“All honour to Everard!” he said, flinging himself into a chair by Stella’s side.  “The fellow was caught at Khanmulla.  Barnes arrested him, but he gives the credit of the catch to Everard.  The fellow will swing, of course.  It will be a sensational trial, for rumour has it that the Rajah was pushing behind.  He, of course, is smooth as oil.  I saw him at the Club just now, hovering round Mrs. Ermsted as usual, and she encouraging him.  That girl is positively infatuated.  Shouldn’t wonder if there’s a rude awakening before her.  I beg your pardon, sir.  You spoke?” He turned abruptly to Bernard who was seated near.

“I was only wondering what Everard’s share had been in tracking this charming person down,” observed the elder Monck, who was smiling a little at Tommy’s evident excitement.

“Oh, everyone knows that Everard is a regular sleuth-hound,” said Tommy.  “He is more native than the natives when there is anything of this kind in the wind.  He is a born detective, and he and that old chap in the bazaar are such a strong combination that they are practically infallible and invincible.”

“Do you mean Rustam Karin?” Stella spoke very quietly, not lifting her eyes from her work.

Tommy turned to her.  “That’s the chap.  The old beggar fellow.  At least they say he is.  He never shows.  Hafiz does all the show part.  The old boy is the brain that works the wires.  Everard has immense faith in him.”

“I know,” Stella said.

Her voice sounded strangled, and Bernard looked across at her; but she continued to work without looking up.

Tommy lingered for a while, expatiating upon Everard’s astuteness, and finally went away to dress for mess still in a state of considerable excitement.

Stella and Bernard sat in silence after his departure.  There seemed to be nothing to say.  But when, after a time, he got up to go, she very suddenly raised her eyes.

“Bernard!”

“My dear!” he said very kindly.

She put out a hand to him, almost as if feeling her way in a dark place.  “I want to ask you,” she said, speaking hurriedly, “whether you know—­whether you have ever heard—­the things that are being said about—­about Everard and this man—­Rustam Karin.”

She spoke with immense effort.  It was evident that she was greatly agitated.

Bernard stopped beside her, holding her hand firmly in his.  “Tell me what they are!” he said gently.

She made a hopeless gesture.  “Then you do know!  Everyone knows.  Naturally I am the last.  You knew I connected that dreadful man long ago with—­with Ralph’s death.  I had good reason for doing so after—­after I had actually seen him on the verandah here that awful night.  But—­but now it seems—­because he and Everard have always been in partnership—­because they were both absent at the time of Ralph’s death, no one knew where—­people are talking and saying—­and saying—­” She broke off with a sharp, agonized sound.  “I can’t tell you what they are saying!” she whispered.