He also brought him whisky and soda which Tommy did not touch, spending the interval of waiting that ensued in fevered tramping to and fro. He had not seen Monck alone since the evening of Tessa's birthday-party nearly three weeks before. On the score of business connected with the approaching trial, Monck had come to Khanmulla immediately afterwards, and no one at Kurrumpore had had more than an occasional glimpse of him since. But he meant to see him alone now, and he had given very explicit instructions to that effect to the servant, accompanied by a substantial species of persuasion that could not fail to achieve its object. When the sound of voices told him at last of the return of the two men, he drew back out of sight of the window while the obsequious _khansama_ went forth upon his errand. Then a moment or two later he heard them separate, and one alone came in his direction. Everard entered with the gait of a tired man. The lamp dazzled him for a second, and Tommy saw him first. He smothered an involuntary exclamation and stepped forward. "Tommy!" said Monck, as if incredulous. Tommy stood in front of him, his hands at his sides. "Yes, it's me. I had to come over--just to have a look at you. Ralston said--said--oh, damn it, it doesn't matter what he said. Only I had to--just come and see for myself. You see, I--I--" he faltered badly, but recovered himself under the straight gaze of Everard's eyes--"I can't get the thought of you out of my mind. I've been a damn' cur. You won't want to speak to me of course, but when Ralston started jawing about you this afternoon, I found--I found--" he choked suddenly--"I couldn't stand it any longer," he said in a strangled whisper. Monck was looking full at him by the merciless glare of the lamp on the table, which revealed himself very fully also. All the grim lines in his face seemed to be accentuated. He looked years older. The hair above his temples gleamed silver where it caught the light. He did not speak at once. Only as Tommy made a blind movement as if to go, he put forth a hand and took him by the arm. "Tommy," he said, "what have you been doing?" Out of deep hollows his eyes looked forth, indomitable, relentless as they had ever been, searching the boy's downcast face. Tommy quivered a little under their piercing scrutiny, but he made no attempt to avoid it. "Look at me!" Monck commanded. He raised his eyes for a moment, and in spite of himself Monck was softened by the utter misery they held. "You always were an ass," he commented. "But I thought you had more strength of mind than this." Tommy made an impotent gesture. "I'm a beast--I'm a skunk!" he declared, with tremulous vehemence. "I'm not fit to speak to you!" The shadow of a smile crossed Monck's face. "And you've come all this way to tell me so?" he said. "You've no business here either. You ought to be at the Mess."