; he was handsome; he was slim, for a rajah; he wore European
costume, save for the huge white turban with its obtrusive diamond; and
he spoke English much better than a great many Englishmen. Yet what
place could he fill in my life and Elsie's? For once, I felt almost
angry with Harold. Why couldn't he have allowed us to go quietly through
India, two simple unofficial journalistic pilgrims, in our native
obscurity?

His Highness of Moozuffernuggar, however, had his own views on this
question. With a courteous wave of one dusky hand, he motioned us
gracefully into somebody else's deck chairs, and then sat down on
another beside us, while the gorgeous suite stood by in respectful
silence--unctuous gentlemen in pink-and-gold brocade--forming a court
all round us. Elsie and I, unaccustomed to be so observed, grew
conscious of our hands, our skirts, our postures. But the Maharajah
posed himself with perfect unconcern, like one well used to the fierce
light of royalty. 'I have come,' he said, with simple dignity, 'to
superintend the preparations for your reception.'

'Gracious heavens!' I exclaimed. 'Our reception, Maharajah? I think you
misunderstand. We are two ordinary English ladies of the proletariat,
accustomed to the level plain of professional society. We expect no
reception.'

He bowed again, with stately Eastern deference. 'Friends of
Tillington's,' he said, shortly, 'are persons of distinction. Besides, I
have heard of you from Lady Georgina Fawley.'

'Lady Georgina is too good,' I answered, though inwardly I raged against
her. Why couldn't she leave us alone, to feed in peace on dak-bungalow
chicken, instead of sending this regal-mannered heathen to bother us?

'So I have come down to Bombay to make sure that you are met in the
style that befits your importance in society,' he went on, waving his
suite away with one careless hand, for he saw it fussed us. 'I mentioned
you to His Honour the Acting-Governor, who had not heard you were
coming. His Honour's aide-de-camp will follow shortly with an invitation
to Government House while you remain in Bombay--which will not be many
days, I don't doubt, for there is nothing in this city of plague to stop
for. Later on, during your progress up country, I do myself the honour
to hope that you will stay as my guests for as long as you choose at
Moozuffernuggar.'

My first impulse was to answer: 'Impossible, Maharajah; we couldn't
dream of accepting your kind invitatio