night of sleeplessness, and something that was darker than the dark
road, and something that was deep as the brown waters that carried
outgoing craft to sea.




VI

TELLS HOW ATKINS EXPLAINS FACTS BY PEOPLE AND NOT PEOPLE BY FACTS, AND
HOW HARTLEY, HEAD OF THE POLICE, SMELLS THE SCENT OF APPLE ORCHARDS
GROWING IN A FOOL'S PARADISE


Social life went its way in Mangadone much as it had before the 29th of
July, but Hartley was not allowed to rest and feel comfortable and easy
for very long. Mhtoon Pah waylaid him in the dark when he was riding
home from the Club, and waited for him for hours in his bungalow. Like
his own shadow, Mhtoon Pah followed him and dogged his comings and
goings, always with the same imploring tale, but never with any further
evidence. Leh Shin was officially watched, and Leh Shin's assistant was
also under the paternal eye of authority, but all that authority could
discover about him was that he led a gay life, gambled and drugged
himself, hung about evil houses, and had been seen loitering in the
vicinity of the curio shop; but, as Paradise Street was an open
thoroughfare, he had as much right to be there as any leprous beggar.

Hartley's peace of mind was soon shattered again, this time by a new
element that Hartley had not thought of, and so he was caught in another
net without any previous warning.