"It's Mrs. Norton," he said.
"Mrs. Norton?" echoed his friend. "What the—what's she got to do with it?"
Raymond threw himself into a chair.
"Someone's been making mischief. The C.O.'s been told that there might be a scandal so he's got scared lest trouble should come to him."
Frank stared blankly at the speaker, then suddenly turned and walked out of the bungalow. The pony was standing huddled into the patch of shade at the side of the house, the syce squatting on the ground at its head and holding the reins. Wargrave sprang into the saddle and galloped out of the compound. Raymond ran to the verandah and saw him thundering down the sandy road that led to the residency.
Arrived at the big white building Frank pulled up his panting pony on its haunches and dismounting threw the reins over its head and left it unattended.
Walking to the hall door he cried:
"Koi hai?"
A drowsy chuprassi at the back of the hall sprang up and hurried to receive him.
"Memsahib hai? (Is the mistress in?)"