Thresk looked at, the central figure with a keen and professional interest.

Salak was a notorious figure in the Indian politics of the day--the politics of the subterranean kind.

For some years he had preached and practised sedition with so much subtlety and skill that though all men were aware that his hand worked the strings of disorder there was never any convicting evidence against him.

In all the three cases which Thresk had quoted and in many others less well-known those responsible for order were sure that he had devised the crime, chosen the moment for its commission and given the order.

But up till a month ago he had slipped through the meshes.