He knew what Lieutenant Harris would wish to speak to him about.
A few weeks before a Lieutenant-Colonel of cavalry had been court-martialed on the charge of allowing the escape of a spy.

The court had found him guilty and its findings had been submitted to the higher authorities and endorsed by them.

A copy of these reports now lay on his desk.

All this his Adjutant, Forbes, knew as well as the General himself, but if Forbes had thought it worth while to speculate on the extent of his commander's interest he might have guessed for years without ever drawing one logical conclusion from all the hints that that impassive face and figure gave him.
Again a ringing step in the corridor and this time Lieutenant Harris came into the room, his hand going up in salute.

But his General was still looking out of the window, his eyes on a dead level.