He stood wondering what news could have come up on the tape of Captain Ballantyne who was out in camp in the state of Chitipur, or if there was another Captain Ballantyne.

He joined the little group in front of the machine, and picking up the ribbon from the floor ran his eyes backwards along it until he came to "United Steel." The sentence in front of that ran as follows: "Captain Ballantyne was found dead early yesterday morning outside his tent close to Jarwhal Junction." Thresk read the sentence twice and then walked away.

The news might be false, of course, but if it were true here was a revolution in his life.
There was no need for this letter which he held in his hand.

The way was smoothed out for Stella, for him.

Not for a moment could he pretend to do anything but welcome the news, to wish with all his heart that it was true.