"Have you changed your mind then?" asked the other sharply.
"No," said Terrington slowly, "but I've changed my position. I've only so far had to decide how to make the Fort defensible if it had to be defended."
"Yes, but!" Walcot objected, "the clearing of the Residency, the blowing down of these trees; all that has taken place since! What's been the object of that if you didn't mean to stay?"
"In war," said Terrington quietly, "it's sometimes as well to keep your intentions from the enemy."
"Did Sir Colvin mean us to stay here, sir?" enquired Dore.
"Yes," said Terrington. "Sir Colvin intended to hold out in Sar if anything went wrong till a relieving force could get up here from Sampur."
"You absolutely disagree with him, then?" Walcot rapped out.
Terrington looked at him thoughtfully.
"I have another point of view," he said.
"And what's that?" snapped the other.