"Shere Ali is in Ajmere." It took a moment or two for the words to penetrate to Linforth's mind.
Then he said slowly: "Oh! Shere Ali's in Ajmere.

I must start for Ajmere to-morrow." Ralston looked up from his letters and glanced at Linforth.

Something in the abstracted way in which Linforth had spoken attracted his attention.
He smiled: "Yes, it's a pity," he said.

But again it seemed that Linforth did not hear.

And then the voice at the piano stopped abruptly as though the singer had just become aware that there were people talking in the hall.
Linforth moved forward, and in the doorway of the drawing-room he came face to face with Violet Oliver.