ifle--that."

Olga closed the case with a resolute snap. "I shall send it back at
once."

"Hadn't you better read the dedication?" suggested Nick.

She took up the strip of paper, stretched it out, frowned at it. The
writing on this also was minute. After a moment she read it out. "'_Dum
spiro spero. N.W.'_ Just as I thought!"

"Do you know what it means?" asked Nick.

She shook her head vigorously. "And I don't want to know."

"Oh, that's a pity," he said. "Pray let me enlighten your ignorance. It
means, '_While I breathe I hope_'--a very proper sentiment which does
the young man infinite credit."

"I can't imagine how you can laugh," said Olga fierily, tearing the
strip to fragments. "Can't you see I'm really angry?"

"My dear child, that's why!" chuckled Nick. "It's the best thing I've
seen for a long time. The young man has all my gratitude. He has done
more for my little pal than I with the best intentions could ever do
myself."

She stretched out her hand to him then with a little smile. "Nick, you
silly old boy! Well, tell me what to do!"

"Quite sure you don't like him?" questioned Nick.

"No. I do like him." Olga's smile deepened. "But I think it was
outrageous of him to send me this thing. And I shall have to tell him
so."

"I should," said Nick. "You will have ample opportunities when we get to
Khantali. Take the thing with you and give it back to him there.
Afterwards, if it seems necessary, I'll tell him to moderate the pace if
you like. But the boy's a gentleman. I don't think it will be
necessary." He smiled at her quizzically. "I knew it was coming, Olga
_mia_. I can smell a love affair fifty miles away. But I shouldn't be
persuaded to have him if I were you. He's altogether too young for
matrimony by about ten years. Let him wait for Peggy Musgrave to grow
up. He will be of a marriageable age by that time."

Olga laughed, and turned to her other parcels. Nick's worldly wisdom
struck her as being a little funny when she knew herself to be so
infinitely wiser than he.

She found the two remaining packets to contain presents from the
Musgraves, some beautiful Indian embroidery from Daisy and a pair of
little Hindu gods in carved ivory from Will. Nick stopped to admire
these, and then betook himself to his own room to dress.

Left alone, Olga took up the ring-case once more, and slowly opened it.
The stones glinted in the morning light, the diamonds white and intense,
the emeralds pierci