He is no great favourite of yours, I suspect, Roger ?" "No," said Roger shortly, and relapsed again into silence.

But before the journey's end he once more returned to the charge.
"Was he in the army in India ?" "Once, I believe.

But I have never heard much of his antecedents.
Latterly I believe he called himself a financial agent, a very vague profession.

He was in our station before our regiment went there." "I suppose he had lived in India all his life ?" "He had certainly been in England when a young man," said the captain; "and from some of his reminiscences, appears not to have led a very profitable life there.

But how comes it you are so interested in him ?" "I have only been wondering what he was, that's all," said Roger, feeling he had been on the topic long enough.
Roger had already written a letter to Ratman, addressed to that gentleman at the General Post Office, London.
"Your letter," it said, "has perplexed me greatly.