Into this happy confusion Olva Dune plunged. He shook off from him, as a dog shakes water from his back, the memory of that white mist-haunted road. Once he deliberately faced the moment when he had been sick--faced it, heard once again the dull, lumbering sound that the body had made as it bundled along the road, and then put it from him altogether. Now for battle . . . his dark eyes challenged this shifting cloud of life. He went round to the stable where Bunker was housed, chattered with the blue-chinned ostler, and then, for a moment, was alone with the dog. How much had Bunker seen? How much had he understood? Was it fancy, or did the dog crouch, the tiniest impulse, away from him as he bent to pat him? Bunker was tired; he relapsed on to his haunches, wagged his tail, grinned, but in his eyes there seemed, although the lamplight was deceptive, to be the faintest shadow of an apprehension. "Good old dog, good old Bunker." Bunker wagged his tail, but the tiniest shiver passed, like a thought, through his body. Olva left him. As he passed through the streets he met men whom he knew. They nodded or flung a greeting. How strange to think that to-morrow night they would be speaking of him in low, grave voices as one who was already dead. "I knew the fellow quite well, strange, reserved man--nobody really knew him. With these foreigners, you know . . ." Oh! he could hear them! He passed through the gates of Saul's. The porter touched his hat. The great Centre Court was shrouded in mist, and out of the white veil the grey buildings rose, gently, on every side. There were lights now in the windows; the Chapel bell was ringing, hushed and dimmed by the heavy air. Boots rang sharply along the stone corridors. Olva crossed the court towards his room. Suddenly, from the very heart of the mist, sharply, above the sound of the Chapel bell, a voice called-- "Carfax! Carfax!" Olva stayed: for an instant the blood ran from his body, his knees quivered, his face was as white as the mist. Then he braced himself--he knew the voice. "Hullo, Craven, is that you?" "Who's that? . . . Can't see in this mist." "Dune." "Hullo, Dune. I say, do you know what's happened to Carfax?" "Happened? No--why?" "Well, I can't find him anywhere. I wanted to get him for Bridge. He ought to be back by now." "Back? Where's he been?" "Going over to see some aunt or other at Grantchester--ought to be back by now." An aunt?--No, Rose Midgett. "No--I've no idea--haven't seen him since yesterday." "Been out for a walk?" "Yes, just took my dog for a bit." "See you in Hall?" "Right--o!" The voice began again calling under the windows--"Carfax! Carfax!" Olva climbed the stairs to his rooms. CHAPTER II BUNNING 1