ophets of the mushroom colony of Kajiar. The great monsoon was
already rolling up from the coast-line, and at any moment might break
in thunder over the hills.

By eight of the morning tent-poles were swaying and falling on all
sides: and the wide glade that had slept in silver when Quita parted
from her husband, was astir from end to end. From every corner came
the brisk insistent tapping of hammers on tent-pegs; the shrill
neighing of ponies, and shriller chatter of coolies, bargaining for
payment in advance; repudiating loads a few ounces overweight, and
tragically prophesying death on the road if the illegal incubus were
not removed.

Peremptory bugle-notes rang out upon the air; and mounted Englishmen,
galloping hither and thither, scattered commands right and left in a
series of deep-chested shouts.

Striking camp,--breaking up! It is the key-note of Anglo-Indian life.
The chord of change unchanging sounds unceasingly in travel-weary ears.

But experience breeds proficiency; and the native servant is an adept
in the art of so oiling the wheels that his master shall accomplish his
appointed pilgrimage with the least possible damage to his much-tried
nervous system.

Zyarulla, the indomitable, was a man of this order. In his opinion the
Sahib had no concern whatever with the minor details of the march: an
opinion with which the Sahib in question had not the smallest desire to
quarrel. And on this particular morning Lenox had little attention to
spare even for the sorting and bestowal of his priceless
manuscripts,--so impatient was he to verify the dream-like happenings
of the night; to look into his wife's eyes and feel the answering
pressure of her hand. Swallowing a hasty cup of tea and a banana while
he dressed, he hastened out to the place of their parting seven hours
earlier.

Afar off he caught sight of her, standing, in habit and _terai_, on the
open space where her tent had been, supervising the departure of her
last load of luggage, and listening patiently to tales of coolie
villainy and extortion poured forth by her Kashmiri ayah, on a high
note of vituperation.

He checked his advance for the pure pleasure of watching her from a
distance: and when the ayah,--denouncing as she ran,--hurried off in
the wake of her refractory army, he went briskly forward and held out
his hand.

She gave him her own without a word, and for a full minute of time they
stood thus, hands and eyes inter-locked, o