It sometimes was cold-weather time about forty fortnights ago, and four planterssat talking after dinner in the Manager's bungalow on a tea gardenin Cachar. We will call them M., B., C. and H.

The bungalow, like many bungalows in tea districts, stood on ahigh hill, the steep sides of which had been terraced and plantedwith tea. 0n adjacent but lower hills stood the factory and coolielines. Everything was quiet and lay wrapped in a very heavy fog.