ng enough."

Tessa drank her wine almost casually. "Come on!" she said. "Let's go!"

But ere they reached the French window that led on to the verandah, a
sudden loud report followed by a succession of minor ones coming from
the compound told them that the happenings had already begun. Tessa
gave one great jump, and then literally danced with delight.

"Fireworks!" she cried. "Fireworks! That's Tommy! I know it is. Do let's
go and look!" They went, and hung over the verandah-rail to watch a
masked figure attired in an old pyjama suit of vivid green and white
whirling a magnificent wheel of fire that scattered glowing sparks in
all directions.

Tessa was wild with excitement. "How lovely!" she cried. "Oh, how
lovely! Dear Uncle St. Bernard, mayn't I go down and help him?"

But Bernard decreed that she should remain upon the verandah, and,
strangely, Tessa submitted without protest. She held his hand tightly,
as if to prevent herself making any inadvertent dash for freedom, but
she leapt to and fro like a dog on the leash, squeaking her ecstasy at
every fresh display achieved by the bizarre masked figure below them.

Bernard watched her with compassionate sympathy in his kindly eyes.
Little Tessa had won a very warm place in his heart. He marvelled at her
mother's attitude of callous indifference.

Certainly Tessa had never enjoyed herself more thoroughly than on that
evening of her tenth birthday. Time flew by on the wings of delight.
Tommy's exhibition was appreciated with almost delirious enthusiasm on
the verandah, and a little crowd of natives at the gate pushed and
nudged each other with an admiration quite as heartfelt though
carefully suppressed.

The display had been going on for some time when Stella came out alone
and joined the two on the verandah. To Tessa's eager inquiry for Uncle
Everard she made answer that he had been called out on business, and to
Bernard she added that Hafiz had sent him a message by one of the
servants, and she supposed he had gone to Rustam Karin's stall in the
bazaar. She looked pale and dispirited, but she joined in Tessa's
delighted appreciation of the entertainment which now was drawing to a
close.

It was getting late, and as with a shower of coloured stars the magician
in the compound accomplished a grand _finale_, Bernard put his arm
around the narrow shoulders and said, with a kindly squeeze, "I am going
to see my princess home again now. She mustn't lose all her
be