He could not relinquish it.

There was too strong a constraint upon him.
"Over the passes to the foot of the Hindu Kush," he murmured; and in his mind's eye he saw the road--a broad, white, graded road--snake across the valleys and climb the cliffs.
Was Russia at work?
he wondered.

Was he to be sent to Chiltistan?
What was Shere Ali doing?
He turned the questions over in his mind without being at much pains to answer them.

In such a very short time now he would know.

He was to embark before a month had passed.
He travelled down the very next day into Sussex, and came to the house under the Downs at twelve o'clock.