She already knew some portion of the story he would tell.

The remainder was of minor importance.
"It is odd," he continued, "that you should have alluded to six years a moment ago.

It is exactly six years, almost to a day, since the trouble began." "With Lord Ventnor ?" The name slipped out involuntarily.
"Yes.

I was then a Staff Corps subaltern, and my proficiency in native languages attracted the attention of a friend in Simla, who advised me to apply for an appointment on the political side of the Government of India.

I did so.