The Doctor had just sat down to dinner when Bathurst came in.

The two subalterns were dining with him.
"That's good, Bathurst," the Doctor said, as he entered.

"Boy, put a chair for Mr.Bathurst.I had begun to think that you had deserted me as well as everybody else." "I was not thinking of dining," Bathurst said, as he sat down, "but I will do so with pleasure, though I told my man I should be back in half an hour;" and as the servant left the room he added, "I have much to say, Doctor; get through dinner as quickly as you can, and get the servants out of the tent." The conversation was at once turned by the Doctor upon shooting and hunting, and no allusion was made to passing events until coffee was put on the table and the servant retired.

The talk, which had been lively during dinner, then ceased.
"Well, Bathurst," the Doctor asked, "I suppose you have something serious to tell me ?" "Very serious, Doctor;" and he repeated the news he had given the Major.
"It could not be worse, Bathurst," the Doctor said quietly, after the first shock of the news had passed.

"You know I never had any faith in the Sepoys since I saw how this madness was spreading from station to station.