the panes was loosened, and fell on the flags with a tinkling crash.
When the master of the house had carried off the unlucky photographer, as it were a prey—his children and retainers stood staring at one another in a dumb amazement—in which curiosity had no small share.
Leaving his victim to follow, Major Rochfort stalked through a gloomy central room—studded with old-fashioned black furniture, and carpeted with a hideous native drugget—into a cheerful airy den, containing a big writing-table, several luxurious chairs, and many trophies of the chase.
"Now," he said, turning savagely on Mallender. "'Pon my soul, I've a good mind to shoot you! What the devil are you after? What do you mean, you prying young skunk, by putting your fingers into my private affairs, eh?" His face was livid, and streaming with heat, he was almost incoherent from passion.
"I know nothing—and want to know nothing—of your private affairs," replied the amateur artist who was white, but perfectly collected. "I came out here to look after my own business, and by rotten bad luck I seem to have tumbled into yours!" Then realising that it was desirable to make a clean breast, he sat down in the nearest arm-chair, and with the velvet cloth still in his hands, in a few short sentences, and a slow controlled voice, related the reasons for his trip to India, to Panjeverram,—and finally to the bungalow itself.
As he listened, his companion rapidly cooled. He mopped his face energetically, and exclaimed:
"I see—I see—a regular mare's nest! Well, your secret will be safe here, this," with an embarrassed grin, "is the house of secrets; but yours, is a crazy notion, yes, crazy, and will land you in lots of awkward situations, as bad or worse, than this."