A month ago, however, he had made his mistake.
"Yes.

It's a clever face," said Thresk.
Ballantyne nodded his head.
"He's a Mahratta Brahmin from Poona.

They are the fellows for brains, and Salak's about the cleverest of them." Thresk looked again at the photograph.
"I see the picture was taken at Poona." "Yes, and isn't it an extraordinary thing!" cried Ballantyne, his face flashing suddenly into interest and enjoyment.

The enthusiasm of the administrator in his work got the better of his fear now, just as a little earlier it had got the better of his drunkenness.

Thresk was looking now into the face of a quite different man, the man of the intimate knowledge and the high ability for whom fine rewards were prophesied in Bombay.