those
wretched Waziris. Two sentries murdered last week; and some horses
stolen. Oh! and Mrs Olliver has had a bad touch of fever; and there's
cholera in the city, but they don't think it'll spread. What a
gruesome place it is! And what a mercy we're not there now. By the
way," she added, working her parasol into a crack between two boards,
"I met the Kresneys as I was coming home."

"The Kresneys! Here?"

Honor sat suddenly upright, all trace of weariness gone from her face.

"Yes. They're up for six weeks, and they seemed so pleased to see me
that--I asked them in to dinner to-night."

"Evelyn!"

"Well--why not?" A spark of defiance glinted through the dark curves
of her lashes.

"You know Theo would hate it."

"I daresay. But he isn't here; so it can't matter to him. And he need
not know anything about it."

"My dear! That would be worse than all!"

Evelyn frowned.

"Really, Honor, for a clever person, you're rather stupid. It would be
simply idiotic to tell him what is sure to annoy him, when the thing's
done and he can't prevent it."

The girl leaned back with an impatient sigh.

"If you feel so sure it will annoy him, why on earth do you do it? He
is so good to you in every possible way."

A great longing came upon her to disclose all that he had been ready
to relinquish five weeks ago.

"_I_ know that without your telling me," Evelyn retorted sharply. "But
I think I might do as I like just while I'm up here. And I mean
to--whatever you say. The Kresneys came here, instead of going to
Mussoorie, chiefly to see me. I can't ignore them; and I won't."

"Well, for goodness' sake, don't ask them to the house again, that's
all." Then, because she could scarcely trust herself to say more on
the subject, and because she had no wish to risk a quarrel, she added
quickly: "A parcel came while we were out. Perhaps you'd like to open
it before dinner."

Evelyn was on her feet at once--the Kresneys forgotten as though they
were not.

"It must be my new dress for the General's garden-party. How lovely!"

"Another dress? Your almirah's choked with them already."

"Those are only what I got at Simla last year."

"You seem to have gone in rather extensively for dresses last year,"
Honor remarked, a trifle critically. Since their arrival in Murree she
had become better acquainted with the details of Evelyn's wardrobe;
and the knowledge had troubled her not a little. "How about your
trousseau?"

"Mother