"Colonel Kirby," said the man in drab, twisting at his watch-guard furiously, "if you'll tell me what's in your sealed orders--open them and see--I'll tell you what I know about Ranjoor Singh, and we'll call it a bargain!" "I wasn't joking," said Kirby, turning red as his scalp from the roots of his hair to his collar. "I'm in deadly earnest!" said the man in drab. So, without a word more, Colonel Kirby hurried out again, carrying his saber in his left hand at an angle that was peculiar to him, and that illustrated determination better than words could have done. His huge horse plunged away almost before he had gained the seat, and, saber and all, he gained the seat at a step-and-a-jump. But the sais was not up behind, and Kirby had scarcely settled down to drive before the man in drab had the telephone mouthpiece to his lips and had given his mysterious number again--4-3-2-9-2. "He's coming, sir!" he said curtly. Somebody at the other end apparently asked, "Who is coming?" for the man in drab answered: "Kirby." * * * * * Five minutes later Kirby caught a general at breakfast, and was received with courtesy and feigned surprise. "D'you happen to know anything about my risaldar-major, Ranjoor Singh?" asked Kirby, after a hasty apology for bursting in. "Why?" "He was under suspicion yesterday--I was told so. Next he disappeared. Then I received a message from him asking me to assign him to special duty; that was after I'd more than half believed him burned to death in a place called the 'House-of-the-Eight-Half-brothers.' He has sent some most extraordinary messages to his squadron by the hand of a mysterious babu, but not a word of explanation of any kind. Can you tell me anything about him, sir?" "Wasn't a trooper of yours murdered yesterday?" the general asked. "Yes," said Kirby. "And another missing?" "Yes, sir." "Did Ranjoor Singh go off to search for the missing man?" "I was told so." "H-rrrr-ump! Well, I'm glad you came; you've saved me trouble! Did you put Ranjoor Singh in Orders as assigned to special duty?" "Yes." "What is the missing trooper's name?" "Jagut Singh." "Well, please enter him in Orders, too." "Special service?" "Special service," said the general. "How about Ranjoor Singh's charger?" "I understand that he's been kept well groomed by Ranjoor Singh's orders, and my adjutant tells me he has the horse in care in his own stable." The general made a note. "Whose stable?" lie asked. "Warrington's." "Warrington, of Outram's Own, eh? Captain Warrington?" The general wrote that down, while Kirby watched him bewildered. "Well now, Kirby, that'll be all right Have the horse left there, will you? I hope You've been able to dispose of your own horses to advantage. Two chargers don't seem a large allowance for a commanding officer of a cavalry regiment, but that's all you can take with you. You'll have to leave the rest behind."