Look!" Luffe, a mighty smoker in his days of health, had let his cigarette go out, had laid it half-consumed upon the edge of his plate.

But it seemed that ill-health was not all to blame.

He had the look of one who had forgotten his company.

He was withdrawn amongst his own speculations, and his eyes looked out beyond that smoke-laden room in a fort amongst the Himalaya mountains into future years dim with peril and trouble.
"There is no moon," he said at length.

"We can get some exercise to-night"; and he rose from the table and ascended a little staircase on to the flat roof of the fort.