the man who does it a bit the better. One wouldn't brush
shoulders with the hangman if one knew it."

Averil was standing still. Her hands were clenched.

"Are you talking of Colonel Carlyon--my friend?" she said slowly.

Steele turned sharply away from the wide gaze of her grey eyes.

"I hope not, Miss Eversley," he said. "The man I mean is not fit to be
the friend of any woman."

VIII

THE STRANGER ON THE VERANDA

It was to all outward seeming a very gay crowd that assembled at the
club-house on the following night for the first dance of the season.
For some unexplained reason sentries had been doubled on all sides of
the Camp, but no one seemed to have any anxiety on that account.

"We ought to feel all the safer," laughed Mrs. Raymond when she heard.
"No one ever took such care of us before."

"It must be all rot," said Derrick who had arrived the previous evening
in excellent spirits. "If there were the smallest danger of a rising you
wouldn't be here."

"Quite true," laughed Mrs. Raymond, "unless the road to Fort Akbar is
considered unsafe."

"I never saw a single border thief all the way here!" declared Derrick,
departing to look for Averil.

He claimed the first waltz imperiously, and she gave it to him. She was
the prettiest girl in the room, and she danced with a queenly grace of
movement. Derrick was delighted. He did not like giving her up, but
Steele was insistent on this point. He had made Derrick's acquaintance
in the Frontier campaign of a year before, and he parted the two without
scruple, declaring he would not stand by and see a good chap like
Derrick make a selfish beast of himself on such an occasion.

Derrick gave place with a laugh and sought other partners. In the middle
of the evening Toby Carey strolled up to Averil and bent down in a
conversational attitude. He was not dancing himself. She gave him a
somewhat cold welcome.

After a few commonplace words he took her fan from her hand and
whispered to her behind it:

"There's a fellow on the veranda waiting to speak to you," he said.
"Calls himself a friend."

Her heart leapt at the murmured words. She glanced hurriedly round.
Everyone in the room was dancing. She had pleaded fatigue. She rose
quietly and stepped to the window, Toby following.

She stood a moment on the threshold of the night and then passed slowly
out. All about her was dark.

"Go on to the steps!" murmured Toby behind her. "I shall keep watch."