Ballantyne had, after all, had good cause to be afraid while he possessed it, and the news had not yet got to Salak's friends that it had left his possession.

Thus he made out the history of Captain Ballantyne's death.
The tape machine, however, might have ticked out a mere rumour with no truth in it at all.

He went to the office and obtained a copy of _The Advocate of India_,--the evening newspaper of the city.

He looked at the stop-press telegrams.

There was no mention of Ballantyne's death.