The Lamp in the Desert

  PART IV

  CHAPTER I

  DEVILS' DICE

  "It's a pity," said Sir Reginald.

  "It's a damnable pity, sir," Colonel Mansfield spoke with bluntemphasis. "I have trusted the fellow almost as I would have trustedmyself. And he has let me down."

  The two were old friends. The tie of India bound them both. Though theirways lay apart and they met but seldom, the same spirit was in them andthey were as comrades. They sat together in the Colonel's office thatlooked over the streaming parade-ground. A gleam of morning sunshine hadpierced the clouds, and the smoke of the Plains went up like a furnace.

  "I shouldn't be too sure of that," said Sir Reginald, after a thoughtfulmoment. "Things are not always what they seem. One is apt to repent of ahasty judgment."

  "I know." The Colonel spoke with his eyes upon the rising cloud of steamoutside. "But this fellow has always had my confidence, and I can't getover what he himself admits to have been a piece of double-dealing. Isuppose it was a sudden temptation, but he had always been so straightwith me; at least I had always imagined him so. He has rendered someinvaluable services too."

  "That is partly why I say, don't be too hasty," said Sir Reginald. "Wecan't afford--India can't afford--to scrap a single really useful man."

  "Neither can she afford to make use of rotters," rejoined the Colonel.

  Sir Reginald smiled a little. "I am not so sure of that, Mansfield. Eventhe rotters have their uses. But I am quite convinced in my own mindthat this man is very far from being one. I feel inclined to go slow fora time and give him a chance to retrieve himself. Perhaps it may soundsoft to you, but I have never floored a man at his first slip. And thisman has a clean record behind him. Let it stand him in good stead now!"

  "It will take me some time to forget it," the Colonel said. "I canforgive almost anything except deception. And that I loathe."

  "It isn't pleasant to be cheated, certainly," Sir Reginald agreed. "Whendid this happen? Was he married at the time?"

  "No." The Colonel meditated for a few seconds "He only married lastspring. This was considerably more than a year ago. It must have beenthe spring of the preceding year. Yes, by Jove, it was! It was just atthe time of poor Dacre's marriage. Dacre, you know, married youngDenvers' sister--the girl who is now Monck's wife. Dacre was killed onhis honeymoon only a fortnight after the wedding. You remember that,Burton?" He turned abruptly to the Major who had entered while he wasspeaking.

  Burton came to a stand at the table. His eyes were set very closetogether, and they glittered meanly as he made reply. "I remember itvery well indeed. His death coincided with this mysterious leave ofMonck's, and also with the unexpected absence of our man Rustam Karinjust at a moment when Barnes particularly needed him."

  "Who is Rustam Karin?" asked Sir Reginald.

  "A police agent. A clever man. I may say, an invaluable man." ColonelMansfield was looking hard at the Major's ferret-like face as he madereply. "No one likes the fellow. He is suspected of being a leper. Buthe is clever. He is undoubtedly clever. I remember his absence. It wasat the time of that mission to Khanmulla, the mission I wanted Monck totake in hand."

  "Exactly." Major Burton rapped out the word with a sound like thecracking of a nut. "We--or rather Barnes--tried to pump Hafiz about it,but he was a mass of ignorance and lies. I believe the old brute turnedup again before Monck's return, but he wasn't visible till afterwards.He and Monck have always been thick as thieves--thick as thieves." Hepaused, looking at Sir Reginald. "A very fishy transaction, sir," heobserved.

  Sir Reginald's eyes met his. "Are you," he said calmly, "trying toestablish any connection between the death of Dacre and the absence fromKurrumpore of this man Rustam Karin?"

  "Not only Rustam Karin, sir," responded the Major sharply.

  "Ah! Quite so. How did Dacre die?" Sir Reginald still spoke quietly,judicially. There was nothing encouraging in his aspect.

  Burton hesitated momentarily, as if some inner warning prompted him togo warily.

  "That was what no one knew for certain, sir. He disappeared one night.The story went that he fell over a precipice. Some old native beggartold the tale. No one knows who the man was."

  "But you have your eye upon Rustam Karin?" suggested Sir Reginald.

  Burton hesitated again. "One doesn't trust these fellows, sir," he said.

  "True!" Sir Reginald's voice sounded very dry. "Perhaps it is a mistaketo trust any one too far. This is all the evidence you can muster?"

  "Yes, sir." Burton looked suddenly embarrassed. "Of course it is notevidence, strictly speaking," he said. "But when mysteries coincide, oneis apt to link them together. And the death of Captain Dacre alwaysseemed to me highly mysterious."

  "The death of Captain Ermsted was no less so," put in the Colonelabruptly. "Have you any theories on that subject also?"

  Burton smiled, showing his teeth. "I always have theories," he said.

  Sir Reginald made a slight movement of impatience. "I think this isbeside the point," he said. "Captain Ermsted's murderer will probably betraced one day."

  "Probably, sir," agreed Major Burton, "since I hear unofficially thatCaptain Monck has the matter in hand. Ah!"

  He broke off short as, with a brief knock at the door, Monck himselfmade an abrupt appearance.

