It's been a
shocking disaster--the native village entirely swept away, though not
many European lives lost, I am glad to say. But Hyde is among the
missing. You knew Hyde?"
"I knew him--well." Baring's words seemed to come with an effort.
"Ah, well, poor fellow; he probably didn't know much about it. Terrible,
a thing of this sort. It's impossible yet to estimate the damage, but
the whole of the lower valley is devastated. The Magician's bungalow has
entirely disappeared, I hear. A good thing the old man was away from
home."
At this point, to Colonel Latimer's relief, Baring turned. He was paler
than usual, but there was no other trace of emotion about him.
"If you will allow me," he said, "I should like to go and speak to her,
too."
"Certainly," the colonel said heartily. "Certainly. Go at once! No doubt
she is expecting you. Tell the youngster I want him out here!"
And Baring went.
* * * * *
If Hope did expect him, she certainly did not anticipate the manner of
his coming. The man who entered the colonel's drawing-room was not the
man who had striven with a mastery that was almost brutal to bring her
into subjection only the day before.
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