st dubiously. Dolly could talk of it as a
tragedy, and a--a grand passion, and yet make a suggestion like that!
Then his wrinkles began slowly to come alive, and he gave her waist a
squeeze.

Mrs. Ercott did not resist that treatment.

"Take Olive alone," she said. "I don't really care to go."

When the Colonel went to fetch his niece he found her ready, and very
half-heartedly he asked for Cramier. It appeared she had not told him.

Relieved, yet somewhat disconcerted, he murmured:

"He won't mind not going, I suppose?"

"If he went, I should not."

At this quiet answer the Colonel was beset again by all his fears. He
put his white 'topper' down, and took her hand.

"My dear," he said, "I don't want to intrude upon your feelings;
but--but is there anything I can do? It's dreadful to see things going
unhappily with you!" He felt his hand being lifted, her face pressed
against it; and, suffering acutely, with his other hand, cased in a
bright new glove, he smoothed her arm. "We'll have a jolly good day,
sweetheart," he said, "and forget all about it."

She gave the hand a kiss and turned away. And the Colonel vowed to
himself that she should not be unhappy--lovely creature that she was,
so delicate, and straight, and fine in her pearly frock. And he pulled
himself together, brushing his white 'topper' vigorously with his
sleeve, forgetting that this kind of hat has no nap.

And so he was tenderness itself on the journey down, satisfying all
her wants before she had them, telling her stories of Indian life, and
consulting her carefully as to which horse they should back. There was
the Duke's, of course, but there was another animal that appealed to him
greatly. His friend Tabor had given him the tip--Tabor, who had the best
Arabs in all India--and at a nice price. A man who practically never
gambled, the Colonel liked to feel that his fancy would bring him in
something really substantial--if it won; the idea that it could lose
not really troubling him. However, they would see it in the paddock, and
judge for themselves. The paddock was the place, away from all the dust
and racket--Olive would enjoy the paddock! Once on the course, they
neglected the first race; it was more important, the Colonel thought,
that they should lunch. He wanted to see more colour in her cheeks,
wanted to see her laugh. He had an invitation to his old regiment's
drag, where the champagne was sure to be good. And he was so proud of
her