s before her.

"You," she said, in a low voice. "You yourself."

"Me!" said Lord Ronald, in evident astonishment.

She nodded without speaking.

"But--I'm sorry," he said pathetically, "I'm afraid I don't quite follow
you. I am not famed for my wits, as you know."

She laughed at that, unexpectedly and quite involuntarily; and though
she was instantly serious again the laugh served to clear away some of
her embarrassment.

"Oh, but you are absurd," she said, "to talk like that. No dull-witted
person could ever have done what you have been doing lately. Major
Fletcher himself told me that day we went to Farabad that it needed
sharp wits to pose as a native among natives. He also said--" She paused
suddenly.

"Yes?" said Lord Ronald.

She glanced round at him momentarily.

"I don't know why I should repeat it. It is quite beside the point. He
also said that it entailed a risk that no one would care to take
unless--unless there was something substantial to be gained by it."

"Well, but there was," said Lord Ronald vaguely.

"Meaning my safety?" she questioned.

"Exactly," he said.

She became silent; but she fidgeted no longer with her papers. She was
making up her mind to take a bold step.

"Lord Ronald," she said at last, "I am going to ask you a very direct--a
horribly direct--question. Will you answer me quite directly too?
And--and--tell me the truth, even if it sounds rather brutal?"

There was an unmistakable appeal in her voice. With an effort she
wheeled in her chair, and fully faced him. But she was so plainly
distressed that even he could not fail to notice it.

"What is it?" he said kindly. "I will tell you the truth, of course. I
always do."

"You promise?" she said, very earnestly.

"Certainly I promise," he said.

"Then--you must forgive my asking, but I must know, and I can't find out
in any other way--Lord Ronald, are you--are you in love with me?"

She saw the grey eyes widen in astonishment, and was conscious of a
moment of overwhelming embarrassment; and then, slow and emphatic, his
answer came, banishing all misgiving.

"But of course I am," he said. "I thought you knew."

She summoned to her aid an indignation she was far from feeling; she had
to cloak her confusion somehow. "How could I possibly know?" she said.
"You never told me."

"I asked you to marry me," he protested. "I thought you would take the
other thing for granted."

She stood up abruptly, turning from him