He looked at the worn face of the Commissioner, then he lifted his eyes and swept the horizon with his gaze.

The violet light upon the hills had lost its brightness and its glamour.

In the far distance the hills themselves were withdrawn.
Somewhere in that great barrier to the east was the gap of the Malakand Pass, where the Road now began.

Linforth turned away from the hills towards Peshawur.
"What must I do ?" he asked simply.
Ralston nodded his head.

His attitude relaxed, his voice lost its dominating note.
"What you have to understand is this," he explained.