Let him return to his regiment and do his work of sapping and mining elsewhere than in O'Moy's household.
Eased by that resolve he rose, a tall, martial figure, youth and energy in every line of it for all his six and forty years.

Awhile he paced the room in thought.

Then, suddenly, with hands clenched behind his back, he checked by the window, checked on a horrible question that had flashed upon his tortured mind.

What if already the evil should be irreparable?
What proof had he that it was not so?
The door opened, and Tremayne himself came in quickly.
"Here's the very devil to pay, sir," he announced, with that odd mixture of familiarity towards his friend and deference to his chief.
O'Moy looked at him in silence with smouldering, questioning eyes, thinking of anything but the trouble which the captain's air and manner heralded.
"Captain Stanhope has just arrived from headquarters with messages for you.

A terrible thing has happened, sir.