re foam
and spray from great deeps. "The whole Border-side is at your
feet!--But what brought you back again, Rajinder Singh?"

"Merely a few words I omitted to say to your Honour at parting."

The words were soon spoken; and the crowd, breaking up into desultory
groups, was beginning to disperse, when, to his surprise, Desmond saw
his wife's jhampan appear between the gate-posts, and pause for a
moment while she took leave of some one on the farther side.
Instinctively he moved forward to greet her; but, on perceiving her
companion, changed his mind, and stood awaiting her by the verandah
steps.

The dead dog lay full in the middle of the path; and Honor, still
holding her revolver, stood only a few yards away. At sight of these
things the faint shadow of irritation upon Evelyn's face deepened to
disgust, not unmixed with fear, and her voice had a touch of
sharpness in it as she turned upon her husband.

"Who on earth put that horrible dog there, Theo? And why is Honor
wandering about with a pistol? I met a whole lot of natives coming
away. Has anything been happening?"

"The dog was mad, and Honor shot him," Desmond answered, with cool
abruptness. Her manner of parting from Kresney had set the blood
throbbing in his temples. "I only had a stick to tackle him with; and
she very pluckily came to my rescue."

While he spoke, Honor turned and went into the house. She was
convinced that Evelyn would strike a jarring note, and in her present
mood felt ill able to endure it.

Evelyn frowned.

"Oh, Theo, how troublesome you are! If the dog had bitten a few
natives, who'd have cared?"

"Their relations, I suppose. And there was a child in danger, Evelyn."

"Poor little thing! But you really can't go about trying to get killed
for the benefit of any stray sort of people. I am thankful I wasn't
here!"

"Yes--it was just as well," her husband answered drily, as he handed
her out of the jhampan. "What brought you back so early?"

"The sun was too hot. I had a headache; and we were all playing
abominably. I'm going in now, to lie down."

She paused beside him, and her eyes lingered upon his empty
coat-sleeve. Lifting it distastefully between finger and thumb, she
glanced up at him with a droop of her delicate lips.

"When is it going to be better? I hate to see you looking all
one-sided like that."

"I'm sorry," he answered humbly. "But Nature won't be persuaded to
hurry herself--even to please you." He scrutin