A pressure of the hand, and she turned her pony and rode away at a walk, the syce following.
Campian watched her out of sight. Then he did a curious thing—at any rate for a man of mature age and judgment. He returned to the cave and picked up a small rough stone, quite an ordinary stone it was, but while they had stood talking Vivien had been rolling this stone absently to and fro beneath the sole of her boot. Now he picked it up, and, glancing at it for a moment, put it in his pocket. But he seemed to change his mind, for, pulling it forth again, he hurled it away far over the rocks.
Then he started out in the direction of Upward’s camp, old Bhallu Khan, carrying the rifle, following close at his heels.
Chapter Eleven.
Introspect.
“You’re late, child. Had a long ride?” said Colonel Jermyn, who was already at breakfast when Vivien entered.
“Not very. The mountain paths here are so rough, you have to keep almost entirely to a walk. And I met Mr Campian, so we stopped and chatted a little.”
“Did you? Where?”