  He came forward as if he saw no one in the room but the Colonel. Hisface wore a curiously stony look, but his eyes burned with a fierceintensity. He spoke without apology or preliminary of any sort.

  "I have just had a message, sir, from Bhulwana," he said. "I wish toapply for immediate leave."

  The Colonel looked at him in surprise. "A message, Captain Monck?"

  "From my wife," Monck said, and drew a hard breath between his teeth.His hands were clenched hard at his sides. "I've got to go!" he said."I've got to go!"

  There was a moment's silence. Then: "May I see the message?" said theColonel.

  Monck's eyelids flickered sharply, as if he had been struck across theface. He thrust out his right hand and flung a crumpled paper upon thetable. "There, sir!" he said harshly.

  There was violence in the action, but it did not hold insolence. SirReginald leaning forward, was watching him intently. As the Colonel,with a word of excuse to himself, took up and opened the paper, he rosequietly and went up to Monck. Thin, wiry, grizzled, he stopped besidehim.

  Major Burton retired behind the Colonel, realizing himself asunnecessary but too curious to withdraw altogether.

  In the pause that followed, a tense silence reigned. Monck was swayingas he stood. His eyes had the strained and awful look of a man with hissoul in torment. After that one hard breath, he had not breathed at all.

  The Colonel looked up. "Go, certainly!" he said, and there was a touchof the old kindliness in his voice that he tried to restrain. "And assoon as possible! I hope you will find a more reassuring state ofaffairs when you get there."

  He held out the telegram. Monck made a movement to take it, but as hedid so the tension in which he gripped himself suddenly gave way. Heblundered forward, his hands upon the table.

  "She will die," he said, and there was utter despair in his tone. "Sheis probably dead already."

  Sir Reginald took him by the arm. His face held nought but kindliness,which he made no attempt to hide. "Sit down a minute!" he said. "Here'sa chair! Just a minute. Sit down and get your wind! What is thismessage? May I read it?"

  He murmured something to Major Burton who turned sharply and went out.Monck sank heavily into the chair and leaned upon the table, his head inhis hands. He was shaking all over, as if seized with an ague.

  Sir Reginald read the message, standing beside him, a hand upon hisshoulder. "Stella desperately ill. Come. Ralston," were the words itcontained.

  He laid the paper upon the table, and looked across at the Colonel. Thelatter nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.

  Monck spoke without moving. "She is dead," he said. "My God! She isdead!" And then, under his breath, "After all,--counting me out-
-it'sbest--it's best. I couldn't ask for anything better at this devils'game. Someone's got to die."

  He checked himself abruptly, and again a terrible shivering seized him.

  Sir Reginald bent over him. "Pull yourself together, man! You'll needall your strength. Please God, she'll be better when you get there!"

  Monck raised himself with a slow, blind movement. "Did you ever dicewith the devil?" he said. "Stake your honour--stake all you'd got--tosave a woman from hell? And then lose--my God--lose all--even--even--thewoman?" Again he checked himself. "I'm talking like a damned fool. Stopme, someone! I've come through hell-fire and it's scorched away mysenses. I never thought I should blab like this."

  "It's all right," Sir Reginald said, and in his voice was steadyreassurance. "You're with friends. Get a hold on yourself! Don't say anymore!"

  "Ah!" Monck drew a deep breath and seemed to come to himself. He lifteda face of appalling whiteness and looked at Sir Reginald. "You're verygood, sir," he said. "I was knocked out for the moment. I'm all rightnow."

  He made as if he would rise, but Sir Reginald checked him. "Wait amoment longer! Major Burton will be back directly."

  "Major Burton?" questioned Monck.

  "I sent him for some brandy to steady your nerves," Sir Reginald said.

  "You're very good," Monck said again. He leaned his head on his hand andsat silent.

  Major Burton returned with Tommy hovering anxiously behind him. The boyhesitated a little upon entering, but the Colonel called him in.

  "You had better see the message too," he said. "Your sister is ill.Captain Monck is going to her."

  Tommy read the message with one eye upon Monck, who drank the brandyBurton brought and in a moment stood up.

  "I am sorry to have made such a fool of myself, sir," he said to SirReginald, with a faint, grim smile. "I shall not forget your kindness,though I hope you will forget my idiocy."

  Sir Reginald looked at him closely for a second. His grizzled face wasstern. Yet he held out his hand.

  "Good-bye, Captain Monck!" was all he said.

  Monck stiffened. The smile passed from his face, leaving it inscrutable,granite-like in its composure. It was as the donning of a mask.

  "Good-bye, sir!" he said briefly, as he shook hands.

  Tommy moved to his side impulsively. He did not utter a word, but asthey went out his hand was pushed through Monck's arm in the oldconfidential fashion, the old eager affection was shining in his eyes.

  "He has one staunch friend, anyhow," Sir Reginald muttered to theColonel.

  "Yes," the Colonel answered gravely. "He has done a good deal for youngDenvers. It's the boy's turn to make good now. There isn't much left himbesides."

  "Poor devil!" said Sir Reginald.