ddened again.

"It's not dutiful at all. It's simply because----" She broke off
short. "Oh, I think you're horrid this afternoon. I expect people to
make themselves pleasant when I let them come out with me."

"Well, I'm sure I do my best. But one can never tell where to have
you. Goodness knows I've shown you plainly that I'm ready to be your
friend--to any extent; and you've seemed to accept it readily
enough----"

"Well, of course. I like men to like me. I always did----"

"_Men?_"

"Yes, men," she nodded, smiling. "I don't trouble much about
women--except Honor; and _she's_ worth all the men in creation put
together."

"Desmond included?" Again the covert sneer lurked in his tone, and she
drew herself up with a pretty air of dignity.

"That's not any concern of yours."

"But I tell you it is!" He pressed closer. "More than you've chosen to
realise so far. D'you suppose you can go on indefinitely blowing hot
and cold with a man; snubbing him one minute and drawing him on the
next?"

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I never bother to suppose things! Haven't I said
that if you want me to be nice, you mustn't plague me with stupid
questions? At any rate, you're seeing a lot of me now. And you're
riding a lot with me now--isn't that enough?"

"No. It's not enough, Mrs Desmond--Evelyn----"

"Oh, hush--hush! You mustn't say that!" she murmured ineffectually;
but he paid no heed.

"You find this sort of thing pleasant enough while Desmond's away; but
_will_ you keep it up when he comes back? Tell me that----" He leaned
closer; but she turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh, I don't know. How can I possibly tell?" she answered, half
plaintively, half petulantly. "Why _are_ men so tiresome? They never
seem able to enjoy things peaceably without making tragedies and
getting too much in earnest----"

"But how if I am in earnest--in desperate earnest?"

He spoke with sudden vehemence. Something in his tone startled her
into a recollection of the incident at Lahore. And there was no Theo
at hand to protect her now.

Forgetful of the loosened rein, and of her insecure hold on the
stirrup, she struck the mare more sharply than she knew. The
astonished animal bounded forward, stumbled on a round stone, and came
down on her knees, pitching Evelyn over her head into the dust of the
metalled road.

Kresney stifled an oath. "What the devil did the little fool do that
for?" he muttered between his teeth.

Springing to