drink. Anyhow the Rajah
pulled through. He's got a constitution like a horse. And as soon as
he was well he presented Gillespie with a horse that was the very
Kohinoor of horses--Gillespie sold him, for a preposterous sum I
believe, to Lord Nutwood--magnificent jewels and a lakh of rupees."

"How much is a lakh of rupees?" Eileen asked with breathless interest.

"Oh, a big sum--somewhere about fifty thousand pounds. The jewels are
worth as much. Then came in the Indian Government and the Army
Regulations. They ordered Gillespie to return the Rajah's gifts.
Gillespie, who hadn't a penny to bless himself with--it was understood
that all he could squeeze out of his pay went home to his people in
Ireland--snapped his fingers at them. They bid him choose between
leaving the Service and giving up the Rajah's gifts. Gillespie quite
unhesitatingly--I believe they really thought there could be a question
of choice--gave up the Service. I hear he's come home and means to set
up as a specialist in Cavendish Square. They said there was a girl in
the case, some girl who wouldn't have him, and that took the savour
even out of the lakh of rupees. I don't suppose it's true. Do you
happen to know him, Miss Creagh? He is from your part of the world,
Donegal way."

"My people know him quite well," said Eileen, her breath coming and
going fast. "Just fancy, I never heard of it. You'd have thought some
one would have written to me."

She frowned, looking down at her plate.

At bed-time when Lady O'Gara, putting her own preoccupations aside,
went to say good-night to Eileen she found her in tears.

"My dear, what is it?" she asked in dismay.

"Oh, Cousin Mary--you know that story Major Evelyn told us about Robin
Gillespie. Well--isn't it awful?" she broke into sobbing. "I wouldn't
listen to him when he asked me to be engaged to him. He said he knew
he was a poor ... poor ... beggar, but ... with that to spur him on ...
he could do anything. I was ... horrid. I told him to ask ... Brigid.
He said it wasn't Brigid he wanted ... it was me. He got ... angry at
last ... and now... I know I loved him ... all the time."

Lady O'Gara troubled as she was, could not refrain from smiling, but as
Eileen's tears apparently had overtaken her during the process of
brushing her hair, and the long mantle of greenish grey, silver-gold
hair hung about her face, Lady O'Gara's smile passed unnoticed.

"Do you think ... it would s