s, and make ourselves comfortable; it is a proof of the
bestial stupidity of mankind that they should wear such abominations as
dress clothes in a climate like this. Here, boy, light the candles and
bring two sodas and brandies."

"Well, Bathurst," he went on, when they had made themselves comfortable
in two lounging chairs, "what do you thing of Miss Hannay?"

"I was prepared to admire her, Doctor, from what you said; it is not
very often that you overpraise things; but she is a charming girl, very
pretty and bright, frank and natural."

"She is all that," the Doctor said. "We were four months on the
voyage out, and I saw enough of her in that time to know her pretty
thoroughly."

"What puzzles me about her," Bathurst said, "is that I seemed to know
her face. Where I saw her, and under what circumstances, I have been
puzzling myself half the evening to recall, but I have the strongest
conviction that I have met her."

"You are dreaming, man. You have been out here eight years; she was a
child of ten when you left England! You certainly have not seen her, and
as I know pretty well every woman who has been in this station for
the last five or six years, I can answer for it that you have not seen
anyone in the slightest degree resembling her."

"That is what I have been saying to myself, Doctor, but that does not in
the slightest degree shake my conviction about it."

"Then you must have dreamt it," the Doctor said decidedly. "Some fool
of a poet has said, 'Visions of love cast their shadows before,' or
something of that sort, which of course is a lie; still, that is the
only way that I can account for it."

Bathurst smiled faintly. "I don't think the quotation is quite right,
Doctor; anyhow, I am convinced that the impression is far too vivid to
have been the result of a dream."

"By the way, Bathurst," the Doctor said, suddenly changing his
conversation, "what do you think of this talk we hear about chupaties
being sent round among the native troops, and the talk about greased
cartridges. You see more of the natives than anyone I know; do you think
there is anything brewing in the air?"

"If there is, Doctor, I am certain it is not known to the natives in
general. I see no change whatever in their manner, and I am sure I know
them well enough to notice any change if it existed. I know nothing
about the Sepoys, but Garnet tells me that the Company at Deennugghur
give him nothing to complain of, though they do