After this agonising experience I felt mentally prostrated, and sank exhausted into a long chair in the veranda. Ronnie, now at home, came quickly forward, and when I said "It is all right," the relief in the expression of his drawn, worn face was some recompense to me.
After dinner we sat out in the compound, watched the dancing fireflies and listened to the distant band, for it was "guest night" at the mess.
"He said the clerk would be here at ten o'clock." I repeated this more than once--the announcement seemed to give me confidence. "It will be all in notes," I added.
"So much the better," said Ronnie. "In fact nothing else would do. I'll take it up early to-morrow, get hold of the key, stick it into the safe, and hand it over to the old man. Oh, _what_ a load off my mind!"
Ten o'clock struck and we listened intently; in the still Indian night there were no sounds but the distant barking of a dog, the stamping of a pony in the stable and the thrumming of tom-toms in the Trimulgherry bazaar. Eleven o'clock--oh that agonised hour of long-drawn suspense! At last a _gurra_ sounded twelve distinct strokes.
"Eva," said Ronnie, suddenly breaking our poignant silence, "that black-hearted devil has played _you_ false, and ruined _me_!"
"Don't give up yet," I said, "as soon as it's light take my receipt and Tommy and gallop down to Chudderghat and fetch the money yourself."
"Right O!" he agreed eagerly. "Yes, it's our one chance. I shall have to be back before orderly-room, which is at eight o'clock."
Long before eight o'clock Ronnie had returned, and I knew at once that the worst had happened! With a ghastly, rigid face he staggered into the veranda, as Tommy Atkins, dripping with sweat, was led away.
"The whole thing was a fraud--a devilish fraud!" said Ronnie, as he leant against a pillar and mopped his face. "Balthasar was not there. He left the station last night, and no one knows where he has gone or when he will return. He always had his knife into you, Eva, ever since the day you turned him out. Get me a peg; I must try and pull myself together before I go to the orderly-room and face the music. Hallo, here is Gloag!" he exclaimed, and to my astonishment Captain Gloag rode into the compound. He pulled up at the steps, threw the reins to a syce, and clanked into the drawing-room, where we followed him in silence.