piece of gratuitous
torment, honoured by custom, which many would have willingly foregone.

The slowly retreating mass, half enveloped in dust, showed a few
shades darker than the desert itself. A patch of vermilion indicated
the Pioneer band, now blaring forth, with placid unconcern, "The Girl
I Left Behind Me!" Lesser specks denoted officers, riding out, like
the rest of the station, to speed the parting troops.

The cavalry riding in the van were a mere moving dust-cloud, followed
by artillery, infantry, ambulance doolies, borne by half-naked Kahars;
while a jumble of men and animals, camp-followers and transport,
formed, as it were, a disorderly tail to the more compact body.
Camels, groaning under tent-poles and heavy baggage, shuffled and
swayed on the outskirts, with leisurely contempt; grass-cutters bobbed
cheerfully along on ponies of no birth or breeding, that appeared
oddly misshapen under vast loads of grass: and at the last came
miniature transport carts, closely followed by the rear-guard, a mixed
body of all arms.

While Evelyn still watched, the halt was called, and the disturbing
strains of parting reached her where she stood. Hill, plain, and
nearer objects lost their crispness of outline; and she went back to
the silent house awaiting her,--the lively strains of the return march
already sounding in her ears.

As she stood still for a moment, fighting against her emotion, Owen
Kresney rode past. She barely acknowledged his greeting; and he had
the tact to pass on without speech. For the man saw plainly that the
coveted opportunity for striking a blow at Desmond, behind his back,
was very near at hand; and he could afford to bide his time.

CHAPTER XX.

THE DEVIL'S PECULIARITY?

"This is the devil's peculiarity,
he attacks us through our softest places."
--SUDERMANN.

After the departure of the troops, life settled down gradually into
its normal groove.

Frank Olliver had moved into the blue bungalow, at Desmond's request,
an arrangement more satisfying to Honor than to his wife; and the
Pioneer Regiment from Pindi had added a couple of ladies to the
station. These were made welcome with the prompt friendliness which is
India's distinctive charm; and the bachelors, in due course, made the
circuit of Kohat's handful of bungalows. The station was a few degrees
less cheerful, owing to the absence of its own particular men; but in
India spir