He gave a last look at the town and its white-fanged mountains, and descended through the garden, round the way of the kitchen garden and garage and stables and pecking chickens, back to the house again.

In the hall still no one.

He went upstairs to the long lounge.

There sat the rubicund, bald, boy-like Colonel reading the _Graphic_.

Aaron sat down opposite him, and made a feeble attempt at conversation.